This past month has been an emotional one, that’s for sure. Both on a personal level, and the world at large. I’ve experienced incredible highs, where my heart feels like it’s just going to burst. I’ve laughed more than I have in a while, cried happy tears, and watched in awe as our baby girl experiences her new world each day. This week Adriana has started to really see us, studying our faces, and she’s giving these huge, goofy grins in return. Maybe she just passed gas, but I’d like to think she’s really tickled pink with her mama! Or maybe she thinks we’re funny looking? Her eyes light up when she hears my voice and my heart just about melts every time. It’s amazing how these simple moments can bring so much happiness. Happiness that I never knew existed before she came along. It makes me forget about everything else…the hard times, the frustrated tears, the postpartum pains, and the self doubt. There’s been a lot of those emotions too and I’m sure there will be plenty in the future, but I know the one consistent thing is that our love will get us through anything. It’s the one reassurance that keeps me going when I’m having a hard day.
This month has found me back in the kitchen a fair amount. For one, I’m hungry all. the. time. It’s a bit ridiculous. And two, it’s so comforting, especially during a time when my emotions and day to day routine are all over the map. The act of cooking and baking is a reassuring daily ritual, so I find myself squeezing in some simple food prep whenever I can, even if it’s a simple pan of roasted vegetables or a batch of breakfast cookies that can be whipped up in 10 minutes. It’s all about simplicity right now.
Did someone say breakfast cookies?? Yea!
These cookies won’t make you feel sluggish or give you a sugar crash. No one wants to start off their day like that. Thanks to the super wholesome ingredients, you’ll be feeling amazing, light, and energized. I made these simple creations because I needed some healthy fuel handy for our early morning nursing sessions. Now that I’m breastfeeding at all hours of the day and night, my hunger sneaks up on me and I need something fast and portable. I definitely don’t consider these a breakfast replacement (my appetite is much too strong for that), but they are a nice snack to take the edge off. They would also be nice as a pre-workout snack too.
I used a base of oats and ground flax, which are thought to help boost milk supply in nursing mamas. Flax has a nice amount of omega-3 fatty acids and for good measure I added a hefty dose of cinnamon to help balance blood sugar levels. No sugar crash here! Feel free to play around with the recipe – I think shredded coconut, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, nuts/seeds, etc. would all be fun to try out.
PS- If you are looking for super easy “dessert” cookies, check out the other cookie recipe I posted on Instagram this week! Yup, it’s a 2 for 1 kinda week. Cookies for all!
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies
Yield
10 cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Healthy, wholesome breakfast cookies sweetened with banana. These cookies are soft, doughy, and dense—almost like portable baked oatmeal. Have fun changing up this recipe with different mix-ins, like chopped nuts or seeds. Recipe inspired by Ambitious Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 cup (250 mL) mashed ripe banana (about 2 very large)
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 8 teaspoons (40 mL) jam
- Peanut butter (or almond or sunflower seed butter), for serving (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, add the oats and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Don't process it into a flour, some big flakes are good.
- In a large bowl, stir together the processed oats, mashed banana, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt until combined. The mixture will be very wet and dense.
- With a retractable ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop the dough into 10 mounds. (The cookies do not need to be spaced far apart on the baking sheet as they don't spread out.) Press your thumb into the centre of each cookie to create a well. Fill each well with 1 heaping teaspoon of jam.
- Bake cookies at 350°F (180°C) for 11 to 13 minutes, until the cookies are slightly firm on the outside, but soft and doughy in the middle. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
- If desired, pipe on your favourite nut butter. These cookies also taste great with a pat of coconut oil on top!
Tip:
- To make the cookies nut-free, omit the peanut butter topping or swap it with sunflower seed butter instead.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Just tried these out and they are absolutely amazing! I added chia seeds because I add them to whatever I can but they are still so delicious and easy! Exactly what I want! :D
I have been eyeing this recipe for a few months now and I have them in the oven. I cannot wait to try them.
My friend really wants ti be vegan and is trying her best. She can not have. Nuts or seeds due to diverticulitis. Any suggestions? I will use this recipe because I have flax seed powder but I am at a loss when it comes to substitute most things. Thank u
Any idea what I can substitute for the banana? I’m allergic :(
I love these, thank you! Between these and overnight oats, I’ve been on an oats binge lately :P
Going to try making these tomorrow! My grandmother tried making some fresh fig preserves, which taste delicious, but they ended up with a very chewy texture similar to the inside of a jammy dodger. I bet these cookies paired with the preserves will have a good balance of savory and sweet! Thank you for all your recipes. . . They always turn out wonderfully. :)
Hi Angela,
I’ve just made those cookies which are delicious!
Quick questions though…
How should I store them? In a tin box? In the fridge? How long do you think I can keep them?
Can I freeze them?
Thank you! Your blog is amazing!!!
I made these and substituted bananas with applesauce as I just don’t like bananas. You won’t need the exact same measurements with applesauce, but just gauge it- all you need to do is get the mixture moist. It worked well and these are just delicious.
omg these look so good and easy! I need to make these, theyre perfect for snacking! I hope you dont mind but i will be using a photo from here in my blog post so i can share how wonderful they are (link back of course!!)
Leanne’s Lifestyle Blog
Hiya Angella! Love your recipes. In this particular recipe, i was wondering if we could replace the flax seeds or just not add them. will it make a difference if I omit them?
I loved this recipe for two reasons: one, it was easy to make with few ingredients and, two, it was delicious! You nailed it on the head when you described it as “portable baked oatmeal.” The nut butter is a good addition. To avoid adding sugar, the bananas need to very ripe. BTW, my mix turned out 10 fabulous cookies. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I will definitely be making this often.
This is a great recipe. Do these vegan breakfast cookies freeze well?
I can’t seem to find if its been posted or not but do you have all the nutritional stats for these yummy sounding cookies?
I decided to make these cookies tonight for dessert! Instead of using flax seeds, I used raisins. They came out so delicious! I will definitely make these flourless cookies again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Love this simple recipe. My batter wasn’t wet enough, so I added some unsweetened organic applesauce this time, and it worked well. I love having recipes to use up old bananas! My family loves these cookies.
Can you substitute another kind of pureed fruit like applesauce if you don’t have ripe bananas on hand? The stores near me tend to only have green bananas. Ugh. I did make these with bananas last year and they were delish!
Sorry, but these had no flavor and were a terrible texture. Very dense. Was disappointed I wasted the ingredients.
These are my go-to whenever I am craving something sweet a little while after dinner–they are so quick and use ingredients that I always have on hand. Also a great pre-run snack! Hooray for guilt free deliciousness!
I really like your ideas! I made this just last night . my daughter really liked them too and grabbed a couple on the way out the door this morning. The only thing I had to do different was add two splashes of cashew milk otherwise the chia’s absorbed so much of the moisture I could not thouroghly mix the oats into the recipe. But I have to say it was the same for the “out the door chia donuts.” Maybe there is more moisture in the air where you bake as compared to where I do my baking but I love both these recipes because getting a teen to eat heathy can be a challenge and both your recipes achieve that very easily. Hands down it beats other breakfast options going on out there…so thanks again Angela for sharing your wonderful recipes!!
Eager to try this! An allergist told me that to avoid a peanut allergy in children that you should not eat any peanut products while pregnant or nursing. Just an FYI…use the sunbutter. Wishing you restful sleep!
I’ve made 3 recipes off your website this past week and each one seems better than the next. These cookies are fantastic. In fact, they are already gone. 30 minutes out of the oven and my husband and son devoured them! Glad I tasted one before they were gone. My boys are already requesting another batch and I am so happy my son is eating a healthy cookie! Thank you for another wonderful recipe.