These healthy Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies make a nutritious and grab-and-go breakfast that tastes like fall! This gluten-free and clean eating breakfast treat is made with wholegrain oats, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and honey.
In the 2 years since posting the recipe for these healthy pumpkin oatmeal cookies for the first time, it has quickly become the most popular recipe on this site! Mainly thanks to Pinterest!
There is not much to be improved or updated on this post. The recipe for these healthy pumpkin cookies is ON SPOT! I’ve remade them many times since without changing anything.
MY LATEST VIDEOS
Even 2 years later, I still love the images – the lighting was awesome that day. These were some of my first food photos that I truly loved. Maybe I could take slightly better ones now, but the difference would be minimal. And I want to hold on to these almost for nostalgic reasons.
The only one thing this post was missing was a video! Which is hereby remedied.
I am leaving the rest of the post and the recipe unadulterated for you below. And if you are interested in more healthy pumpkin recipes try these paleo pumpkin muffins, this pumpkin spice mug cake, or even these decadent (still healthier) chocolate pumpkin brownies.
Original post from Nov. 3, 2014
I have never been a fan of cooking first thing in the morning or making any breakfast that involves a lot of prep.
And some days I am especially happy to have my breakfast already waiting in the fridge.
I am not a morning person, still some mornings are harder than others. Like the morning after a night of my baby Olivia randomly deciding to wake up no less than 6(!) times for no obvious reasons.
Or when I went to bed waayy later than I should have either because I was working, binge-watching Netflix, or finishing just one more chapter of a book.
It’s on those super-rough mornings that I could hug myself for having prepared some make-ahead breakfast like these pumpkin oatmeal breakfast cookies (or awesome overnight oats).
They are like having a bowl of yummy oatmeal with lots of mix-ins only without the bowl. The convenient cookie shape offers itself for breakfast on-the-go.
This post contains affiliate links. If you end up buying through one of my links, I may make a small commission without any added cost to you.
How To Make Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
I am using both rolled and quick oats for a texture that isn’t too dense but still holds together well. Note: To make these pumpkin oatmeal cookies gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free oats. Although oats don’t contain any gluten naturally, regular oats may be contaminated with gluten during processing in facilities that also process wheat.
Eggs help as a binder, but I have also been able to make vegan pumpkin breakfast cookies with egg replacers. Honey offers just a little sweetness to these pumpkin oat breakfast cookies. But again, you can make this recipe vegan by substituting maple syrup for example.
Pumpkin puree is complemented with aromatic pumpkin pie spice.
Ground flax seed ups the nutritional value of the cookies. And – in my opinion – pumpkin seeds and cranberries pair really well with pumpkin puree and give the cookies are great flavor and texture contrast.
I am having a very hard time finding unsweetened, oil-free cranberries in stores. Luckily there is Amazon, where I’ve found Paleogoods Dried Cranberries infused with only apple juice.
Last, but certainly not least, there is melted coconut oil. I love to use organic refined coconut oil for recipes where I don’t want a strong coconut flavor – like these gluten free pumpkin oatmeal cookies in which I wanted the pumpkin to shine.
For all other recipes organic virgin coconut oil is a great choice.
Whichever Spectrum Naturals® oil you choose, it’s great to know that they are all expeller expressed (meaning they use mechanical force instead of chemicals to extract the oil). And most of their oils are non GMO project verified.
To shape the batter into cookie shape, I am using my 1/4 cup sized measuring cup. You can use any type of measuring cup, but it is easier with the ones that are wider than deep.
I just dip the measuring cup into the oat mixture to fill it up. Then I tap it onto the parchment lined baking sheet and the batter already comes out looking like a cookies – flourless pumpkin oatmeal cookies that is.
I just flatten them a little bit, because these cookies won’t spread at all during baking. And if shaping individual cookies isn’t your thing, I’ve even had readers send me pictures of how they baked this recipe into pumpkin breakfast bars! Baking time may be a little longer, but this way you only need to cut them into shape after baking.
If this healthy pumpkin cookie recipe isn’t quite your thing, I have THREE other breakfast cookie recipes. Maybe these are more up your alley?
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VIDEO: How to Make Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries unsweetened
- 2/3 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet.
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In a small bowl warm coconut oil and honey (either microwave, inside preheating oven or on the stove top).
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In a large bowl combine both kinds of oats, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, ground flax, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add pumpkin puree, eggs and warmed coconut oil and honey. Stir until fully combined.
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Drop about 1/4 cup sized scoops of the mixture onto a cookie sheet and flatten (cookies won't spread while baking). Bake for about 15-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
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Let cookies cool on baking sheet before moving to an airtight storage container.
Recipe Notes
To make vegan, replace honey with maple syrup or agave and use an egg replace like flax egg.
Update 9/19: New nutrition information calculated with MyFitnessPal
These are soooo good, and super healthy! I stumbled upon this recipe a few weeks ago, and have been making them regularly ever since. They freeze really well, which helps maintain their freshness. I was a bit short on pumpkin seeds one time, so made up the difference in chopped walnuts. Loved that. Also, I didn’t have any pumpkin spice seasoning on hand, so I just combined cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and a heavy hand of freshly grated nutmeg instead. This recipe seems to be quite versatile. I bet it would also be great with chopped dates. Possibilities are endless!
I love that they are not overly sweet. Great with a cup of coffee! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Yes it’s a totally versatile recipe! I often substitute the add ins with what I have on hand and it always comes out great. Glad to hear you’ve had the same experience
I have made these a few times. The first time I didn’t have coconut oil so I used butter. And I added dark chocolate chips. They were amazing. This time I used coconut oil and chocolate chips and they taste pretty much the same. I guess my only issue with them is I keep eating them all. Like I made a doubt batch and find myself snacking on them all day lol.
Ahh yes! I have that same problem whenever any kind of cookie is any the house 😉
OMGoodness! I downloaded this recipe quite some time ago and it’s a staple in our freezer now. I triple or quadruple the recipe in a giant bowl to make enough “cookies” for a few weeks – just take 1 per family member out in the morning – take only a few minutes to thaw. If I don’t do that they get snapped up too quickly.
I add at least double the dried fruit (chopped apricots, dates, raisins, etc) and sometimes coconut and/or nuts and an extra tsp of cinnamon – can never be too much cinnamon. LOL
They are delish and such an easy “grab it” breakie in the morning. THANK YOU so much for sharing.
Hi Janette, thank you so much for sharing what a success this recipe is in your family! I might have to implement the freeze-rationing in our family too 😉
I have a question about the coconut oil, my husband is deathly allergic to coconut is there some other oil that can be used as most recipes tend to call for coconut oil. Thank you!
I would try sunflower, walnut or avocado oils. They are lighter and won’t give it a weird taste.
Sunflower is probably the least pricey of those.
You could also try googling “oil substitutes in baking”, and see if you can leave out the oil altogether.
Could these be made as bars instead of cookies?
Yes I think you could bake them in a small pan and then just cut soon after baking
Hi, I’m curious if this bars are okay to send as a care package (mailing from CA to Mi) for my college daughters?
P.S. Sorry i meant cookies….also can i make or shape this into a square/bars instead of round cookies?
I am not so sure. They are not super dry, crispy cookies. Because of the pumpkin they are on the moist side and they don’t have a lot of sweetener so they spoil quicker at room temperature
These looked good in the picture. I made them, it was easy, and my family and I love having these an option for breakfast. Thanks for sharing.
So glad to hear you and your family are enjoying these breakfast cookies
Regina, your cookies look amazing, cant wait till payday to go and purchase the ingredients i need…now thru valentines day is my busiest cooking and baking time of year! This is a simple recipe with simple ingredients my family loves anyway! I am always trying to make healthier recipes, and this would be a fabulous way of taking over processed, over sweetened, fat filled breakfast foods!
We love pumpkin all year long…my son has one thing he asks for his birthday, and that is to make his absolute favourite food, and that is my hearty pumpkin soup. It is very healthy, filling, and tastes amazing. So every year when I ask him what he wants for his birthday, he tells me this soup, that he has loved since he was about 3 years old!! I raised an adventurous eater, i never had a problem introducing new and unusual foods to him as he grew up! And when I did make it for my son’s bday this year, my husband pops off and says that he wants it for his bday from now on too!! lol
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Love to hear about your pumpkin loving family! We love it all year round too
I cannot keep enough of these in my house. I have to triple the recipe every time I make them. My entire family loves them!!
Woah I LOVE to hear that your family loves these so much. They disappear way too quick around here too
If I am supposed to avoid coconut, what other oils or foods do you recommend substituting?
Any other cooking/baking oil will work. My first choice beside coconut oil would be avocado oil
Hello Regina,
I saw these shared on Facebook, and look forward to trying ALL of the recipes. A woman after my own baking heart with the food combinations. Beautiful colors too.
I looked through all the reviews where you gave alternatives for swap outs so I don’t ask you the same thing. 🙂
My husband is diabetic, I tend to use Stevia as sweetener in baking. I don’t forsee problems using Stevia is I have the eggs and flax as bi ders.
Hi Ahlisha, wow kudos to you for reading all the many comments on this post. Would love to hear how the stevia substitute worked out for you
Made them this morning. I substituted cranberries for raisins and quick oats for 1/4 cup coconut flour. LOVED THEM. THANKS!!!!
Thanks so much for your comments Eunique! I often use raisins when I don’t have cranberries as well. But never tried coconut flour in this recipes. So it’s great to know this worked for you
These are a PERFECT make a head camping breakfast form my family of 5! Thank you!
Oh yes! Never thought of the camping scenario (we go so rarely), but those are really perfect for that occasion! Thank you, Kendra
Hi! I want to make this recipe but I do not want to open a can of pumpkin puree for only 1/2 a cup. Have you tried this recipe with anything else like applesauce??? Thanks a million.
Yes you can try applesauce. It’s what I use in the apple pie version of this recipe http://leelalicious.com/apple-pie-breakfast-cookies/
I always freeze any leftover pumpkin – works well. If I’m “on the ball” ;~) I measure it out so I just have to thaw it and use it for the next batch(es).
That’s perfect! I always freeze it in my ice cube tray and I measured that each cavity holds about 2 tablespoons which makes measuring a breeze.
Hi, I’m trying to pin this recipe to my pinterest, but when I try to pin the photo of the recipe that I like (a smaller photo vs the really long photo), it keeps posting the really long version with the 2 photos. I would prefer the smaller photo because it takes up less space on my page and is easier to see.. are you able to fix that from your end?
I’ve been looking for a really healthy treat that I can have with tea, and look forward to trying this out. It looks like a great recipe to experiment with too. Thanks!
Hi Joanne, thank you for letting me know about this pinning issue. I did indeed find some code that may have cause this problem. It should be fixed now, but do let me know if the issue continues.
And I would love to hear how you like these cookies and what kind of experiments you come up with.
These look delicious! looking for some grab and go breakfasts! Can these be frozen? and do you find that one cookie will suffice for breakfast and hold you til lunch? Thanks!
Hi Tammy, I have frozen these successfully though they are a little more crumbly after being thawed.
The cookies are under 200 cals which is about the right amount for a snack, a meal should be closer to 350-500 cals. One cookie will fill me until mid morning snack time. If you don’t eat snacks, you could have 2 cookies or a piece of fruit with one.
Perfect! Can’t wait to try them! Thanks so much for the reply!
I just tried this, they came out perfectly! Thank you for your healthy breakfast recipes!
Hi Regina: My husband is not a big fan of either Pumpkin or Sweet Potatoes. “So unAmerican.” LoL
I want to make these Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies. Is there another Puree you might recommend for me to use.
Would Prune or Raspberry Purees work? Feedback would be appreciative. Thank you.
Maybe prune pure might work. With raspberries I’d be afraid it might get too tart. Applesauce is another safe bet 🙂
I’m wondering where is fine the nutrition facts for the Pumpkin breakfast cookies?. I’m most interested in how many carbs, if any, are in them.
Thanks,
Crystal
The nutrition breakdown is at the bottom of the recipe box below. These are based on whole grain oats – so plenty of carbs (22).
My oven started smoking because of the coconut oil!!! I couldn’t cook these…so mad!!!
This seems odd. Coconut oil has a very high smoking point, actually. Did you make sure to line your baking sheet (parchment/silicone)?
I really like these cookies and my mom makes them regularly. I was wondering – can steel cut oats be used?
I don’t think the steel cut oats would soften enough during baking and the cookies may not hold up very well.
I used McCann’s quick cooking steel cut oats for that portion and liked it
Awesome to hear that steel cut oats worked for you as well
I would like to make something like this to keep in my locker at school… Do these have a long shelf life?
I think you would be fine for a few days, but since these are soft/moist cookies, they need refrigeration after a while.
I’ve been meaning to post for a year – these have become a go-to recipe for me to keep for snacks. I do a double or triple batch and then freeze them. They are great to bring to work as a snack or to grab for your purse if you are going out running errands. I send batches to my kids in college and their friends devour them too!! Everyone who tastes these want the recipe! In reading the comments, I saw the suggestion for dark chocolate. OMG – I’m going to forget I saw that or I’ll be eating them all the time. I’m not a huge pumpkin fan, but I love these! Many thanks.
Yay!! Thank you for taking the time to leave your wonderful feedback, Sue! I love to hear how much you and everyone else likes this recipe.
Wow Best cookies in the world!!!! I got to admit my whole family and myself are addicted to them!! Since I have a big family I always double the recipes and they came out perfect!!! What I also did.. melted white chocolate and drizzled on it .. came out incredibly delicious thank you so much …can’t wait to try more of your recipes I love your website
Thank you so much for this mind-blowing feedback Ange! What a great note to end the year on 🙂 I love your idea of the white chocolate drizzle. With the cranberries that reminds me of Starbuck’s bliss bars.
These look really great! I’m curious, why do you use both regular and quick oats?
I find the quick oats help give the cookies more structure/bind the ingredients, however only quick oats would make rather dense cookies. I don’t keep both, so I often just pulse my regular oats in a blender to make ‘imitation’ quick oats.
So delicious! My kids enjoyed it so much! Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
So happy to hear this is a kid-win! That’s the ultimate compliment for me 🙂 Love to have you around here. Let me know which other recipes you try
Great tasting, easy to prepare. I get up super early so great for travel in the car.
I am so happy to hear these are making you early mornings easier, Marjorie
Excellent cookies! A woman after my own heart, 1/4 cup cookies. These turned out perfect (okay so they’re not quite cool yet..) I was a little short on pumpkin seeds, so had to sub 50/50 with sunflower seeds. The rest I followed to the letter, which I almost never do. Your recipe is spot on, and I look forward to the apple pie version. Thanks for sharing.
Haha thanks Terry! I wanted to make it as easy as possible to have portable breakfast. Two small cookies are just not as easy to hold on to as one big one 😉
Do these freeze well? I’d like to make a double batch and freeze half. Just wondering if anyone has attempted to freeze them and if it works well.
Love these cookies!
Thanks so much for the feedback Jan. I’ve found them just a touch looser once thawed after freezing. They will fall apart more easily.
I like a portable breakfast and I have quite a few things I can’t eat these days. These pumpkin breakfast cookies are delicious, healthy, portable and easy to make. A bonus is that they are so chewy that it makes this fast eater eat them slowly.
Forgot to mention, they keep me satisfied until lunch time!
Thanks for the wonderful feedback Lori!!
Do you think toasting the pumpkin seeds first is a good idea?
Could I replace the honey with Medjool dates?
Maybe if you process them into a paste somehow?
Wow is all I can say. And I haven’t even made them yet. Lol
The reviews are incredible. Can’t wait to get in the kitchen tomorrow!
Awesome Stacy. Hope you enjoy them as much as me and everyone else 😀
Hi! I just tried your recipe. I made the vegan version with fresh pumpkin which I blended together with baked carrots, and it´s totally awesome =) thank you for the nice recipe!
Thank you for your feedback Viola! Your addition of baked carrots sounds lovely
Thank you SO much for adding the nutritional information! As a diabetic, I’m always looking for meal and snack ideas, but very few people print this info.
I am glad to hear it is helpful Dianne. I personally don’t use/need it, so I don’t have much experience. But when there are lots of requests for nutritional info in a recipe, I’ll plug the ingredients into myfitnesspal nutrition calculator. That’s the best I can do 🙂
Just made a batch. They were so good I made 2 more for friends. THANKS! I tried to rate it 5 stars but the internet only lets me rate it at 3.
Thanks so much for your great feedback Lyn. So weird about the rating. I’ll look into it.
Is there any subs for the coconut oil to lighten this recipe up? I follow Wright watchers and the oil in this is making each cookie 7 smart points – which is pretty high.
I am not familiar with weight watchers points. But coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils you can get (if you aren’t allergic). It actually helps with your metabolism and feeling full longer. So I really wouldn’t replace it, if you are trying to lose weight. I know some commenters use applesauce to replace oils, but frankly I believe the sugars in it (even natural ones) are worse for weight loss than any healthy fat.
Dear Regina, I just tried your recipe last night after seeing this on Facebook. I LOVE THEM. Here’s the thing: My husband loves anything pumpkin spice. I’m not all that fond of pumpkin pie unless it has an epic amount of whipped cream all over it. On the other hand, I *love* oats and oatmeal cookies. I loathe raisins in oatmeal cookies. Yet with this recipe of yours, it’s hearty, it’s delicious, it’s satisfying, there’s all these lovely levels of texture and taste, and warm out of the oven? Scrumptious. I can’t wait to use this recipe as train tracks to run on – I want to try it with the maple syrup instead – I think that flavour would be stupendous. I may even substitute out the dried cranberries for dark chocolate chunks. I’m super excited. THANK YOU. And I look forward to enjoying the e-book on working with coconut flour. We’re not a GF household, but I do love the texture and taste of good coconut flour baked goods. Cheers!!!!
Thank you for your awesome feedback Yvette! And yes, this recipe is very versatile. Have fun experimenting with new flavors. Thank you also for getting my ebook <3 Enjoy!
This recipe looks delicious and, because of the rave reviews, I’m eager to try it. I was wondering if these could be made as bars instead, and what adjustment(s) might need to be made. I was also thinking they would be good to share at fellowship since I know some members are gluten-free
Hi Lorraine, I have never made this recipe into bars myself, but commenters mentioned they have done so successfully. However, if I were to try it, I would spread the batter/dough mixture into a lined baking dish (probably 9×13 inches, maybe 8×8), bake until golden and then cut into bars while still warm. Using parchment etc. as lining should make it easier to remove from the pan. Hope this helps.
My son is allergic to coconut, ie coconut oil. Anything else as could use?
You can use any other oil that you usually use for baking (avocado, grapeseed, light olive, or even melted butter).
Looks perfectly delicious! Will be trying this one. Thanks!
Awesome! Would love to hear what you think
I would like to know can I use apple sauce instead pumpkin puree?
Yes you can. I actually have an apple pie breakfast cookie recipe that uses applesauce http://leelalicious.com/apple-pie-breakfast-cookies/
Hi there , I am finding these need a bit more flavor, possibly some cinnamon ? Otherwise a great recipe 🙂
Sure, you can definitely add more spice to adjust to your taste preference
These look amazing! Do you know if anyone has made them with powdered Stevia? I’m going to try it, maybe adding a bit of applesauce for moisture. Will also try egg substitute. I think these would be great with dried cherries, or just traditional raisins. Thanks! I have lots of food sensitivities and find so few recipes I can use — this looks like something I can work with. Can’t wait to try them!
Hi Joni, this recipe is really very adaptable, especially with the add-ins. And I also think your stevia/applesauce idea should work just fine. I hope it all works out and you enjoy them!
These look wonderful – will definitely make! Would it be possible to add or substitute chia seeds with something? I also have coconut manna that I need to use with something. Help 🙂
Thank you Brenda! This recipe is really very adaptable. Maybe use chia instead of flax, or replace some of the seeds with it. I have never used coconut manna, but I wonder if it could be used instead of coconut oil?
I just discovered this recipe and am anxious to try it however, I can not digest fat so oil or butter will not work for me. Would applesause work as an oil substitute or can you suggest something else?
Thanks!
I have never tried to make them without oil, but if you end up trying (maybe with a half batch first) please let know. I would love to hear if it works
Just made these on the weekend for my 6yr old to be able to take to school. We don’t like Cranberries, so I used some dried blueberries (unsweetened) and I had no flax on hand so used hemp seeds that I ground up. Next time (because there will be a next time!) I want to try maple syrup instead of honey to see what kind of taste that gives. And the best part is, my 6yr old loved them and wants to help me make them! These were delicious and I grabbed one and ate it this morning on my way to work. Very filling on top of being delicious.
Thanks for the awesome feedback Tracy! Love the sound of dried blueberries. This recipe is really easy adaptable with different add-ins. And I love to hear your kid wants to help you make them. I believe, teaching them early sets them up for a lifetime of healthy cooking + eating habits.
This cookie looks delicious. Unfortunately my husband is allergic to coconut oil. Initially I thought of using some sort mild liquid oil. But then realized coconut oil starts as a solid like crisco. Any idea what I can use in place of the coconut oil? Thanks in advance.
Hi Bonnie, regardless of its lower melting point, I believe you should have no problem subbing a different cooking oil for the coconut oil. Or even melted butter.
Has anyone calculated how many Weight Watcher points 1 cookie would be?
Sorry Roxanne, unfortunately I am not familiar with Weight Watcher points, but I hope another reader might see this who knows the answer.
Perfect! I’m so excited about how easy and delicious these turned out to be. I’m a huge fan of granola/oat bars, but of course they are not all that healthy so being able to have these on hand instead of store bought/processed snacks is wonderful. I’m also breastfeeding and love the fact that they are nutritious and filling! Thank you so much for sharing!
I am so happy to hear you are enjoying the breakfast cookies, Laura. I was newly nursing when I developed this recipe and remember them being a lifesaver for snack attacks 🙂
Hi! These look amazing and I am ready for pumpkin time! I can’t have honey and was wondering if maple syrup would work in place? Thanks!!
Hi Shannon, yes I believe maple syrup should work just as well.
Can’t wait to try this.
Was just wondering, maybe people should check ovens with a thermometer, mine runes 5-10 degrees below what it should be.
Could make a difference in cook time.
Update: tasted great with the Goji Berries. Store was out of pumpkin purée so had to use sweet potato. Just made with pumpkin this time and used chopped dates and subbed half maple syrup and ginger syrup instead of honey. Delish! Had to cook mine 25 mins though. These are awesome! Thanks so much! They are so versatile
Thanks for the follow up Cheryl! What a great idea to use sweet potato puree. Yum!
I can’t wait to try these. I’ve been looking for a cookie like this as I lost my old Weight Watchers recipe that was similar to this but with apple sauce but pumpkin is so much more nutritious. I have Goji Berries on hand, so will try those in place of the cranberries. Thanks so much for sharing!
I hope you enjoy them Cheryl. Goji berries sounds nice!
I never leave comments but…WOW! I am gluten free and this is the best cookie: great texture, satisfying flavors, and easy to prepare. I froze half of the cookies and they did not crumble when I removed them for eating. I used butter instead of coconut oil, but I just purchased a jar of coconut oil to make another batch. I used a variety of dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, prunes, and dates… I chopped all of them into smaller bits) and the fruit mixture was so delicious. I also used a combination of pepitas and walnuts. I have passed the link to several friends who are always looking for healthy snacks.
I thought I had already left a comment! But I want to thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I found it over a year ago and have made it every week since then. I have shared the recipe with many others too. You see I have been on a weight loss journey and these cookies have helped me to lose 32lbs. to date! I love having one or two for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. The lack of sugar and addition of healthy ingredients keeps me satisfied. I love them just the way you have the recipe written. But sometimes I sub applesauce for the pumpkin or other nuts for the seeds. I put them in the freezer and just pop in the MW to thaw. I take the whole batch in an ice chest when I travel and it helps me to stay on my healthy eating path.
Wow…Joyce! Yours must be the BEST comment I have ever received on my blog!! What a great testimony. I am really touched and so so happy that these breakfast cookies are helping you on your journey of healthy eating. Thank you for absolutely making my day, week, and entire month actually 😀
You mentioned that you can add brewers yeast to make them lactation cookies. How much yeast should I add to the recipe above? Do I need to add any extra water or anything so they don’t get dry?
Hi Amanda, I actually only mentioned adding fenugreek and fennel to turn these into lactation cookies. I am not familiar with using Brewers yeast, but maybe you can find another lactation cookie recipe to see how much they add per cookie?
I added orange zest and sesame seeds to the mix! This recipe is amazing!!!
Orange zest and sesame sound like awesome add-ins! Thank you for your great feedback Christine 🙂
I’ve been trying to find a recipe like this but using quinoa instead of oats. Could that be substituted and if yes, do you know how much cooked quinoa would be used instead? This recipe looks amazing and I’m so excited to try it!
Quinoa breakfast cookies sounds like such a great idea Katie! I never though of it before, but will have to give it a try. Until then unfortunately I can’t give much advise.
These cookies look amazing! So amazing I made a batch today. I used my own pumpkin that I had frozen this winter. I made sure most of the moisture was drained and squeezed out. The other thing I did was press the dough into greased muffin tins and pressed them down well so they would stay in that round shape. I baked them 20 minutes. They came out perfect and I have to say they were delicious! My husband loved them too! I love the fact that they are low sugar and carbs and they can replace breakfast on the go! I will definetly make these again and again!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback Janice 🙂
Made these last night, and had 1 1/2 cookies for breakfast, had to share with a work friend! so yummy! thanks for sharing this recipe! The only change I made is no craisins, sub golden raisins, i love them. Just found out I’m expecting my first so I’m trying to find yummy but highly nutritious and easy breakfasts! This fits the bill!
Congratulations Teal! And yes, fill up on those nutrients before any morning sickness sets in 🙂
These cookies are also perfect if you are nursing after having your baby. I had intense appetite during that time (pregnancy cravings were nothing in comparison). Healthy oat cookies where my any time snacks. At that time you could change the add-ins to include some fenugreek and fennel to make them into lactation cookies 🙂
I made these the other day and they’re delicious to have for breakfast! The only thing I noticed is that they seem really delicate – they fall apart almost instantly when I pick them up. I followed the recipe exactly, but they just don’t seem to stay together, making them pretty messy to eat. Is there a trick to making them bind better?
Hi Marlo, I am happy to hear you enjoy these cookies but so sorry they don’t want to hold up for you. Is it very humid where you live? The only time I recall having issues with the cookies staying in one piece was after freezing and defrosting them.
Ive been looking for something like this for breakfast!! I made them tonight and they are wonderful! they are not too sweet at all! I’ve tried lots of different breakfast cookies but these are by far my favorite! I followed the recipe the first time but i will incorporate some of my favorites next time. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback Christina 🙂 And yes, they are so versatile with any of your favorite add-ins
These have to be packed with tons of nutrients! I’m sure everyone in my house would eat them. I’m definitely going to be making these! Thanks for the tips!
Yes, these breakfast cookies are nutritional powerhouses. Hope your family enjoys these as much as we all do
So according to Google my hearing is off, it is sweet meat pumpkin not Pete lol but yes it is a light green pumpkin the meat is super thick, I got as much meat out of a small sweet meat as I did a large orange pumpkin. I have also made pumpkin pie with it as well I don’t think anything you make with it could possibly taste wrong lol
It wouldn’t let me reply to your reply
Haha that’s too funny. I hadn’t heard about sweet meat pumpkin before either. I’ll have to keep an eye open for it 🙂
These are so yummy! We have sweet Pete pumpkin puree left over in our freezer and oh my goodness that blends well with the flavors and adds a hint more sweet my son loves making and eating these “cookies”!
Thank you for sharing!
Awesome! Happy to hear your son loves these too. What is sweet Pete pumpkin puree? A brand or special kind of pumpkin?
Even here in The Netherlands we love these cookies! My daughter takes them to school in her lunch box and all her friends want to have a bite 🙂
I could use some advice on how to make them less sweet. Can the amount of honey be reduced or substituted?
Greetings from the middle of Holland.
Hello Andrea and greetings to Holland!! I grew up just across the border in Germany, by Osnabrück 🙂
How lovely to have you visit my blog and make my recipe. I love hearing about your daughter and her friends devouring the cookies
If you want them less sweet, I think you should have no problem reducing the honey amount. It shouldn’t really affect the structure of the cookies.
All the best from Thailand (currently) 😀
I’m vegan. Can I use more pumpkin or applesauce as a sub for the egg?
Other readers have commented on having successfully used flax or chia eggs as vegan substitute.
Great recipe, thanks for sharing. I used a silicone bar pan. It made 10 bars and I baked them for 20 min
Awesome feedback, Heather! Happy to hear this recipe also works as bars.
I just barely came across your blog for the first time last night, while I was searching for a new pumpkin recipe. I had exactly 1/2 cup pumpkin puree leftover from a previous recipe, and I really wanted to use it up in a healthy recipe! Preferably something yummy like cookies 🙂 Your recipe showed up while I was searching and I decided to give it a try. I must say I was so impressed! I made the recipe practically exactly as written, and I loved how flavorful they were for a healthy cookie! They were packed full of nutrients, too, which I love. These are perfect for breakfast, or anytime really. Thank you for creating a healthy yet tasty cookie; sometimes it’s difficult to have the best of both worlds! I’ll have to check out more of your recipes 🙂
Sharice! Thank you so much for your glowing review of this recipe. I am so happy to hear they turned out to be what you were looking for. My aim with this blog is to serve you with nutritious AND delicious recipes. Would love to have you stick around 😉
These were yummy! I cut down the craisins and pumpkin seeds to 1/2 cup and added some dark chocolate chips. I’m thinking next time to add a small amount of shredded coconut. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh yum, I can image how awesome dark chocolate will be in the mix 🙂 I love that these cookies are soo customizable with whatever you feel like or have on hand.
Made these with my 2 1/2 year old grandson they were fantastic. I am sure they would be good as written but I made several changes. I use one chia egg and one real, I added sunflower seeds and hemp hearts, I use low sugar cranberries, about 1/8 of a cup of honey and a scoop of pea protein powder…..they were so good that my usually very sharing grandson wouldn’t even give one up to his dad….ooooops. Any way thank you some much for a wonderful recipe. Looks like breakfast cookies on the way to school tomorrow…if there are any left.
That is too cute about your grandson not wanting to share these cookies 🙂 And one of the best compliments ever! Thanks so much for sharing with me.
I made these cookies today! Instead of pumpkin seeds I used chopped pecans because that’s what I had on hand. Love it! Thanks for the recipe!
Love pecans! The add ins are totally adaptable to what you have on hand. Thats what I always do 🙂
These cookies are fantastic! Healthy&delicious!
Thank you very much, Dace 🙂
I made a double batch of these cookies today. They’re great! I put then in an airtight container for storage but I was wonder if they need to be refrigerated and how long do they keep ?
With a double batch and depending on the size of your family, you’ll probably need a few days to go through them all. For longer than 1 day I refrigerate the cookies, for longer than 3 I store them in the freezer. The night before I just put them in the fridge and they are thawed for breakfast.
Hi there – I have been wanting a recipe like this for years! It was the first one I found on Pinterest, and the first attempt was a giant success! I made them this morning for my 5 friends, who were doing a fall hike…they absolutely loved them! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Munching on these cookies on a hike sounds amazing! Thank you so much for you wonderful feedback Valerie 🙂
Do you roast the pumpkin seeds before adding to the cookie batter or just leave them raw?
I am pretty sure mine were raw pumpkin seeds. Since they are baked in the cookies they’ll get some additional crunch anyway.
Line a baking sheet with what?
parchment
Hello there,
I just love the recipe (pumpkin breakfast cookies)I just printed out and am looking forward to making it during the Thanksgiving holiday!!!! I’m sure others will enjoy this recipe 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks so much Ottaviana! I’d love to hear how you like the cookies
Pinned these today. Made these today. Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! Hope you enjoy them as much as our family does 🙂
I am so excited to see this recipe. I have been eating ready made protein bars since going virtually sugar free 2 years ago.
Is there any way to incorporate protein powder into the recipe or do you have others to point me toward ?
I would like to start making my own treats but need to keep the protein levels up to mitigate the carbs.
I have made a few no cook bars and have no experience baking with protein powder and dont know how it behaves.
Any advice ?
Hi Karen, I see many bloggers bake with protein powder, I think you should have no problem incorporating it into this recipe. For starters, I added the 1/4 cup of ground flax just to increase the nutritional value. I think you could replace it with protein powder without changing the texture. If you need to incorporate more though, you could add even more incrementally as long ad the mixture doesn’t get too dry. You could also try reducing the amount of quick oat and replacing it with protein.
Hope these pointers help to get you started baking with protein powder. Otherwise you could always try searching for a “protein breakfast cookie” recipe.
Regina! I just baked these cookies last night and Oooooooooooo, they were so yummy. My hub was into the batch before they could even cool and we packed em up this morning for breakfast. This will definitely be a keeper throughout the year and so easy to prep too! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. These cookies are awesome and soo popular this fall 🙂
These are delicious! I have recently become a great fan of breakfast cookies after trying out Sarah,s from my new root, and your,s are the next gem I added to my list.
I made some small changes, like using agave instead of honey (due to honey losing most of its minerals and vitamins when heated above 104 fahrenheit, or 40 celsius). I also used raisins instead of cranberries and chia eggs because that,s what I had at hand. The result is a dense, chewy cookie that makes a wonderfully satisfying breakfast!
I will experiment with substituting some of the oatmeal with almonds, as another reader suggested, and also try a sweet potato version…. And I will def try your other breakfast cookie recipe as well!
Many thanks and a lovely autumn from Berlin,
Lady Montagu
Hey Lady Montagu, so happy this recipe worked for you with the adjustments as well. I am especially grateful about the chia egg feedback. As this will make it possible to veganize these cookies as well 🙂
Thank you!!
These breakfast cookies sound great, perfect for the start of fall tomorrow. I just bought my first jar of coconut oil. Do I measure 1/4 cup solid out of the jar or do I melt some and measure 1/4 cup out of what is melted? This may be a silly question, its my first time using coconut oil.
Hi Aly, I have found that the difference between coconut oil measured as solid or liquid is minimal. Do whichever is easier for you. In the summer my coconut oil is always completely melted anyway.
This recipe isn’t very delicate (like a French pastry might be). Minor variations won’t affect the result of delicious cookies 🙂
These look so good!! I wonder if you could substitute almond flour to bring down the carb count?
You mean to replace some of the oats with almond flour? I have never tried this, but feel free to experiment. And let me know how it goes 😉
Bello! The recipe looks pretty interesting! But I live in Mexico and we don’t find so easily pumpkins… Do you think I could replace it with sweet potatoe pure or apple pure?
Thank you!
Hi Adeline, yes I have heard other people use apple sauce with success in this recipe. Sweet potato should work just as well. You could also try mashed banana
Hiya! Fab recipe I can’t wait to try!! Do you think I could use mashed bananas instead of pumpkin purée? 🙂
Hi Charlitte, yes, I believe it will work well with banana as well. In fact, I have another breakfast cookie recipe that uses mashed banana and peanut butter http://leelalicious.com/breadless-breakfast-healthy-breakfast-cookies/
Thank you for the feedback. 🙂 I looked at the other cookies and they sound really good too! 🙂
Can these be made crispy by baking longer? Or adding something (like a little almond flour)? I’m not a fan of chewy cookies or granola bars. Otherwise, they sound great! 🙂
Making them thinner and baking longer might make the cookies crispy, but I am not sure since I never tried it. Pumpkin puree actually makes everything quite moist, so I am not sure these are the right cookies for you. Maybe try my other breakfast cookies with peanut butter http://leelalicious.com/breadless-breakfast-healthy-breakfast-cookies/ and use 1 egg instead of the mashed banana. Again, this is just me speculating though.
These look absolutely delicious. Are they crunchy (like a granola bar texture) or soft?
They are definitely soft like a cookie, with some crunch from the add-ins (pumpkin seeds or whatever you choose).
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these. They’re October in a cookie, which is just what I need to keep me going through these brutal 96 degree days in August. And they really do keep me going; I feel more energized after one of those than I have in a long time. So thank you! Tomorrow, I will enjoy these in a heavily airconditioned room with a mug of Berry Blossom tea. Mmm. Can’t wait for fall…
Thanks soo much for your glowing feedback on these cookies, Krista! Reading this totally makes my day 🙂
I wonder if one can use pumpkin baby food rather than buying a large can of pureed pumpkin.??
I assume pumpkin baby food is pretty much pureed pumpkin? If that’s the case, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be a good substitute.
Use the leftover pumpkin in smoothies! Or used a mashed banana instead, if you don’t mind the banana taste. This recipe is awesome, exactly what I was looking for!
These are fantastic, with just the right amount of sweetness. I would love to pretend I have breakfast ready for the whole week now, but with a teenage boy around…well, we’ll see. I used the dates I had on hand instead of going out for dried cranberries. I suspect raisins or any other dried fruit would work nicely too. I also spread the mix out in a jelly roll pan and cut the cookies into bars. The end product was thinner, so the baking time didn’t increase at all.
Adding dates sounds delicious! So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Summer 🙂
I made a double batch for a new mom, and kept a few for myself because they were so good! Will definitely keep this recipe on hand for gifts and for ourselves.
Awesome! I devoured oatmeal cookies when I was a brand new mom. It seems you need a LOT of carbs at that time 🙂
As I am allergic to coconut (yes, I know) would melted butter be a good substitute?
Hi Kirin, yes, melted butter or any other mild tasting cooking oil should make a good replacement.
These are so good! I made some this morning but turned them in to breakfast bars instead (I didn’t have all the ingredients so my mixture was quite wet), but they are so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Hey Mika, so happy you enjoyed these. And great to hear they work as bars too 🙂
Mika, how long was your bake time to make bars?
Thanks for making this recipe so easy to print! I really get tired of ones that don’t have that. Can’t wait to try these (love healthy pumpkin)! And thanks to Spectrum, for the coupon.
So glad to hear my efforts to make this site as user-friendly as possible are appreciated. Enjoy the cookies!
These are the best. They looked just like the picture posted when finished. And they tasted fabulous. One is enough with coffee for a great morning breakfast. I’ve made them 2 times now. The ladies in my office loved them too. Great job!
This recipe is in my regular rotation. (fyi: I did not have pumpkin puree on hand, so I used apple sauce. The lunchable sizes are a perfect half cup.)
Thank you for your awesome comment Jennifer! I am so happy to hear you and your coworkers are enjoying these. And it’s great to know apple sauce worked as a substitute for you.
I’m not traditional breakfast eater most days and prefer a healthy grab and go type of meal/morning snack. These look so appetizing and nutritrious and something I would thoroughly enjoy.
These would be wonderful for you then, Paula! I struggle with having grab and go breakfasts ready for my husband. Anything store-bought is usually packed with hidden sugars. Whenever I make a batch of these, I know he’ll leave the house with something wholesome 🙂
Love these cookies! So delicious and packed full of goodness! Definitely would love to start my morning with a batch of these! 😀
You are right with your description. They are packed full of good for your ingredients!
These cookies look AMAZING !!
I can’t wait to try them, right after Passover
Thanks so much Winnie 🙂 Let me know what you think if you try them
Has anyone tried to use applesauce instead of the pumpkin?
Hi Jennifer, yes I have heard from readers who used applesauce in the cookies successfully.
Apple butter works well too. Although it does have some added sugar. I’ve also switched the spice to Apple Pie spice. Substituted dates or dried blueberries for the cranberries. I’m looking for some dried apples but so far can only find freeze dried apples. All the different variations have gotten thumbs up around here.
You can try your own apples. Do you have a dehydrator? If not, you can use your oven.
This breakfast cookies look wonderful! Could I sub the eggs for chia seed?
I haven’t tried it, but you should definitely give it a try. The eggs just help to hold the batter together, and I think “chia egg” might do the same.
I have a friend who is vegan so I substituted maple syrup for honey and took out enough to make three cookies before I added the eggs. I sampled them both and found very tittle difference in the end result. I guess there is enough oil in the ground flaxseed to bind them together. So yummy!!
Awesome! I am happy to hear your vegan substitutions worked out well
Hello,
As I cannot have coconut in any form, I was wondering what could I replace the coconut oil with? Could I use butter? Thank you so much for this recipe, I am thrilled to try it!
Hi Juliette, I am sure any other form of oil will work. Butter or avocado oil would probably my first go-to alternatives.
Hello there! I was just wondering…..do you absolutely have to add in the ground flax or can you completely leave that out? Thanks!
Hi Megan, I don’t think the flax is essential for the texture. I just like to have it for adding nutritional value. I am sure you could just leave it out. If the dough seems too wet to form cookies, you could always add a little more oats to make up for the flax.
I’ve used ground Chia seeds and it worked fine.
Can these be frozen?
Hi Lisa, I believe I have frozen them before. If I remember correctly, once thawed they were a little softer (not holding up quite as firmly) but still delicious.
What about freezing them before you bake them and cooking as needed when thawed?
Hi Janis, I never tried freezing the batter. Let me know if you try it. I’d love to know how it turns out
This recipe is exactly what I’ve been looking for for a long time! As soon as I found your recipe I headed to the kitchen and made a batch. They are so good and not too sweet. Perfect for a cookie craving. I think I should have baked them a little longer though. Next time I’ll try 20 minutes. I quit eating refinded sugar 10 months ago and recipes like this are hard to find. Thanks for making my day!!
And your comment totally made my day Delina!! I am so happy you enjoy these cookies as much as I do. I also try to consume as little refined flour and sugar as possible. And I adjusted the baking times in the instructions a bit since you are the second one to say they needed longer for them 🙂
I see that some folks are saying they cooked the cookies a little longer. In the recipe, it calls for the oven temp. to be 325 degrees. In the video I noticed it said 350 degrees. Maybe 350 works better?
Thanks for noticing this Deborah. I have indeed started baking these at 350 F. I will make sure this is reflected in the recipe.
I’m looking at the nutritional info. Is a serving size one cookie?
Yes Jeanette, the info is for 1 cookie.
absolutely divine. They stay with you for a long time. Making my second batch in a week. Definitely has become a favorite. Finding it takes 25 minutes to cook here in Colorado. Thanks for posting.
Hi Karla, so happy to hear these have become a favorite of yours too. Interesting how they take so much longer to bake for you. I live in Calgary which also has very high altitude (though probably not as much as Colorado). Do you find your often have to increase baking times?
oh these breakfast cookies sound amazing and healthy. Could you give me the nutritional breakdown, calories, etc.
Hi Carol, I just uploaded some nutritional facts in the post above. Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you so very much for your quick reply. I’m excited to make these scrumptious looking cookies.
You are very welcome Carol. Let me know how you like them!
Can you use the solid coconut oil in these breakfast cookies?
Hi Grace, should have been more clear in the instructions. The coconut oil should be melted.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! It was delicious and easy to make. I didn’t have rolled oats so I used a total of 2 cups quick cook steel cut oats. Subbed pumpkin seeds with pepita seeds and didn’t have ground flax so used almond meal/flour. Even with substitutions it came out perfect.
I am so happy to hear you could make this recipe work for you with what you had on hand! Absolutely my style of cooking/baking 😉
Aren’t Pepita Seeds and Pumpkin Seeds the same thing? What is Quick Cooking Oats? I love all of these reciipes, the grab and go will be perfect for my kids and I. Hang in there your daughter may be going through a growth spurt and will readjust!
Yes, pepitas and pumpkin seeds are the same thing! Quick cooking oats are finer than regular/old fashioned oats. I find they help bind all ingredients better than using only regular oats. If you only have regular oats, you can blend some a bit to make them finer.
I only have regular oats how much should I blend to make finer and should it still look like oats not to flour texture right?
I’d pulse about 1.5 cups of regular oats until they look finer but definitely not into a flour. And then measure out 1 cup.
YUM and so colourful!! I am a big fan of breakfast cookies and make ahead meals for on-the-go.
Thank you Jacquee. I really thought the orange, green and burgundy made a beautiful fall color palette.
These refined sugar free breakfast cookies look fantastic, Regina.
I bet you can have this breakfast in bed :-))
Yes! These cookies would be absolutely perfect in bed. In the first few weeks of nursing my new baby I always got insanely hungry during night feedings. Oat cookies were my favorite ‘in-bed’ snack 😉
Oh yes, breakfast already sitting there and waiting for me sounds just a bout perfect! These cookies look delicious, love your photography!
I can only dream of 20 minute naps! My girl thinks 5 minutes are enough and then she’s so grumpy by the end of the day we have quite, ahem, loud evenings 😀
Ahh…thank you Nora. Oh wow, and I thought my light sleeper was bad. But I totally know what the tired evening grumpiness is. Olivia usually is quite a happy baby. But since she started fighting sleep, bedtime is noisy around here too 🙂
My understanding is that oats are not gluten-free unless you specifically purchase gluten-free ones.
I have a friend with celiac disease, and she does have problems with oats. I would strongly recommend to use a product that is known to be gluten-free. Quinoa flakes could be an alternative, even though the texture of the finished product will be different; also a mix of rice flakes and quinoa flakes may be suitable.
Also make sure the Oats you use are Gluten Free Oats there is a difference
Agree!!
Gluten is in wheat products.
there are oats that are gluten free…look at the label before purchasing, no reason to buy another product all together.
Yes, oats can be contaminated during processing (but naturally they do not contain gluten). Look for certified gluten free oats to be sure.