Cooking: Easy & Healthy Breakfast Cookies

There are some days where mornings are just plain crazy at out house. 

I'm not alone in that, am I?

In an effort to simplify our morning routines, I try to prep a few breakfast items so that they're cooked and only need to be heated up, toasted, or grabbed from the pantry. One of the items I've made is a healthy breakfast cookie. So far, they are a hit! I love that it takes me about an hour to make and bake a big batch, and my kids love that they are getting cookies for breakfast! Win-Win in my book!

Below is my recipe. If you make it, I'd love to hear how it goes with your family!

Yields: 18 large (3") cookies

Ingredients:

·  1 cup mashed banana
·  1 cup peanut butter (any nut butter will work if you don’t use peanuts)
·  1 cup honey
·  4 teaspoons vanilla
·  2 cups 5-grain cereal (oatmeal will do in a pinch!)
·  1/2 cup whole wheat flour
·  1/2 cup ground flax seed (or an additional 1/2 cup flour)
·  1 cup unflavored or vanilla protein powder (dry milk can be substituted)
·  4 teaspoons ground pumpkin pie seasoning
·  1 teaspoon baking soda
·  ½ teaspoon baking powder
·  1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
·  1 cup chopped walnuts (any nut can be used, or it can be omitted all together)

Directions:

1.   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 cookie sheets with sheets of parchment paper.
2.   In a large bowl, stir together the banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
3.   In a small bowl, combine the cereal, flour, flax seed, protein powder, pumpkin pie seasoning, baking soda and baking powder.
4.   Stir the cereal mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.
5.   Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten, and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.
6.   Bake, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7.   Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw before serving.


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