Cookies for breakfast? Sure! I remember when I was on holiday as a child, my sister and I would always make a beeline for the sweet breakfast treats at the hotel buffet: pancakes, pastries, cakes and also cookies. It was so exciting to us that we could have these foods for breakfast. (My mom always made sure we ate a bowl of fruit first, though – something I appreciate today more than back then 😉 )

As much as I still love the idea of having cookies for breakfast, my tastes and preferences have changed, and I no longer consider cookies with lots of sugar and refined ingredients a great way to start the day. That’s why I’ve created this recipe – cookies so wholesome and nourishing that they really can replace breakfast, but also sweet and yummy enough to taste like a cheeky little treat.

I made these to take to a yoga brunch last weekend, and have since been eating them for breakfast and alternatively as an afternoon snack. They’re especially perfect to have on the go, if there’s no time for a sit-down breakfast in the morning. (I tend to bring them with when staying at my boyfriend’s during the week – as we always end up rushing out the door – to eat on the tram together in the morning). They’ve also received the stamp of approval from a very tough customer – my not-at-all-fan-of-healthy-food sister. The full extent of this approval only hit me when I saw my breakfast cookie stash in the freezer had miraculously disappeared.

Luckily, they’re quick to make 😉

Breakfast Cookies

Makes: ca. 20 small cookies

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe banana
• 1 can of chickpeas (ca. 240 g drained), drained, rinsed, skins off
• 4 tbsp smooth natural peanut butter (unsalted)
• 5 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 pinch of salt (unless using salted peanut butter)
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 2-3 heaped tsp raw cacao powder
• some ground vanilla beans (or ca. 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• (optional: 1 tsp carob powder)
• (optional: 1/2 cup puffed amaranth)
• Variation 1: To take these cookies from breakfast to a slightly more indulgent treat, make a thick spread by combining: 2 tbsp smooth natural peanut butter, 1 heaped tsp raw cacao and maple syrup to taste. This you can then use as a filling for the cookies (see step 4).
• Variation 2: Omit the cacao powder and mix in some dark chocolate chunks for chocolate chip breakfast cookies.

Method

1. Blend together the banana, chickpeas, peanut butter and dates.
2. Stir in the other ingredients (salt, buckwheat flour, cacao, baking powder – and carob and amaranth, if using) and combine well.
3. Roll the mixture into balls (around 20) and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Note: This is a very sticky mix, so keep wetting your hands to make it easier to roll – this will also allow you to smooth out the cookies.
4. Variation 1: After rolling the mix into balls, use a finger to press down and create a little imprint in the middle. Put some of the peanut butter cacao spread in the middle (I was able to roll mine into little balls so they look like hazelnuts on the cookies).
5. Bake in an oven preheated to 175 °C for about 8-10 minutes. (Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on the cookies. You want them to still be soft when coming out, as they harden a little when cooling).
6. Enjoy them on their own, with extra peanut butter, raspberry jam, or any way you like!

Enjoy!

Note: The unbaked batter itself is SO delicious – feel free to just eat it as is 😉 If you specifically want to make ‘cookie dough’ for breakfast, I have a separate recipe, based on this one. (See my recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough).

Feel free to tag @blueberrysmiles22 if you share your creations on Instagram, so I can share in the joy 🙂