Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookies

Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookies ~ full of fresh & dried cherries, as well as a hint of chocolate from the carob chips.  The perfect Breakfast Cookie for right now, especially since we are smack-dab in the middle of cherry season!

This new spin on Breakfast Cookies came about because of all the fresh cherries that I keep seeing everywhere, as well as getting the inspiration / idea from one of the visitors to the blog who mentioned making Breakfast Cookies using fresh cherries. (you didn't leave your name, so I can't properly thank you ~ but you know who you are! :)   I just had to try making a cookie using fresh cherries, too.  Now is definitely the right time to try this recipe, since cherries are so cheap.   Cooking with the seasons does have its advantages!

I came up with a ~ Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookie.  It has a double hit of cherry flavor, calling for both fresh & dried cherries, as well as a hint of chocolate that comes from the carob chips.  You could easily use frozen cherries instead of fresh, as well as switching out the carob chips for chocolate chips ~ if you're so inclined.  If you're like me & you're looking for new ways to use/cook with all the fresh cherries that are everywhere right now, this just might be the Breakfast Cookie for you ~ Enjoy!

Double Cherry Carob Chip Breakfast Cookies

makes 16 regular cookies

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal ~ uncooked
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed with fork until creamy 
  
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 12 fresh cherries, pitted & sliced into smaller pieces (or 12 frozen cherries, thawed & sliced/chopped)
• 1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 3 Tbsp carob chips (or more, to taste ~ or use chocolate chips if you prefer)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste) 
   

 

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix vanilla extract & cinnamon into the applesauce.

Combine the 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. 30 minutes, or until golden & done.

Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  Cookies will firm/sweeten up as they cool.
 
When completely cool store in a covered container.