Oats have to be my favourite wholegrain, hands down. They are super versatile and incredibly healthy; Quaker oats [1] are nothing but 100% whole grain and contain beta glucan. Beta gluten is a soluble fibre that helps lower cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease. In addition, fibre helps stabilize blood sugar to help prevent the spikes and dips that can occur after eating that impacts energy levels. Oats are also a nutrient-rich source of energy: an ideal base for these Breakfast Power Cookies that I created in partnership with Quaker Oats [1]. Because who doesn’t need more energy, right?!
We have a number of family members who need to avoid gluten, so I’m always on the lookout for ways to manipulate recipes to make them gluten free. The good news here is that you can make these gluten free by using the Gluten Free Quaker Oats [2] and gluten free variations of the other ingredients.
You can use any fruit you want for the dried fruit – we used a combination of dried apricots, raisins and raisins. If you like a less sweet cookie opt for the lower amount of maple syrup – either way they weren’t overly sweet (I preferred them with the 3/4 cup of maple syrup)!
I’ve also been asked about substitutions. You can substitute any nut or seed butter for the almond butter (try peanut butter or even tahini – and sub more seeds for the nuts – to make them nut free and totally school friendly!). You can also substitute regular flour (preferably whole wheat or spelt but all-purpose should work) for the oat flour. Of course at that point they will not be gluten free. Lastly you can easily substitute melted butter or vegan butter for the coconut oil if preferred.
These soft cookies freeze beautifully (if they don’t disappear first!). I’ve been making double batches of them to freeze for a quick bite on the go and the kids LOVE them! In fact, I made a batch of them to take on our road trip to Tofino and they were a lifesaver!
Breakfast Power Cookies
These Breakfast Power Cookies are packed with healthy ingredients and are vegan (with a gluten free option) to give you energy to start your day!
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup grated apple (about 1 apple, skin left on)
- 2/3 cup almond butter
- 1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like them)
- ½ cup ground flax seed mixed with ½ cup water
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats (we used Quaker)
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup mixed chopped dried fruit (we used apricots, raisins and cranberries)
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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In a medium bowl mix together all of the wet ingredients and stir to combine. In a separate large bowl mix together all dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until well combined.
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Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop around 12 large mounds of cookie dough on to a large baking sheet, leaving about 1" between each cookie. Using your fingers flatten the cookies to 1/2-3/4" thickness. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely on a cooling rack before eating. You can store these cookies in the freezer for up to a month in a tightly sealed container.
Recipe Notes
You can substitute any nut or seed butter for the almond butter (try peanut butter or even tahini - and sub more seeds for the nuts - to make them nut free and totally school friendly!). You can also substitute regular flour (preferably whole wheat or spelt but all-purpose should work) for the oat flour. Of course at that point they will not be gluten free. Lastly you can easily substitute melted butter or vegan butter for the coconut oil if preferred.
The original Instagram post for these cookies was sponsored by Quaker Canada. All opinions are my own!