Elena’s Breakfast Cookies

I’m sure I’m not the only mom who needs to keep quick, easy, healthy snacks on hand. Preferably easy enough that the kiddo can get them  without making a mess of the kitchen. I prefer not to buy packaged foods, especially snacks, if I can make them myself. It took a while for me to figure them out, but these have become our go to snack food for Elena. She has an iffy appetite and can’t eat gluten or sugar, so finding a snack she can eat happily and often has been so nice.

I got the idea for these from Smitten Kitchen, but decided to come up with my own recipe rather than tweaking hers. These are only sort of cookies, and could certainly be breakfast, we like them best for snacking. They are kind of chewy and just slightly sweet. I like them because they have protein, whole grain, fruit, no processed sugar, endless variations, and unlike store bought breakfast or snack bars I know exactly what’s in them. Elena likes them because they are nutty and sweet, and because they’re “good for you” she can have them whenever. They lend themselves well to grabbing on your way out the door or kiddo getting their own breakfast while Mama is lazy in bed. (not that that ever happens around here)

Elena’s Breakfast Cookies

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup honey (for a sweeter cookie double this or sub regular sugar)

2 eggs

1 cup oats (I use quick oats, but whole rolled should work just fine)

2 1/2 cups almond flour *

1 cup inclusions (this is any nuts, seeds or dried fruit you like, chopped small. This batch has 1/4 cup each of almonds, walnuts, raisins and black currants)

Optional; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and/or a dash of cinnamon

 

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together honey (or sugar) and melted butter. Beat in eggs.

Stir in oats and almond flour one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and cinnamon if using.

Mix in the inclusions of your choice.

Using a soup spoon, drop balls of cookie dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Then flatten them slightly with the back of your spoon.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, until the edges are starting to brown. Cool on a rack for 10-20 minutes then store in a airtight container. These will keep at room temperature for a few days, to keep them longer store them in the fridge.

 

What is the go to snack at your house?