Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies with oatmeal, applesauce, nuts and spices really remind me of apple pie! These healthy apple oatmeal cookies are one delicious, yet healthy way to eat dessert for breakfast. They are gluten free, refined sugar free, with a vegan option.
Boy oh boy, do you guys love breakfast cookies! And no wonder, so do I. And it seems like making short recipe videos (on Facebook) really helps you find my recipes.
So now, a year after first publishing this recipe, I also made a video for these apple oatmeal cookies (scroll to the top, in case you missed it).
I am leaving the rest of the post as it was. I just thought it was funny that exactly a year later, I am currently again reading the most recent Flavia de Luce novel (Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd).
Original post from October 1015:
Sometimes I act against my own best advice. And, as you can guess, I end up really regretting it. I try to make it a habit to go to bed without my phone under my pillow. The constant stream of social media updates and incoming emails make me feel like I am working 24/7.
Well, technically, with a 15-months-old who still wakes up 2-3 times a night, I am! But I don't want to be working on my business all the time as well.
Alas, our local library back home in Calgary allows me to borrow their ebooks via the OverDrive app. Earlier this year I fell in love with the Flavia de Luce series by Canadian author Alan Bradley. At toddler-tending pace I slowly read through all the volumes as I got access to them. As with printed books, more recent and popular titles I have to put on hold before I can read them.
After a few weeks of waiting time, I finally could borrow the most recent volume in the series (As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust) and there was no way I wasn't going to read another chapter or two before bedtime.
And then I made my fatal mistake. Almost on auto-pilot - without thinking - I checked my emails one last time before putting away the phone. Argh... of course there was this one IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUIRED business email. It was quite upsetting, as it looked like a project I had been working on very hard would require a drastic change of course.
How well do you think I slept after reading that email? First of all, I didn't sleep for quite a while. I managed to resist the urge to send a reply right away, but I wasn't able to put off drafting the answer in my head while precious sleep kept eluding.
Instead of waking up bright and refreshed, I woke up already in 'business mode'. And I didn't like it.
But there was one thing that brightened up my morning. For breakfast, all I had to do was brew myself a coffee. Luckily, I had just baked a batch of these Healthy Apple Cookies the day before. And they were just waiting for me to wake up and enjoy one with a hot cup of coffee.
Make-ahead breakfast is really my most favorite kind. It not only eliminates prep time, but also not a single precious moment goes toward breakfast decision making early in the morning.
The list of benefits with these Breakfast Cookies gets only longer when I tell you that there are really quite healthy:
- gluten free (if using certified gluten-free oats)
- refined sugar free
- there is even an option to make them vegan apple cookies
PLUS: they taste like dessert!
Apple sauce, juicy apple dices, walnuts, raisins, and the spices in these cookies are really reminiscent of delicious apple pie!
After the phenomenal success that were the Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies from last Fall, I set out to create another seasonally-inspired breakfast cookie.
In this newest version I replaced the pumpkin puree with apple sauce, used a slightly different spice mix, and instead of pepitas and dried cranberries as crunchy & chewy add-ins, there are toasted walnuts, raisins and diced apple pieces.
Initially I thought dried apple pieces, like chopped up apple rings would work better than fresh apple. But in my test batch, the dried apple pieces soaked up liquid from the batter. During baking those dried apple pieces really expanded and caused the cookie to crack in those spots.
Rehydrated from the liquid in the cookies, the dried apple pieces tasted almost like fresh apple pieces anyway. From which I deducted, I could just as well use fresh apple dices. Those also don't cause the cookies to crack.
Using toasted walnuts makes for such a great flavor in these cookies. I am not a huge fan of raw walnuts, but toasting (5-10 minutes at 350 F) really brings out their deliciousness. If you absolutely don't like walnuts, pecans make a good substitute.
Store these apple pie oatmeal cookies in an airtight container. For more than 1 day, I put them in the fridge. And if needed, you can also freeze the cookies for later.
VIDEO: How to make Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies
Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup quick oats
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 2 eggs beaten
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar or ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup diced apple pieces
- ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans chopped
- ½ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl stir together old fashioned and quick oats, ground flax, salt and spices.
- In a smaller bowl whisk together eggs, apple sauce, coconut sugar and melted coconut oil. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the diced apple, walnuts and raisins.
- Drop ¼ cup sized portions of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly, as they won't spread in the oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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Other Breakfast Cookie Option
If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you will know that I am a huge fan of breakfast cookies. They are just so convenient. Another one of my favorites is this peanut butter banana breakfast cookies recipe.
Nandita Vedantan
What kinds of apples work the best for the Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies? Are there any kinds of apples that should definitely NOT be used?
Jennifer @ Leelalicious
Hi Nandita, you can really use any type of apple you like in these cookies as the baking time isn't very long and the apples shouldn't turn to mush during baking. However, you will likely get the best results from an apple that holds its texture the best after baking such as Cortland, Granny Smith, or Gala.
Kerri
Yum! Just made these without raisins. They came out amazing!
Katherine
I’m making these now! If storing in the fridge, do you eat them cold or heat them up?
Regina | Leelalicious
I've never heated. May have only let to come to room temperature. But I don't think re-heating would hurt in any way
Michelle M Czarka
Would it still work if I used 2 cups of regular oats as I cannot find GF quick oats locally?
Regina | Leelalicious
Regular oats are just a but coarser. They might not stick together as well. You could pulse some of the regular oats in a blender to make them a little finer - more like quick oats. But it might also work with just regular oats
Karen
Could I bake in a pyrex and cut up?
Regina | Leelalicious
Yes, I think you could bake the batter as bars. Baking time will be longer though. And I suggest cutting while still warm
Kyle
Is there any alternative for the maple syrup? Thanks!
Regina
Any liquid sweetener, like honey, agave, date syrup, should work in this recipe. Granulated sweetener might work, although you might need to add a little liquid of sorts to make the cookie batter find together.
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Do they freeze well?
Regina
Yes, these freeze really well. So go ahead and make a double batch at once, and freeze half 😉
Suzanne
These look so good! What a great breakfast meal prep for the whole family!
Evelyn Adams
I've been looking for a similar recipe as it is very important for me that the cookies contain fruits. Today I was preparing Apple pie for my family and you know I was very impressed because everyone said in one voice that they want more! Thank you very much for such a good recipe, I will advise it to all my friends. I also want to make Banana muffins, gluten-free. In the picture they look very tasty, I think that will be no less tasty as Apple pie. Here is the recipe(if the administration will see my comment, it would be nice if you did the detailed preparation of this dessert):
2 Eggs
2 Bananas
Coconut milk (liquid) - 1/3 Cup
Coconut flour-1/3 Cup
Soda - 1/2 tsp.
Vanilla extract -1 tsp
Sea salt - pinch
Finely chopped dried fruits, nuts or chocolate 1/2 Cup
Method of preparation:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Beat eggs, coconut milk, salt, vanilla, bananas with a blender.
Pour the mixture into a bowl. Add coconut flour and baking soda. Mix thoroughly.
Add all other ingredients. Mix again.
Put in a form for cupcakes.
Bake for 20-22 minutes. After cooking, allow cooling for 5 minutes.
Bon Appetit!
ben
There was one thing that brightened up my morning. For breakfast, all I had to do was brew myself a coffee.