These breakfast cookies are a great balance of health and decadence with chocolate, walnuts, whole wheat flour, and a low amount of fat.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Breakfast cookies are great for grab-and-go breakfasts. They make a healthy lunchbox treat or quick snack, too.
How long it takes: 30 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, mixer, baking sheets
Servings: makes 18 cookies
Hmm… dry toast, cold cereal, or breakfast cookies?
I’ll take breakfast cookies, please.
These chocolate walnut breakfast cookies taste so decadent and indulgent. And, I confess, they are a bit more indulgent than some other breakfast options, like Instant Pot steel cut oats or sheet pan eggs. However, chocolate breakfast cookies are a great grab-and-go treat and incredible with a hot cup of coffee.
They boast loads of great chocolate flavor, a subtle taste of banana, and an amazing chewy texture with a nice crunch from the walnuts. Oh wait, you want them to be healthy too? Well, you’re in luck! They are full of whole grains and low in fat.
I adapted this recipe from my friend, Christy, who writes Love from the Oven. Everything that comes out of her kitchen looks so amazing. As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I would be baking these breakfast cookies the first time I sighted brown bananas happening on my counter.
If you like the idea of cookies for breakfast, be sure to try apple crisp breakfast cookies and gingerbread breakfast cookies, too.
About Chocolate Breakfast Cookies
Breakfast cookies are easy to make. You can literally make and bake them in a half hour. Your electric mixer will do much of the hard work for you. You can use either a stand mixer or a hand mixer, or if you feel energetic or the baby’s sleeping, the muscles in your arm.
They are healthier than normal cookies. This cookie recipe is packed with nutritious ingredients: banana, Greek yogurt, eggs, oats, whole wheat flour, and walnuts. They contain a generous amount of unsweetened cocoa powder which is very low in calories and contains loads of antioxidants. You’ll find only a quarter cup of butter in this recipe.
The recipe is flexible. Don’t care for walnuts? Try a different type of nut or make the cookies nut-free by subbing in coconut or sunflower seeds. Instead of chocolate chips, substitute white chocolate or milk chocolate chips. Peanut butter chips are another great choice. Refer to the recipe card below for more adaptations.
Make a double batch of cookies and freeze the extra cookies. I like to wrap them individually so they are easy to add to lunchboxes in the morning.
Breakfast cookies thaw very quickly. Even better, briefly warm a cookie up in the microwave and you get to munch on a delicious cookie that tastes freshly baked. What more could you possibly want?
After the cookies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container. They’ll keep on the counter for a week, in the refrigerator for a few weeks, and in the freezer for up to 8 months, as long as they are stored properly.
More Breakfast Treats
Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt (see note)
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana (1 large banana)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (can substitute white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour, or a mix)
- 1 ½ cups quick oats (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups mix-ins, such as chocolate chips and chopped walnuts (see note for more mix-in ideas)
Instructions
- Position two oven racks evenly near the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking sheets.
- Add butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.¼ cup unsalted butter, softened, ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- Add yogurt, mashed banana, eggs and vanilla to the mixing bowl; mix well until fully combined.½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup mashed ripe banana, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- To the top of the wet ingredients, add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Lightly mix together before stirring into wet ingredients until just combined.2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 ½ cups quick oats, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Fold the mix-ins into the cookie dough, stirring until they’re evenly distributed.2 cups mix-ins, such as chocolate chips and chopped walnuts
- Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons), scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 19 to 20 minutes or until cookies are set and golden brown. You can bake both sheets at the same time or bake the cookies in batches, if you prefer.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
- Yogurt: I recommend using whole milk Greek yogurt for best results. I’ve tested the recipe using nonfat Greek yogurt and the cookies spread too much during baking. I have not tested other types of yogurt.
- Oats: I’ve made breakfast cookies with both types of oats, old-fashioned (whole oats) and quick-cooking oats. We prefer quick oats for a better texture and appearance.
- Possible mix-ins: Flaked coconut, sunflower seeds, pepitas, any type of nut, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, dried cranberries or cherries, etc. The nutrition information was calculated with 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup walnuts.
- Storage: Cookies will keep for 1 week at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate them. They also freeze well. I like to wrap them individually for easy lunchbox treats.
- Recipe retested and revised December, 2024. Previously published as Chocolate Walnut Breakfast Cookies.
- Chocolate walnut breakfast cookies: Use 1¼ cups flour (instead of 2 cups), and add ¾ cup cocoa powder to the recipe. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup walnut pieces.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
IE hot coffee. I used a 12 oz French Press. I am usually drink a cup without reheating. PS: I despise to reheat in the microwave. Destroys the flavor IMO. Chow!
I agree, reheated coffee is never as good!
The colors are so vibrant and your photography is fantastic! Thx for sharing chocolate walnut breakfast cookies recipe, I definitely add it to my cookbook!
Thank you for the kind words!