Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Think of these breakfast cookies as portable porridge with all the toppings. They're made with oats (obviously), three kinds of seeds, raisins, dates, cinnamon, and some coconut oil. Not just for breakfast, I'll have one as a snack at any time of the day, and they're full of protein, fibre, and healthy fats - perfect energy food. It's like a much more convenient form of granola and cookies are always more fun than bars, I think, although I'm sure you could make granola bars out of this too. They end up being huge, hearty cookies, a meal in one! Especially if you have one with a smoothie in the morning. Lots of the add-ins are interchangeable so they're totally customizable, and I've included some tips on that at the end of the recipe.

During the month of January I cut my sugar intake down considerably, and left any honey or coconut sugar out of my baking. I don't use refined sugars but added sugar is still sugar, even though I try not to use much of it. I tried to sweeten everything with fruit and just have a little honey with my porridge in the morning, partly because it was a tight month financially and I just couldn't justify buying these large quantities of coconut sugar, and partly just to see how we'd feel. I don't think Graham noticed much of a difference but I found that my energy levels were a lot higher and steadier. It was especially noticeable around my period, when I usually have a huge slump and end up on the couch for three days. This past month I worked right through it AND didn't have any breakouts. 

I'm not going to attribute one good month just to reducing the amount of sugar I ate, because it might have just been an easier month hormonally, but it seems like it helped. For a while there around Christmas time I was eating way too much coconut sugar, even adding about a tablespoon to my oatmeal, and I felt like crap. Since cutting down I'm not getting nearly as many cravings, although I think I ate my weight in chocolate snack cake last week, hah.

One of the bigger issues I have with our sugar consumption is snacks; I had been making granola bars and things like that without a recipe and just throwing in some sugar or honey without thinking about it. These sugar-free cookies have become my go-to now, both for a super speedy breakfast when it's needed, and as a daytime snack when there's only so much hummus and veggie sticks a person can eat!

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Makes 10-11 large cookies

220 grams / 2 cups rolled oats, divided

110 grams / 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, divided

60 grams / 1/4 cup raisins

50 grams / 1/4 cup chia

40 grams / 1/4 cup pepitas

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

120 grams / 1/2 cup dates*

70 grams / 1/4 cup coconut oil

60 ml / 1/4 cup oat milk (or another non-dairy milk)

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and grease or line a large baking sheet.

Place 110 grams / 1 cup of the oats and 70 grams / 1/2 cup of the sunflower seeds into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Mix on high for a minute or two, until a coarse flour forms. Place the flour into a large bowl and stir in the remaining oats, sunflower seeds, raisins, chia, pepitas, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.

Blend the dates, coconut oil, and milk in the food processor until the dates have broken down and a paste forms. Add this to the oat mixture and use your hands to mix until fully combined. 

Form large balls with the dough, each about a heaping 1/4 cup in size. Press them with your hands to flatten to about 3cm high and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all of the dough has been used, and then bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden.

Remove from the oven and cool for about ten minutes on the baking sheet before removing and cooling fully on a rack. They'll be a little fragile until they're completely cool. Store in a sealed container on the counter for up to three days* or freeze.

Tips:

• If you don't have a food processor or just don't feel like making oat flour, I've also made these with about 3/4 cup of spelt flour in place of the oat flour when I've been low on oats. They're a little more cake-like that way but still great.

• In terms of substitutions, the chia has to stay, but you could switch out the sunflower and pumpkin seeds for others like flax or sesame, and the raisins can be changed with any other kind of dried fruit. Try another spice other than cinnamon (vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, but half the amount). 

Notes:

1. The mixture will be quite stiff, really use your hands to get in there and mix until no streaks of flour are left.

2. I'm sure the cookies keep longer than three days, it's just that they haven't lasted longer than that in our house!