Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies ~ What a healthy, simple & FUN way to eat breakfast.  Made with oatmeal, applesauce, toasted walnuts & raisins. They make a wonderfully chewy cookie.   ((I have included the optional dried cranberries in the breakfast cookies that are pictured, but of course, you can just use all raisins if you don't include the use of dried cranberries in your diet.))


I saw a photo for Breakfast Cookies over on Pinterest & just had to 'pin' it & try baking it.  The recipe only had a few ingredients and had no sugar added & was egg, flour & dairy free!  Of course, I tweaked it a bit, as I always do.  These turned out really good & would make a perfect breakfast-on-the-go!!  Heck, they would be a good guilt-free, anytime snack.   I love it when I find recipes that are so good for you & so easy to make.  I think I will be tinkering with this adapted recipe some more, I'm sure there are many additional ways to spin this breakfast cookie.  You could easily add some ground flax seed, protein powder or other dried fruits & nuts...the possibilities are endless.  Both Roy & J gave them two-thumbs up & I make it three.  Enjoy!

Updated 7/5/2012 ~ I just did a nutritional workup for the Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies over at CalorieCount.com ~ you can link over to view the stats here.

Updated 7/9/2012 ~ In the last few days, my Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies recipe has gone viral!  I appreciate all of you who have visited my site & who have made comments.  For those who are concerned about the recipe including cranberries, I have more clearly noted their use in the recipe as optional since most dried cranberries do have some sugar added in their processing.  Enjoy!   



Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies ~ no sugar added ~ egg, flour &  dairy free!!
makes 12 BIG breakfast cookies 
or 16 regular sized 

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups oatmeal, quick or old fashioned ~ uncooked
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed with fork until creamy  **(see update below)
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup raisins, or to taste ((optional ~ you can add in some dried cranberries (replacing some of the raisins) if you include the use of dried cranberries in your diet.  Trader Joe's makes a really good one.))
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (or regular, if you prefer) ***(see update below)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste) 

    ** for those of you who don't like bananas, try using 2/3 cup pureed fresh or frozen mango in place of the mashed bananas. I've used it in place of the bananas & it's an acceptable substitute, just maybe not quite as sweet. 

           ***for those of you who don't eat nuts, just make the recipe without
           them.  No need to replace them with anything else.



Directions

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix vanilla extract & cinnamon into the applesauce.

Blend applesauce mixture with all other ingredients & let sit for 10 minutes

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake approx. 20 - 30 minutes, or until golden & done.

Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.
 
Store in a covered container when completely cool.

Enjoy for breakfast, for an afternoon snack with tea/coffee or just about anytime!


Updated 6/9/2012:  I've been baking this basic Breakfast Cookie Recipe for almost two months & it has become a staple in my kitchen.  No joke, I make a batch about every three days.  We decided we like it when I use the old fashioned oats the best, but since I can buy the quick oats in bulk at Sam's Club I still make it with that type as well.  We eat them as a snack, dessert, with tea or coffee, in lunchboxes or when we just need a little something before a meal ~ they are now our go-to if we need a quick bite.  Here are some other ways to enjoy my Breakfast Cookies...


Still tinkering with how we eat them, that's half the fun...  :)  Occasionally I like to splurge & include a little extra 'something' to my breakfast cookies. Sometimes I'll shape the cookies into 'bars',  melt some carob chips & add squiggles on the cookie bars.  J REALLY likes them like this, I think it makes him feel like he's getting a chocolaty, chewy cereal bar. ~ OR ~ I will sometimes add a few carob chips to the top of the cookies before I put them in the oven, pushing them down into the dough a bit, so they stay put.  Roy likes them like this as a change, he feels it makes them eat like a chewy chocolate chip cookie.








To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies ~ with banana & oats





To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Cocoa Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies 



 

To see this recipe & post, click below ~ 
Blueberry Almond Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies





To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies








To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Tropical Coconut Mango Breakfast Cookies








To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookies








To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Double Apricot Almond Breakfast Cookies






To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies






To see this recipe & post, click below ~
Overnight Oatmeal Cookie Dough Breakfast Cookie ~ No Bake







264 comments:

  1. I have these in the oven and they smel delish!! Mines came out kinda mushy but I will continue to tweak them!! Thanks!

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    1. They do make the house smell good! Try making them with the old fashioned oats (if you haven't already) they seem to be a bit firmer with that grind. They also firm up the longer they sit/cool. Happy tinkering!

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    2. Needed a snack when I am working. These are guilt free....thanks so much I love them

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    3. Jewel ~ So glad to hear that you like them! Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  2. I just made these today after I saw the recipe. I didn't use the nuts though. They came out sooo good. At first I tried one while it was still warm and it didn't seem sweet enough to me, but after they were completely cooled they were awesome. The kiddos loved them too. I love that there are just a few ingredients too. Thanks for sharing!!!

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    1. So glad you liked them! It's such an easy recipe to play around with, I keep trying them different ways. I make a batch every few days, they don't last long around here. :)

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    2. I just made them again and added some chopped apples too, so good. I am going to try it with old fashioned oats as you suggested to another to see how that turns out. I think I would like to have more of the texture of the oatmeal in it. I can't believe how much my kids love these and I feel good knowing they are eating something very healthy for a snack :)

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    3. Oh and I also added some ground flax seed to them, so that made them even more healthy!!!

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    4. So glad your kids enjoy them! It makes it so much easier to say 'yes' to snacks when you feel good about what you are feeding them. :) Adding chopped apples sounds really good, I'll have to try that soon. (I love the flavor of Dutch Apple & make a mean Dutch Apple Smoothie that reminds me of TCBY yogurt, I wrote about that last month) Ground flax seed is so easy to use, I sneak it into a lot of things & often use it to replace part of the butter or oil in recipes. It's so versatile, I just love it. :)

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  3. I would protest against calling these "sugar free". If you look at dried cranberries, the second ingredient is usually sugar. Bananas naturally have sugar in them. Calling them sugar free - especially to someone with diabetes - is a little misleading.

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    1. Thanks for the comment. I did go & look at diabetic websites & found that while fruit does contain natural fruit sugars, it is not the refined white sugar/high fructose corn syrup type this is in so many prepackaged treats/sodas & that can be of concern to those who must watch their sugar/carb intake. Many of the diabetic sites talk about eating a well balanced, varied diet, that does include fruit, but in moderation. A few websites that I found informative are:

      http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes/AN01691
      http://www.diabetescare.net/content_detail.asp?id=1245

      The Mayo Clinic talks about watching total carbs when considering your meals & snacks. They recommend a fruit serving to have 15 grams or less of carbs. If you make my cookies large, one of my cookies has a total net carb count of 14 & that is a combined fruit, nut & oatmeal carb count ~ not just fruit carb count. If you make 16 cookies in the batch, instead of 12, that net carb count is even less.

      I also found a link for some great sounding diabetic recipes from the Diabetic Gourmet Magazine website that feature fruit. They look delish. I'll be trying some of the recipes soon, they look so good!
      http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/Fruit/
      Cheers!

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    2. Thank you for being so informative about the 'sugar'. I'm waiting for mine to come out of the oven and cool to taste :)

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    3. Hope you liked them, Sarah. :) I've got a bunch of other breakfast cookie recipes that you might like also. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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    4. If you look in a health store, you can find raisins and dried cranberries without any sugar added. Then you can certainly make them with "no sugar added."

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  4. I like how someone commented that these aren't "sugar free," because they certainly aren't. I also like how you responded to their comment, but failed to change your wording in the post. You really are misleading people. Kudos to using unsweetened applesauce. Now just remove the craisins and you can at least say "no sugar added."

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    1. I think diabetics would be knowledgeable enough about their disease to know that there is added sugar in most raisins and craisins. I don't think vicki's comments are misleading at all.

      Vicki, its a great recipe! Thanks for doing what you do and making it easier for so many people to eat healthier and cleaner!

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    2. Thank you so much!!! Your kind words mean a lot to me, you've made my day!! So happy that you like the breakfast cookies, they're a fun cookie to tinker with. I make a batch about every 3 days, they don't last long around this house. :)

      Hope you find other recipes on the blog that you like. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

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    3. what about drying cranberries yourself with no sugar. plus the amount of fruit in these cookies is still on the diabetic table of snacks.fruit sugars are not the same as refined sugars


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    4. Hi Linda! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. :) I hope you enjoyed the cookies ~ Cheers!

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  5. Amazing! I love them and it feels good to eat something so sweet without adding simple sugar. Thanks for the nutritional info too. I'm counting calories and this sure helps. I will definitely be trying your other recipes . . .

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    1. So glad you liked them! I thought the same thing when I first tried them, that's why I keep tinkering with them. :) Hope you enjoy wandering around the site, it's been fun doing it! Cheers!

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  6. Would they work if you spread in a pan and cut as bars?

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    1. I think it would, it just might be a bit hard getting the first one out. I always cook these on parchment paper, so if you did put them in a pan, you'd need to cut parchment paper to fit, then they should be easy to get out of the pan. I usually just shape the dough into bars & bake them that way. That way & can have round cookies & bar cookies from the same batch. :)

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    2. These are so terrible! I am so disappointed. they sound amazing....however they are not very good at all

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    3. Since they don't have any flour, egg, sugar or oil/butter, they do come out different than a traditional cookie. Did you try them when they were still warm or after they were all cooled? I think their flavor/sweetness are at their best when they've had a chance to sit around for awhile. Thanks for giving the recipe a try. Cheers!

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  7. I may have missed it in all the comments, but is there a nutritional info breakdown for these?

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    1. Yes, there is. :) I updated my original post & included a link for the recipe's nutritional breakdown that I did for the breakfast cookies over on CalorieCount.com -- look at the text, at the beginning of the post, for the link. :)

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    2. Great recipie and I want to try it but I'm on weight watchers. I wanted to know is the nutritional information more accurate for the 16 cookie size or the 12 cookie size? Thanks!

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    3. The nutritional info over on CalorieCount.com is based on making 12 cookies from a batch. I updated the wording to reflect that a bit more clearly. I usually make 16 in a batch, but you could easily make them even smaller & I think still have a satisfying cookie. (I'm starting to make them as 20 to a batch since my hubby always has one with his tea....and he drinks a lot of tea :) ~ Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting. Hope you find other Breakfast Cookies that you like (or other recipes, too) ~ Cheers!

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  8. How many days will these stay fresh in tupperware?

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    1. Honestly, we eat them up so fast, I've never had a batch around the house longer than 2 1/2 ~ 3 days. I'm usually baking a batch every other day. So, at least 3 days & probably a lot longer if you stored them in the fridge. It's been so hot here, I'm thinking of just storing them in there now ~ as well as myself! :) heehee Then just taking them out & eating them either cold or letting them warm up a bit on the counter & then eating.

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    2. Love this recipe. These are perfect for a post-run snack. Thanks, Vicki, for sharing.
      The batch I made lasted about 5 days on the counter in a covered "disposable" container (gladware, I think). After day 5 I noticed a little spoilage on the two that were left.

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    3. So glad to hear that you liked them! They never last longer than 3 days around here...we eat them up too fast for them to still be around by day 5. Thanks for the heads up. There are lots of other flavors, hope you find more that you might like. :)

      Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

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  9. I cannot use nuts due to my child's allergy, and I know he would love these cookies. Do you think that they will turn out OK without the nuts? Should I add more oats and raisins? I am thinking of trying them with unsweetened coconut and dark chocolate chips, too.

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    1. No need to add anything to replace the nuts, I make them without the nuts whenever I run out of nuts & they're just as good. I'm working on a Tropical Breakfast Cookie that has coconut in it & it REALLY tastes good, so I'd definitely tinker around with that idea. I've been using 3 Tbsp shredded coconut, as well as adding 1 tsp coconut extract. I've also added carob chips to the cookies sometimes, so I know the dark chocolate would taste good! I usually just push the chips into the top, (so I use less, watching my calories :) but if you don't care about that, I'd just add it to the dough. I think using different flavors of 'chips' would be a nice change, too. Hope your child likes them! :)

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    2. Thank you! We are making them right now!

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  10. Are these meant to be chewy? I used the old fashioned oats and baked a little longer but still couldn't get them to "firm up" in the middle. Wasn't sure if they were supposed to be crunchy or chewy!

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    1. These are a chewy cookie. They will never be 'crunchy' because of the soft fruit in them & since there is no flour or butter in them. Make sure you flatten the cookies out so they are a consistent thickness all over. I get mine to about 1/2 inch. They will continue to firm up as they cool. :)

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  11. Made them tonight and I love them! Can't wait for my kiddos to try tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. So very glad that you enjoyed them!! Once you have the basic recipe down, it's a lot of fun trying it with different add-ins or swapping this for that. I also like the fact that you can eat the raw cookie dough without worry. heehee :)

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  12. DO you know how many calories it has for one cookie?

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    1. I updated my original post & included a link for the recipe's nutritional breakdown that I did for the breakfast cookies over on CalorieCount.com -- look at the text, at the beginning of the post, for the link ~ where it says Updated 07/05/2012 :)

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  13. I just made these and they will definitely become part of my baking-routine. Perfect for those busy mornings. I used a mix of oat and rye flakes to add more fiber.

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    1. That sounds really good! I'll have to try that. Thanks for the comment & sharing another way to amp up the fiber! :) Cheers!

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  14. Your different varieties of the cookies sounds delicious! As for the people complaining they aren't sugar free- This is a blogging/sharing site. So if the creator says 'sugar-free' and YOU discover that CRAISINS have sugar in them... We can all put two and two together and assume it means 'No Added Sugars' which is more of what we all need! She isn't a nutritionist or a doctor, she's a blogger. Ease the heck up. THANK YOU for your efforts on the healthy recipes and your many spins on breakfast cookies!!! :)

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    1. You don't know how much your comment means to me!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I'm so VERY glad you stopped by & am so happy that you like what you've seen. I hope you enjoy the cookies. Again, thanks so much for the comment ~ you've made my day! You ROCK! :) Cheers!

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    2. I agree, and I am a diabetic too! But I am smart enough to know you meant no added sugar! Any diabetic should know all fruit has natural sugars, but we still have to eat our fruit! You just can't please some people! I am definitely gonna try this recipe! Can't wait! Thanks! And for those worried about added sugars in the dried fruit, try drying your own!

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    3. Thank you so VERY MUCH for stopping by & commenting!! Your kind words mean a lot. :) Hope you enjoy the cookies. It's a fun recipe to tinker with, as you can tell by all the variations I keep creating from this 'master' breakfast cookie recipe. Check out the other varieties, if you haven't already. You've made my day ~ Cheers! :)

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    4. I have type 1 Diabetes and love these cookies.. They are awesome!!! I also love to feed them to my children, we try to stay away from any cookie that has a high sugar content so the natural sugar in these makes me even happieer!!!! (:

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    5. I'm so glad that you & your children are enjoying them! It's a fun recipe to tinker with. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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    6. Thank~You what I saw was no added sugar .Duh there is going to be naturally occurring sugar in fruit .i feel sorry for any body diabetic or otherwise that doesn't realize that. I am making them in the AM and can't wait to try them. People need to ease up for gods sake and use the sense god gave then;-) you Rock! Debbie;-)

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    7. Debbie, hope you liked the cookies & maybe find other breakfast cookies that sound good to you too. :) Thanks for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  15. I agree with the pp! I hate it when people pick apart one or two words in someone's post. You know what she meant people, chill out! If you don't like the recipe, move on, or use dried cranberries that don't have added sugar! You can find them, you just have to look. When I read "sugar-free" I understood what you meant (I mean, you can see the fruit in the picture of them....so obviously if there's fruit in there, there's gonna be natural sugars).

    Thank you for posting the recipe and all of the tweaks you did! I am excited to try them all out!! :) I was thinking of putting fresh chopped cherries (I don't have any dried fruits at the moment) and maybe some unsweetened coconut....I wonder how that will turn out. Have you tried either of those yet?

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    1. Thank you so much for the comment & kind words!!! It means a lot to me so see that people are taking the time to look at my posts & recipes. I haven't used cherries yet, but that sounds like a really good idea. I think fresh or dried would taste amazing. If you added some carob chips (or chocolate), you'd get a cherry chocolate chip cookie flavor combo that I think would really be a winner!

      Yesterday I posted a recipe for a Tropical Coconut Mango Breakfast Cookie that you might like. I really like the flavor of the coconut in the cookies. I used some coconut extract to up the flavor even more.

      If you make your cookie ideas, please let me know, they sound like they'd make a really good one(s)! Thanks again for the nice comments, it made my day! Cheers! :)

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    2. If you'd like to email me with your first name, I'd love to mention you as an inspiration for a cherry chip breakfast cookie I want to do. Yours is such a great idea, I really want to give it a go! watchingwhatieat at yahoo dot com ~ :)

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    3. I posted a recipe for Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookies on Sunday. They turned out amazing! My hubby says they are his new favorite. I'll make them a few time while cherries are in season & with frozen cherries when the fresh are all gone. Thank you so much for the inspiration! YOU ROCK! :)

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  16. Have you ever frozen these? Cooked or uncooked? I would love to make in bul and freeze !

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    1. I froze a baked cookie the other day, just to see what it was like & it seemed fine to me once it thawed out. I haven't tried freezing unbaked cookies & then baking them, but I think I will & make an update to the post once I see what happens. I think it should all be fine, just like when you do that with regular cookies. If you do try it, let me know how it goes. Thanks for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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  17. The recipe calls for "oatmeal" does that mean just plain oats or cooked oats? Thanks! I can't wait to try these!

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    1. Just plain, uncooked oats. Try it with either old fashioned or quick oats, it does change the texture of the cookies a bit, like I mentioned in the 6/9 Update. Hope you like them! Cheers!

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  18. Do you ever have a problem with the parchment paper smoking in the oven?

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    1. Nope. I use Reynolds parchment paper & it's rated to withstand temps up to 420 degrees. The recipe calls for an oven temp of 350 degrees, so it is well below the rated high temp.

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    2. Until this recipe I thought Parchment paper and wax paper were the same- NOPE. :) The smoking in my oven was the wax paper.... silly me!!

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    3. Hahahaha, I can so relate. ~ As I traverse the uncharted baking waters in my own kitchen, I also continue to learn new things every day. Learning to bake is hard, harder than cooking food is ~ at least for me. I can go off on a tangent with cooking & still can fix a mistake, it's A LOT harder to do that with baking. All I can say is also make sure you don't reach for the butcher paper when you really want the parchment paper... I now keep them at opposite ends of my kitchen. That's all I'm willing to fess up to about that... hahaha :)

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  19. Made these today and was very disappointed. I was so excited to try them, I don't know what I did wrong! They came out completely gooey on the inside, like a bowl of oatmeal that's been cooked too long.

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    1. Not sure what happened, mine have always come out fine. Just thinking out loud...2 bananas usually made approx 2/3 cup of puree, maybe they made a bit more & made the mixture wetter than usual? These are a moist, chewy cookie, so they will not firm up/crisp up like a regular cookie that is made with butter & flour. If you do try them again, I'd try using old fashioned oats (if you didn't already) & make sure you flatten them out to about a 1/2" round & maybe bake them a bit longer. They will firm up as they cool, so the texture/flavor right out of the oven will be very different in a few hours when they are completely cool. Hope some of the ideas help. Cheers!

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  20. These sound great, except the bananas. I presume they act as a sweetener and binding agent. Any suggestions for substitutions? I don't like banana added to anything. Thanks!

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    1. Try them with pureed mangoes instead of the banana. I made the Tropical Coconut Mango Breakfast Cookies without banana & it worked out well. You might also try pureed ~ pears, peaches or crushed pineapple ~ I haven't used those yet as a replacement for banana, but I know I'll give them a try in the future. Hope that gives you some ideas to try. It's a great recipe to tinker with. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers!

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  21. I found this recipe last Monday and have already made two batches! The second time I made them I added one diced apple and about 1/4 cup of flax seed (which I grind after I measure it). They came out amazing. Thanks for the encouragement to play around with the recipe! :)

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    1. So glad you are having fun with the recipe! It really is a versatile one to tinker with. I'll have to try the chopped apples, too, that sounds really good! And flax is always a winner in my book. If you come up with any other cookie flavors/ideas, please share them ~ I'm all ears! :)

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  22. I found this recipe last Monday and have already made two batches! The second time I made them I added one diced apple and about 1/4 cup of flax seed (which I grind after I measure it). They came out amazing. Thanks for the encouragement to play around with the recipe! :)

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  23. I am cooking these right now and OMG! They smell outstanding! I used cranberries and sliced dry roasted almonds (both from Trader Joes) in mine. I cannot wait to try them!

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    1. They do make the house smell good! They are so easy to change up, I still do that, just depends on what nuts or dried fruit I have hanging around the house. I used some chopped up, dried apricots from TJ's (I LOVE TJ's)the other day, it was a nice change. Hope you enjoy them. Try one warm & then again when cool ~ it's really something how the flavor changes when they cool down. Thanks for the comment & for stopping by ~ Cheers! :)

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  24. I love the idea of a breakfast cookie. Heck, this awesome recipe would be great anytime of day! I featured it on last week's Friday's Fantastic Finds so that all my readers could love it too!

    http://www.inspirationformoms.com/2012/07/fridays-fantastic-finds_20.html

    Thanks!

    Laura

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    1. Very cool!! Thanks so much for the honor! I'm with you, eating 'cookies' for breakfast ROCKS! I've posted a bunch of variations, check them out, too. I see that you are in CO, we moved from there back in 2007. Sure do miss it! Thanks for sharing my link. You made my day! :)

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  25. I have just tried these with steel cut oats and they came out a little to 'uncooked' (still amazing though). Any suggestions of how to make them with steel cut oats? Maybe slightly cook the oats before adding them?

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    1. As you mentioned, you could try cooking them a bit, but I tried it once with steel cut oats & wasn't really thrilled with that batch. I'm not sure if that type of oats will work with this recipe. If you can figure it out, please do let me know. Steel cut oats are great. :) Thanks for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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    2. I was just reading thru a blog, by Dreena Burton, over at www.viveleveganrecipes.blogspot.com ~ On one of her recipes dated Oct. 15 for ~ "Instant" Steel Cut Oats ~ mentions grinding steel cut oats in a blender before cooking so they cook quicker...I bet you could do the same thing in these cookies. Might be worth a shot if you haven't already tried it. Let me know how it turns out if you do. :) She uses a lot of ground oats in her baked recipes & I'm impressed. I just tinkered with one of her muffin recipes, using ground oats in place of some of the flour & it turned out great! I'll have to try that myself next time I make breakfast cookies. :)

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  26. Soo I'm the girl with the dumb parchment paper question... Apparently I used wax paper ooops they came out as a puff of smokey cookies!! Yikes can you tell I'm not the baking pro..yet?!? Now I have the correct paper thank to you and let me just say WOW!! Love the cookies and your blog. Thank you so much for everything :)

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    1. That gave me such a giggle! I am also a challenged baker & have learned to be very careful when I grab the parchment paper, I almost used butcher paper one time, so don't feel bad. :) I'm glad everything turned out OK & that you were able to find the right paper. So glad that you like the cookies & the blog! The blog has turned into a really fun hobby, plus it's so nice to 'chat' with all the cool people who have stopped by. :) Cheers!

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  27. I use a mixture of dried cranberries and raisins, and I added pumpkin seeds. Wow! Dynamite! Instead of the instant oats, I use the large flake oats. Everything works perfect. They are deeee-lish! And so incredibly easy! Thanks for this terrific recipe!
    Sandi

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    1. So glad you enjoyed them! I'm making a batch myself, right now. ;) I'll have to try making them with pumpkin seeds, sometime soon. I've not thought of using those types of seeds. Cool idea, thanks so much for sharing! We also like the cookies best with old fashioned oats. Thanks for the comment & for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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  28. can you use regular or cinnamon applesauce I know it has more sugar but was just wondering if you think it would work?

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    1. Sure, use whatever type you like, it'll just give the cookies a sweeter taste since those types of applesauce use either sugar or fruit juice concentrate to sweeten the applesauce. Depending on much 'cinnamon-y' flavor the applesauce has, you might want to reduce the amount of cinnamon in the recipe. I'd add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, mix it all up & then taste. If the cookies still seem like they need additional cinnamon, then I'd add the rest.

      Happy baking ~ thanks for stopping by!

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  29. Not sure what I did wrong and would love some input. I made these cookies and they smelled incredible, couldn't wait to try them. Then, when I did, they were very rubbery. I've read through the comments and I know they are supposed to be chewy, but this just didn't seem right. Maybe I didn't cook them long enough? Maybe too much banana (I saw your comment about that)? Or, is it because I used quick oats? I want to try this again and not sure if I should just try one or all of my thoughts. What do you think?

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    1. The cookies taste better after they have cooled for a few hours. You might even like them better if they are kept in the fridge. Make sure you flatten the cookies into rounds that are about 1/2" thick. Some cook their cookies for 20+ minutes, but I like mine at 30-35 minutes. After you cool the cookies, store them in a Tupperware container with a lid. The taste/texture/sweetness really do develop/change after a few hours. I prefer using the old fashioned oats, but still make the cookies with quick oats, too. 2 bananas are equal to about 2/3 cup, so maybe if your bananas were really big you had a bit more mashed banana ~ or if really small, not as much. Make sure to let the cookie dough sit for 10 minutes before baking, so the oats can start to soften up before going into the oven. Good luck! :)

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  30. hi, is it possible to make these using the microwave? hehe hope this isn't a silly question, just wondering :p

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    1. No, not a silly question ~ just one I'd never thought about. Well, I tried it with one cookie (I was getting ready to make a batch when I read your comment) & let's just say I am less than enthusiastic with the results. I nuked one 'raw' cookie on a plate, 45 seconds x 3 times, flipping after the 2nd time. So, under 3 minutes total. I think the microwave doesn't 'dry' it out enough for my tastes. (the oven uses warm heat & the microwave had more moist heat) I'd rather just bake a batch, freeze the cookies & then take one out/let it thaw/then eat it when you're ready. Interesting concept, though. If you do figure out a way using the microwave, please do let us know. Thanks for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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    2. oh you're so sweet for trying it out for me, thanks so much :)

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    3. I made these omitting the cranberries and raisins. (less sugar) I also added a scoop of Naturade pea protein.

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    4. Thanks for commenting & stopping by. I've never tried pea protein. Is it gritty like soy protein powder sometimes is? I'm interested in an alternative to regular whey protein, sometimes I want to make my shakes/smoothies vegan & I'm not a fan of how my soy protein works in a smoothie. :)

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  31. How ripe are the bananas when you mash them? I want to make them, but don't want to wait too long for super ripe bananas. :)

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    1. I use my bananas when they're ripe, all yellow & not too soft... all the way to really ripe with lots of brown spots & getting mushy. The riper they are, the sweeter they are & the easier they are to mash with a fork. If yours are still firm/greenish & you don't want to wait for them to get more ripe, I'd probably use a food processor to puree them if it's too hard to get them to mash nicely with a fork & I'd taste them for sweetness. If they're not sweet enough, I'd consider adding some type of sweetener to help them out. (either a bit of honey or sugar) Happy baking ~ Cheers!

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  32. I noticed the serving size is 56 grams...homany cookies is that?

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    1. The recipe makes 12 big cookies & one cookie is one serving. Calorie Count shows the number of servings at the top of the ingredient list & then shows the breakdown for a single serving at the bottom of the recipe, where you saw the 56 grams. :)

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  33. These cookies are so yummy! Also they were very quick and easy to make(: These will definitely be a lifesaver once school starts and I need a quick, healthy breakfast on the go. Thank you so much for the recipie!

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    1. I'm so glad that you liked them!! They're a favorite around here, my hubby always has one with his tea, every morning...& one in his lunch. :) They do come in handy when you're on the run. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  34. I just made these for the 2nd time. Wow we love them. The changes I made are...
    I added 8 drops of liquid vanilla Stevia and I used dried cherries instead of raisins and doubled the amount.
    I used quick oats the first time and old fashioned oats the 2nd time and definitely prefer the old fashioned ones.
    Thanks SO MUCH for the recipe!!! Yum!

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    1. So glad you are enjoying the cookies! Thanks for sharing what changes you made to your cookie batch. It's so nice to get inspirations for other taste combos. :) It's such a fun recipe to tinker with. My hubby really likes the Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookies that I posted the recipe for last month. Cherries ROCK! Cherries are still cheap right now, so I'm making that recipe a lot. We came to the same conclusion on the old fashioned oats, we like the taste/texture better in the breakfast cookies...but I still make them with the quick oats, too. I can get the quick oats in bulk so much cheaper & we go through them so quick, I just bounce between the two kinds. Thanks so much for the comment & for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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  35. This recipe looks great and I can't wait to try! And...I'm going to make them with certified Gluten Free Oats and turn them into Gluten Free Breakfast Cookies. I have to agree that those that have to nit pick every part of your recipe need to find a hobby! If you are creative and in control of your disease (or allergy or limitations), you can literally adapt any recipe to meet your needs!!!

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by & commenting! It means a lot to me. :) I hope you have fun tinkering with the recipe as much as I do. It's nice to be able to change things up to suit your own individual tastes/needs. Thanks again for the kind words ~ Cheers!

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    2. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I followed the recipe exactly. I had to bake them for the full 35 minutes. They came out just as you said they would - chewy and very tasty. I would like to try different combinations. I would also like to check your site for similar recipes. Have a great day and thanks again. Keep up the good work.

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    3. Thanks so much for the kind words & for stopping by! My hubby's favorite breakfast cookies (right now) are the double cherry carob chip, banana oat & the tropical coconut mango (in that order :) Lucky for me I found fresh cherries on sale, so I can stock up my freezer. Hope you enjoy some of the other recipes. Thanks again for commenting, it means a lot! Have a great day, too ~ Cheers!

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  36. Hi Vicki, I have been making different variations of your 'breakfast cookies' and my 5 yr old daughter loves them!!!=) She is starting Kindergarten this coming wk (doesn't it go by fast?!)and I want to make a batch of these ea week for her to take a couple to school for SNACK TIME..
    My QUESTION IS: HOW LONG WOULD THESE KEEP IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER??
    Do you think if I make a batch on Monday she could eat them until Friday??

    Thanks so much!
    Jennifer~!

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    1. I'm so glad to hear that you have been enjoying making different breakfast cookies & that you daughter likes them! :) It really is a fun recipe to tinker with.

      If you are going to keep the cookies all week, I'd keep the airtight container in the fridge. That way they should keep fine, they'll be a bit cool in her snack sack & they'll still have time to get back to room temp by the time snack time rolls around. To be honest we never have a batch last longer than 3 days around here, between the 3 of us, we polish them off pretty quick. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & for commenting, it's so nice to hear that others are liking the cookies as much as we are. Cheers!

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    2. ...and yes, the time does go by quick. My son had just turned 3 when we moved here & now his is 8. The time does fly! :) Too bad we can't get any frequent flyer miles! heehee

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  37. can you make these with all applesauce without the banana?? I really do appreciate these cookie recipes you came up with. I am sugar and refined food-free, wierd word combination.. And have you thought of oat flour? its more nutritious than oats because its made from oat groats.

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    1. So glad you are enjoying the recipes, they are fun to create/make. I've not done all applesauce, but I have done applesauce & mango, so it would be interesting to try just applesauce alone. The cookies might be a little less sweet w/o the banana. I've been tinkering around with using ground oat 'flour', but so far haven't been too happy...still tinkering. If you play around with the recipe & have success, please let me know. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  38. Hi, I love your recipes. I've just finished making the cookie dough and am about to bake them. Do they spread much when baking? I'm using my small countertop oven this morning, and I need to use my smaller cookie sheet in it. I'd line to be able to bake all 12 on this 9"x13" cookie sheet (it's not a baking pan, but a cookie sheet.). Thanks in advance for your answer, you are very nice to your readers in answering all our questions, it's very much appreciated, by me at least!

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    1. You are so kind! :) These cookies do not spread at all, so flatten them out as needed & all should be OK. I always use parchment paper when I bake them, so they come off easy. Hope I'm in time for your baking needs. It was good timing on the question & answer. I;m off to the park with my son, it's a lovely day here. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  39. I am trying the cookies with just applesauce (no bananas) because my bananas aren't ripe enough yet so I will let you know how they turned out!

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  40. I am making a batch right now! These sound amazing . . .and I have all the ingredients including bananas which really need to be used. Anyone tried protein powder? I'd love some suggestions as I would like to add some. (Tried protein powder in regular oatmeal raisin cookies and they rocked!)

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    1. I've added protein powder to some of my other breakfast cookies & it's worked well for me, I just add a scoop & blend it in with all the other ingredients. I usually use vanilla since we like that flavor of protein powder better than the chocolate, but that's just our taste buds. Check out my other breakfast cookie recipes & see what tickles your fancy. This is a fun recipe to tinker with & tweak it just the way you like. Have fun baking! Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting. Hope you liked them ~ Cheers!

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  41. Hi I am so glad you shared this recipe. My youngest is not a morning person I had to pry her out of bed at 9:30 this morning and she grabbed a handful of chex mix for breakfast on her way out the door! ( ha all the nay Sayers up top would eat me alive for that one) next week is going to be awful she is going to have to get her bootie out the door to the bus stop shortly after 7:00!!! This gives me a healthy portable option she will actually eat. Don't let the wording police get you down this is still a healthy snack that is fabulous for 90% of people. People need to quit being soo damn up tight lol We are moms and not gods (and these beat the heck out of a handful of chex mix on the way out the door lol)

    any word on how well they freeze???

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    1. You are a doll! Thanks so much for your comments, they really do mean a lot to me! They cracked me up & made me smile. :)

      I'm with your daughter, I'm not a morning person either, and these breakfast cookies really do help out around this house, too. My hubby complains ~ loudly ~ if I forget to pack him some in this lunch everyday. :)

      I've tried freezing the baked cookies - then just thawing them out & they were fine to me. I also froze cookie 'dough' (pre-shaped into circles) and then baked them ~~ wasn't a fan of how they turned out. Freezing them 'uncooked/raw' seemed to mess with the texture too much for my taste.

      If you keep them in the fridge, they should last longer than just being kept on the counter. They should be OK for the school week mornings. Just as your own experiment, throw some baked cookies in the freezer & see what you think. I just let them thaw on the counter for a bit & then enjoyed them with my tea. I think I'm going to start doing that too, we go through them so quick.

      Thanks again for commenting, giving me a giggle & stopping by! :) Cheers!

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  42. thank you soo much I kept a baggy out for my youngest (and us) to munch on and threw the rest in the freezer. I love them they are like portable oatmeal thanks bunches ;)

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    1. I LOVE that ~ portable oatmeal ~ what a cool phrase! Think I'll have to quote you on that! If you come up with new cookies combos, please let us know. :)

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  43. Ok, the applesauce only batch is a little bland, but not bad. I needed to bake them longer than the 30 minutes I allowed. They held together well but just were too moist. I will add a bit more oats to them to absorb more liquid. Thanks for the recipe. It has been a great asset for my mornings!

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    1. Thanks for updating us on how it turned out ~ that was very kind of you! :) So glad you are enjoying the breakfast cookies. It's a fun recipe to tinker with, if you come up with any new combos that you would like to share ~ please do! Cheers!

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  44. I made these last night, so happy with them! I am 13 weeks pregnant, so I have been looking for some delicious but healthy things to snack on that will keep me full. I actually left out the cranberries to save some sugar and added a couple TBS of wheat germ. I was afraid they wouldn't be sweet enough but they're still wonderful!
    Thanks for the recipe, I plan on making some more tomorrow!

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    1. Congratulations on having a baby! I remember the first trimester well, morning sickness all day, every day ~ but after the first 12 weeks, the rest was smooth sailing.

      These breakfast cookies would have been handy to have then, once I got my appetite back. :) So happy to hear that you like them! They are easy to snack on. :) I sometimes spread on a little nut butter right before I eat them & that helps keep me fuller a bit longer. There are a bunch of other breakfast cookies variations, hope you can find others that you like, too.

      Thanks so much for sharing your tweaks to the cookie, it's so nice to be able to make it just the way you like it. :) Thanks for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  45. I wonder if you could do a pumpkin pie cookie for Fall using pumpkin purée instead of banana? Might not be sweet enough though. I may try it even if i have to add a bit of sugar. I'm not as concerned about the no added sugar part, just looking for a healthy breakfast the kiddos will eat!

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    1. Emily ~ I will, you read my mind! I must admit, I tried using pumpkin a while back & didn't have good luck. You're right, it wasn't sweet enough when the banana is left out, but I'm up for trying it again. Fall & pumpkin pie flavors just belong together! It just so happens, that today I was talking to a wonderful older lady who has dietary issues & she told me she likes to bake with pureed dates. Sounds good to me. :) I'm also wanting to tinker with a gingerbread breakfast cookie & a German spice cake flavor, maybe as a muffin... ~ all those comforting smells & tastes of fall & wintertime are just around the corner. So, keep an eye out for recipes with pumpkin sometime in September. :)

      Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  46. I have been using this recipe for years, I found it on ALLRECIPES.COM long ago!!!

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    1. It sure is a tasty alternative to regular cookies, no wonder you've been making them so long! :) I found the recipe that originally made me try breakfast cookies over on Pinterest. A user uploaded a pic/recipe & I tweaked it from there. My hubby just LOVES them! Thanks for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  47. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this recipe, directions, and variations. I found you on Pinterest and finally made them today. My almost three year old loved making these with me and we think they are delicious! This will be a staple in our house from now on and I can't wait to experiment with different variations. Thanks again!

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    1. You're very welcome! I'm so happy that you like them. When you have a little assistant it's so nice to be able to eat the dough without worry. :) Hope you find some other cookies/recipes that you like, too. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting, it really makes my day ~ Cheers!

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  48. Hi Vicki,
    Wondering if these are extra sticky on the pan since they don't have any oil in them? If I don't have any parchment, can I just grease the pan with cooking spray, or would they still stick? Thanks!!

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    1. They're not sticky at all, they should be just fine with greasing the pan, I'm just a big fan of parchment paper because it makes clean up SOOO much easier. :) You could probably use foil just as easily, too. (I just hate scrubbing cookie sheets, because they are bigger than my sink) Hope you like them. Thanks for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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  49. 3/4 c applesauce
    2/3 c pumpkin
    1 bananna
    1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp nutmeg
    1/4 tsp all spice
    1/4 tsp allspice
    1 1/2 c oats
    1/4 c flaxseed
    1tsp vanilla
    Putting these in the oven now, I'll let you know how they turn out! After reading all the comments about using pumpkin and it not being sweet enough, I was inspired to tinker, something I never do in baking.... By keeping one banana in the mix keeps some sweetness, but added some spices to give more of that fall pumpkin pie flavor.
    Fingers crossed!

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    1. So, I think this recipe works! It doesn't have such a strong banana flavor as the original, but it's not bland like some had mentioned being an issue. I think part of the secret is in the spices. You may need to add more/less to taste, but overall, for those wanting to do a pumpkin version, I think this will work. They're a bit more moist than my hubby and I prefer, but the kiddo loves them!

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    2. Melissa, you are such a doll for sharing your version of the recipe!! I'll have to try your version as soon as I get some canned pumpkin. I totally agree on how upping the spices can really help out a recipe. So glad you & your kids like them! Maybe when the cookies sit a bit more, your hubby might like them better. Maybe adding some extra raisins or cranberries/walnuts might do it for him. My hubby seems to like the cookies better with the extra sweetness the raisins give it. Thanks SO MUCH for sharing your spin/recipe. You ROCK! :)

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    3. Melissa, tinkering is so much fun, so glad you did it! This is such an easy recipe to play around with, that's why I have so many versions. Even if one doesn't quite turn out the way I want it to, a little peanut butter, jam or Nutella can make it ALL taste good. :)

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    4. Melissa, I've finally posted about your cookies. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us. I've tweaked it just a bit. I really like them spread with some of the Spiced Pumpkin Dip I made last week. Hope you like the post! You ROCK!! ~ Cheers!

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  50. here's the nutrition facts minus the nuts, & w/ 1/3 cranberry & 1/4 raisins :)


    Nutrition Facts


    16 Servings



    Amount Per Serving: 16 servings
    Calories 61.6
    Total Fat 0.7 g
    Saturated Fat 0.1 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
    Cholesterol 0.0 mg
    Sodium 0.7 mg
    Potassium 79.2 mg
    Total Carbohydrate 13.7 g
    Dietary Fiber 1.6
    Sugars 6.3 g
    Protein 1.2 g
    Vitamin A 0.3 %
    Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
    Vitamin B-6 4.2 %
    Vitamin C 2.4 %
    Vitamin D 0.0 %
    Vitamin E 0.3 %
    Calcium 0.8 %
    Copper 1.2 %
    Folate 0.7 %
    Iron 2.8 %
    Magnesium 1.2 %
    Manganese 3.1 %
    Niacin 0.6 %
    Pantothenic Acid 0.5 %
    Phosphorus 0.6 %
    Riboflavin 1.1 %
    Selenium 0.3 %
    Thiamin 0.7 %
    Zinc 0.2 %

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  51. Hi I am from NZ not sure where this recipe is from but I can't seem to find oatmeal. Can you make this 'oarmeal' from rolled oats and water in a pot?? And also, in the method for this recipe it says 'blend' ingredients etc etc does that mean in a blender or just combine them together?

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    1. I'm in the USA & from the 'googling' I did on rolled oats vs. 'old fashioned' oatmeal, I'm pretty sure your rolled oats are very similar to our 'old fashioned' oatmeal. So using uncooked rolled oats should be just fine. When making the breakfast cookies, you do not 'cook' the oats, you mix them 'raw/uncooked' together with the other ingredients & let them rest/soak for the 10 minutes (so they start to absorb the liquid) before you get them ready to bake. Sorry for the confusion on the wording ~ blend. You have to mix the ingredients together in the bowl, just use a spoon or your favorite tool for the job ~ no blender is used. Hope that clears things up for you. Thanks so much for stopping by ~ Cheers!

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  52. These were really yummy and I am so glad they are healthy!! I will have to make these again soon. Thanks for posting this and trying them out.

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    1. So glad that you enjoyed them! Hope you try some of the other breakfast cookies, too. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  53. I did not follow the recipe exactly, I changed a few things because of what I had on hand. It was my experience though that these began to burn very quickly. Did this happen to anyone else? Perhaps because I did not use parchment? Perhaps because I added a bit of Apple Juice because I did not have enough apple sauce?
    Ideas?

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    1. Surprised to hear that. I've made a lot of these cookies & always cook for 30-35 minutes & have never had any burn on me. Some questions/things off the top of my head ~
      ~ Did you have the oven at 350 degrees? Are you sure the oven is accurate? (some ovens can be off a bit/have hot spots)
      ~ How long before they began to 'burn'? at 20 minutes? at 30?
      ~ Did you let the cookies 'rest for 10 minutes' before baking?
      ~ Did they burn on the top or on the bottom? (I always use parchment paper because of the ease of clean-up, so I've never made them without)
      ~ Just adding a bit of apple juice shouldn't be a big deal.
      ~ Depending on how much cinnamon you use, the cookies can cook up a bit darker, but not be 'burned'. The cinnamon just tints them darker.
      Let me know & we'll try to figure it out. :)

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    2. I did not let them rest before baking. Maybe that is it. The oven is pretty accurate.
      They only burned on the bottom and did so after about 20 min.
      They did not fully burn because I began to smell them so I jumped up and took them out. One pan was quite a bit darker on bottom than the other.

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    3. Since the oats didn't get a chance to 'soak up' some of the moisture from the banana & applesauce, that might be some of the problem. I'm also wondering ~ are you using insulated cookie sheets or single layer baking sheets? If using single layer, without the parchment paper lining the bottom, that is probably the reason for the burning on the bottom. My hubby just wandered by & thought to mention that we are basically at sea level here, so if you are at a higher altitude, that might be another cause. Also, I always bake my cookies in the middle of the oven. Did you use more than 1/4 cup apple juice?

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    4. I didn't have parchment paper so I lightly sprayed the pan with Pam spray then baked them on the top rack of the over for 30 minutes. They got a little brown on the bottom, but didn't burn. Maybe try baking them on the top rack if you didn't before? I'm thinking that may be why mine didn't burn.

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  54. Vicki, firstly, thank you for being so diligent with our questions. Secondly, I would like to ask if you have tried to bake them in a toaster oven?? I would have to half the recipe or bake two batches, but I`m a single person on a reduced calorie diet (1220) a day. a lower quantity and freshness are key for me. Do you think it can be done? I have NO cooking background, so tweaking is a bit more risky in my case. Thank you very much for any helpful hints. And many congrats for such successful recipe. :)

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    1. Hi Autumn!
      I was talking my sister-in-law, Betty, & she has a toaster oven (I don't) & she thinks it might burn them on the bottom. But, she did suggest that you check your insturctions that came with the toaster oven to see if it can give you some guideance. If you are concerned with freshness, and have access to an oven, I'd say just make a 1/2 cookie dough batch & bake them that way. If you do try the toaster oven & have success, please let me know. I'm sure you are not the only one who has considered baking them this way. Thanks so much for the kind words, it's means a lot to me! Cheers!! :)

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    2. Ok after reading your response, I`m going to take the plunge and bake it in the regular oven, half the amount. That way, when I do try the toaster oven, the original method would serve me as a compass to tweak time/temperature of the toaster oven.

      wish me luck! ;)

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    3. Sounds like a good plan ~ Good luck! When you bake them in toaster over, please share what you learn, I'm sure others will be interested in your findings. Cheers!

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  55. Hi Vicki,
    I made this for my kids who have multiple allergies and they loved it. So thank you for this recipe - definitely a keeper for their limited food repetoire. Slight modification though, I omitted the oats (due to possible cross contamination with wheat) and used Enjoy Life's granola mix (which has raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon already) and added the vanilla, apple sauce and bananas. I also added ground flax to make it uber uber healthy :)
    I also let it rest in the freezer for the 10 mins and was still seemed very "wet" - I was afraid it wouldn't firm up at all or just dissolve in a big puddle of mush in the oven so I added another 1/2C of granola. Luckily it firmed up in the oven and after cooling it is like a chewy stodgy pancake. The kids have already eaten 4 cookies each and its not yet 130pm. Glad I don't have to feel so guilty about them eating cookies now!

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    1. Jennifer, that is so awesome to hear! It's great that with just a few tweaks you were able to make it work for your kids. This recipe is the master one I use for all my breakfast cookies, I just keep making up new spins/flavors from here. I bet you could do the same thing using other foods that are suitable for your kids. It's great that so many people have shared their breakfast cookie variations, I think it inspires others to tinker around with the recipe too. So very glad that you stopped by & commented. These are the kind of stories that make this blog so worthwhile for me. :) Cheers!

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  56. I just made them with rasins, pecans and blueberry ground flax. Yummy!!! Thanks for this. You rock!

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    1. I'm so happy that you liked them!! You just made my night ~ you rock!! :) Thanks so much for stopping by & making me smile ~ Cheers!

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  57. Hi Vicki ! Nice to have the opportunity of meeting through Pinterest (you know that site, "once you have joined there is no turning back". Will definitely be adding you to my Google Reader just to see what you are up to, as I too try to look for the Healthy options, as well as anything and everything that is Easy Peasy as 1-2-3. Drop on over to see me some time up at my "neck of the woods".

    "Just Me"

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    1. *** I'm so bad about posting comments under a comment, instead of as a reply! I actually wrote this 10/19 - oops! **** Hi Cindy! So nice to meet you, too. I wandered around your blog a bit. Your 4-legged kids are too cute. :) I joined your site, as well as started following some of your boards on Pinterest. Hope you're on the mend soon. Come stop by my Facebook page. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  58. Hi Cindy! So nice to meet you, too. I wandered around your blog a bit. Your 4-legged kids are too cute. :) I joined your site, as well as started following some of your boards on Pinterest. Hope you're on the mend soon. Come stop by my Facebook page. :) Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  59. Hi Vicki! Just tried your recipe. They came out great! I didn't have nuts and was lazy so I just omitted them and increased the raisins to 1/2 cup. Also, I swapped 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin to the applesauce. To make up the slightly drier texture of pumpkin, I reconstituted the raisins with a little hot water before I mixed them into the batter. I was actually quite surprised how sweet the cookies are. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing the recipes.

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    1. Hi Frances! That sounds like a great twist to the recipe! So glad you enjoyed the breakfast cookies. We eat a lot of them at this house. :) Maybe you'll find a few others that you'll like, too. Thanks so much for sharing your tweaks & for stopping by/commenting ~ Cheers!

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    2. Hey Frances ~
      I just made up a new breakfast cookie flavor after being inspired by your comments. Thanks so much for making me try my hand at another pumpkin breakfast cookie! Check it out ~ Cranberry Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Cookies. :)

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    3. Hi Vickie, that sounds so good. Perfect for the season! :)

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  60. Love to have this option for breakfast! I can't have gluten, sugar, or dairy, so these are perfect! I just made them with quinoa flakes (instead of oats since I can't even have GF oats) + 1/4 c flax meal, and used dried cherries instead of raisins. So good! And so naturally sweet! They were a bit gooey inside, which I love, but I imagine they were softer than usual since I used the quinoa flakes instead of oats. Quinoa flakes tend to absorb moisture a lot faster, in my experience.

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    1. Hi Heather,
      So glad you were able to tinker with the recipe to get it to work with your dietary needs. Just a thought ~ If quinoa flakes absorb moisture faster, I'd skip the 10 minute 'resting period' & just bake them right away. You might also add some extra flakes. I've found with some of my breakfast cookies that I need to add extra oats with some of different recipes. If you make the recipe a few times, you'll get a feel for how the 'dough' should look.

      I saw a comment from a gal on Pinterest who make the Chocolate Mint Greek Yogurt & she made it with quinoa instead of the yogurt & she really liked it. Might be an interesting spin that you can eat since you don't do dairy. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  61. WHAT DID I DO WRONG?! My whole house smoked up and they were soooo liquidy when I put them in the oven. Also, they stuck to the parchment paper completely when I tried to take them off! They are all ripped on the bottom... I used regular applesauce not unsweetened, is this the problem?

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    1. Hmmm, my first thoughts... ~ Did you use 'waxed' paper instead of parchment paper? The reason I ask, is that another reader did that by mistake, she grabbed the wrong roll and didn't notice until she had the same 'smoking oven' issue. She made a similar comment about the smoke and then came back later and told about the paper mix-up. (( actually two readers commented about that - see the July 19 & July 25 comments))

      Also, did you let the cookies set for 10 minutes? It's moist when you first mix the 'batter', but then the oats will begin to absorb the moisture as they sit. If you did let them sit, maybe your bananas were a bit on the big side, so maybe that made the cookies a bit more 'moist'. I've never used regular sweetened applesauce, but I don't think that should make that much of a difference. I've never had the cookies tear on the bottom, did you let them sit for 5 minutes before you removed them to the cooling rack?

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  62. oh my goodness we probably did use wax paper... And we most definitely didn't let them sit or cool... We were kind of rushed for time, but that was a big mistake. I'll have to try these again soon the RIGHT way. Thank you!

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    1. :) Hope the next batch works out for you. If after the 10 minutes of 'sitting time', you still think the 'batter' is too moist, add a couple of more tablespoons of oatmeal. Give it a good stir & that should thicken it up. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting. Cheers!

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  63. I have made these before and love them. Do you think it would not cook all the way if i put them on a large cookie sheet pan, and just cut them?

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    1. Hi Amy ~ so glad to hear that you like them! I'd give it a try. I'd try to get it as even/smooth as possible so it all cooks the same. At worst, you'd have to cook the 'center' pieces more if they don't get done all the way through in the middle. I've made 'breakfast cookie bars' in the past, but I just shaped the 'dough' into bars, I didn't bake them in a big pan & cut. It works for those huge chocolate chip cookie 'cakes', I'd think it would work here, too. Please report back if you do try it to let me/us know how it works out. Happy Baking ~ Cheers!

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  64. These came out great! I am so happy to have found a yummy snack with such clean ingredients. Can't wait to try the other recipes. The peanut butter ones sound mouth watering. I will definitely be spreading the word to family and friends!

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    1. Hi Jessica! So glad that you liked the breakfast cookies. I hope you find other flavors that you enjoy as well. Thanks so much for sharing my blog with your family & friends. Your comment made my day ~ Cheers!

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  65. I made these today! My 3 yr old was especially excited since I basically let her do most of it. I am having to start the kids (3 and 1) in daycare for the first time later this month, so I'm hoping this is a big hit with my 3 yr old tomorrow morning bc I can see this saving me tons of time. My 1 yr old will eat anything for now at least, but I like that he should be able to eat these himself without too much of a mess or choking hazard.

    I found this on Pinterest, but no matter how they turn out I am going to check out the rest of your website simply because of how awesome you are with replying to all these posts. I actually never comment on blogs, so this is a first for me. Thanks for your effort and time you have put in to this!

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    1. What a WONDERFUL comment to end the year on!! You have made my night! :) So happy that your daughter had fun making the breakfast cookies. It's nice that you can nibble on the 'cookie batter' without worry since there is no egg. Hope she likes them. My hubby really likes these with a few carob or chocolate chips thrown in. Hope you find other recipes you like. Happy New Year & thanks again for making my night. You ROCK! ~ Cheers!

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  66. Ok... they are in the oven now... I doubled the original recipe, so I have some for tomorrow's work party...

    Halfway thru and they smell amazing!

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    1. Alayla ~ Hope they like them. :) I so agree, baking these cookies does make the house smell good. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

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  67. These sound so good. Definitely going to have to try this!

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    1. Katrina, Hope you like them. There are lots of other flavors to try, too. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

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  68. Confession, I started throwing 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips in the last half of my batter and calling them trail mix cookies! I love them with out, but to make my husband and I feel like we want them for a treat we eat the ones with a little chocolate! Yumm! Thanks so much for being such a sweety to all your fans, or strange people who feel the need to complain in your comment section, as for me and mine...we love them!

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    1. Hi Frint Family ~
      You have made my day!! What a wonderful comment. :) You gave me such a giggle. I throw in carob chips from time to time & those batches are always a favorite of my hubby. I LOVE the idea of a 'trail mix' breakfast cookie. I think I'm going to have to use that as a name of an upcoming b.c. flavor. Full of trail mix flavors - some sunflower seeds, raisins, almonds & maybe even some of those mini m&m's. :) The idea of a real 'treat' style b.c. makes me smile. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. It really means a lot to me ~ Cheers!!

      p.s. ~ I saw the Family Recipe site you are part of. How cool!! They all look so yummy. I was looking for some of your recipes, but I didn't see a 'search box'. Which recipes/posts are yours? I always like to see what others are cooking in their kitchens. :)

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  69. These are absolutely delicious!!! My boyfriend has celiacs so I wanted to find a yummy and healthy dessert for him. He loved them! I will definitely make these many more times in the future. I have already sent this link to many of my friends!

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    1. So very glad that you and your boyfriend liked them!! Once you get a feel for the recipe, it's really easy to change it into whatever flavor you'd like. That's why I done so many versions of it. :)

      Thanks so much for sharing my site with your friends, that was so very kind of you! Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting. You made my day ~ Cheers!

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  70. hi!
    your cookies looks great! i have a question..
    my English is not perfect (im from israel) and i wonder what do you mean by the apple sause? do you mean apple juice? or the graunded apples that is like the babies food..?

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    1. Hi Bar!

      Here in the US, we have jars of applesauce. It is just pureed apples, similar to what you would give to babies, but it comes in big jars instead of little ones.

      Check out my post on how to make Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce. That should give you an idea of what I'm talking about. I use a smooth applesauce for the breakfast cookies. Hope you like them. :)

      Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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  71. I just tried this recipe (I found it on Pinterest) and they were pretty good. I'm not great at cooking/baking so whatever I attempt usually tastes even better the 2nd time around. I was a little concerned because after mixing all the ingredients I saw that I needed parchment paper (which I've never heard of and didn't have) so I gave it a shot just using Pam spray. It worked ok, but I'm sure using the paper would have been better. I also forgot to flatten them out before baking them so I will make sure to do that next time. I'm sure they will be even better once I try again and do it the way the directions say! Thank you for the recipe!! :)

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    1. Hi Mekayla!
      I've become a HUGE fan of parchment paper. It helps sooo much with keeping the cookies from sticking & makes clean-up a breeze.

      After you get a feel for the how the cookie 'dough' responds, you can change up the flavors to suit your mood. It's a fun recipe to tinker with. I've got a lot of different breakfast cookie flavor recipes that you might like, too.

      Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

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    2. I will definitely have to try out the parchment paper! I'll check out your other breakfast cookie recipes too! My husband and I are trying to get back to healthy eating and staying away from processed foods as much as possible and have had trouble with finding something that we can grab quick to eat for breakfast! Awesome. Thanks again!

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    3. I make a batch of these about every 3 days. If my hubby doesn't have them in his lunch every day, he gets a tad cranky. teehee :) Adding a handful of carob chips is always a welcome addition to his cookies. It was an easy way to ween him off of regular cookies. He drinks a lot of tea & always wants a 'biscuit' (aka cookies ~ he's English) when he has a 'cuppa' tea. :)

      Come back & let me know how it goes with the parchment paper & if you come up with any new b/c flavors. I always like to try/share new flavors that readers of the blog share with me.

      Cheers!

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  72. I just complained to Facebook, they wouldn't let me share your link straight on or via my Pinterest pin - bunch of buggars! I made these and went with raisins and toasted almonds - just delicious! I think I'll try carob next time for my daughters, I see these being our new go to breakfast on the go!

    Thank you!

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    1. You are so sweet!! Thanks so much for complaining to FB. I have been trying to get this corrected for months, but with no luck. Maybe if they get enough comments from others too, they might fix their error. I'm not the only blogger this is happening to, not sure if they are doing this on purpose since I have not 'advertised' with them...

      So glad to hear that you like the breakfast cookies, they are a great one to tinker with. No worries with eating the raw 'dough' either.

      Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

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  73. I love your breakfast cookies! I try to have some coconut oil or butter and cinnamon and honey a day for health benefits. I soften 1 tsp coconut butter and mix it with 1 tsp of cinnamon honey that I have premixed. Spread that on the cookies and Wow! This is really a very satisfying healthy snack in my opinion.

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    1. Hi T.C.!

      That sounds really good!! I've not tried a cinnamon honey blend spread on the breakfast cookies yet, but I will now. :) So glad to hear that you're enjoying them. I've got lots of other breakfast cookie flavors you might like as well.

      Thanks for sharing your recipe tweaks, I'm sure others will like hearing about the info, too. So very kind of you to stop by & comment ~ Cheers!

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  74. These look very yummy! I'm curious, how did you make your Nutrition Facts graphic?

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    1. Hi PCT ~
      Just checked out your blog ~ VERY NICE!! That cake looked really good, I was so excited to see the pink batter. I was thinking it would be good for Valentine's Day... what a shame the color cooks out of it. I like your coffee mug, what a great idea to use Cafe Press. I heard about them in a magazine but forgot about them. Are you happy with the setup with them?

      To get the calorie count/nutritional info on a recipe, I go over to CalorieCount.com & add the recipe there. Push a button & they provide all the info/grading on the recipe. You can sign up with them & a free account or get their 'upgraded' account. (I'm cheap, so I went the free route) You can save the recipe & then link back to it on your post. Hope that info helps. :)

      Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting! Cheers!

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  75. There seems to be a lot of health benefits with the honey/cinnamon blend. You can google it. But besides that, it's delicious! Especially on your cookies:)

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    1. Very cool! I'll check it out. I have to make a batch of cookies tonight, so I'll give it a try. I'm thinking there might have to be a Cinnamon Honey Breakfast Cookie recipe because of our conversation... :)

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    2. Hey T.C.!

      I tinkered with a new b/c recipe tonight and will be posting it tomorrow ~ Cinnamon-Honey-Walnut Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies!

      Thanks so much for the inspiration to come up with a new flavor. I'm really enjoying them, hope you do to. I gave you a shout out in the post. :)

      You ROCK!

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  76. Made a couple of changes. Added 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter and used dried cherries. They were wonderful. The little kid in me wants to rebel against eating oatmeal but this breakfast cookie is brilliant. It reminds me of oatmeal made on the stove, but this is so much better. I'm looking forward to making other variations. Definitely not a replacement for a "regular' cookie but great idea for breakfast. I'm not a sugar hater so may add a touch of honey next time too. Thanks!

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    1. So glad to hear that you liked them! It's a fun recipe to tinker with, that's why I've done so many different flavors. One reader commented that they are like eating 'portable oatmeal', I've always liked that one. You're right, they are not a replacement for a regular, traditional cookie, but they sure keep my hubby out of the cookie jar! heehee :)

      Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

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