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.
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 or for easy snacks.
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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 without eggs by soaking the flax meal in the recipe in ½ cup of water until gelled, before mixing with the other wet ingredients. 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. A combination of chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) or seeds (like sunflower seeds) and chocolate chips also make great add-ins.
Cranberries give the cookies a nice chewy texture and sweet-tart flavor. If you prefer, instead of sugar-sweetened cranberries, you can find apple juice infused cranberries or completely unsweetened dried cranberries on Amazon.
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.
To shape the batter into cookie shape, I am using my ¼ 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 paper lined baking sheet and the dough 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.
These healthy breakfast cookies are also great to make ahead. Often I make a double batch, then store the cookies in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
If this healthy pumpkin cookie recipe isn't quite your thing, I have FOUR other breakfast cookie recipes. Maybe these are more up your alley?
Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- â…” cup dried cranberries unsweetened
- â…” cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs * beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl warm coconut oil and honey (either microwave, inside preheating oven or on the stove top).
- 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.
- Drop about ¼ 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.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet before moving to an airtight storage container.
Notes
Nutrition
Random Questions
Pumpkin itself is not very high in sugar. It is naturally sweet, but its sugar content is relatively low compared to many other fruits. When used in recipes like these breakfast cookies, it adds a delightful sweetness without the need for excessive added sugar.
Yes, you can substitute honey with other sweeteners like maple syrup or agave nectar to make the cookies vegan. Adjust the quantity according to your desired sweetness level.
Absolutely! You can make a larger batch and store the cookies in a ziplock bag in the freezer for later consumption. They can be easily thawed and enjoyed as a quick breakfast or snack.
The amount of sugar in these cookies is relatively moderate, primarily coming from the natural sweetness of pumpkin and a small quantity of honey. You can adjust the sweetness level by using alternative sweeteners as well.
Tasty
This is a great recipe, now pumpkin season is starting and I have a gluten-free diet at the same time
Mary
I am trying to get rid of sweetened cranberries...should I add 1/2 of the honey?
Regina | Leelalicious
The recipe can be made with sweetened or unsweetened cranberries. I would not make any changes to the rest of the recipe
Anshirley Corathers
Hi, I was wondering if these can be made into bars? If so, what size pan would be best and do I need to change the oven temp/or time?
Thanks!
Regina | Leelalicious
While I haven't tried making this recipe as bars, many commenters say they did. I'd probably use a square 8-inch pan. And bake at the same temperature, but baking time will probably be a little longer. I'd just check regularly until the bars are set.
Candi of NC
Yum. I can’t truly rate this recipe because I altered it. However, I can say that the basic concept of it works well. No doubt my results would have been even tastier if I had followed the recipe exactly.
I can’t seem to follow recipes to the letter, especially if it for bread or muffins. I end up changing the additives or the spices or the flour composition. This time I altered all three. I replaced half the pumpkin seeds with pecans and added almost that amount of sunflower seeds. I don’t have pumpkin pie spice, so I used a combination of 1/4 t nutmeg, 1/4 t ginger, 1/8 t cloves, and 3/4 t cinnamon. I added 1 1/4 baking powder to get some rise and, not sure if it works without flour, adding 1/2 c buckwheat flour. I also added 1 t vanilla extract. After dumping my beater in the soapy water, I tasted my batter and decided it wasn’t sweet enough, likely due to the buckwheat flour. I folded in a single packet of Splenda. The result is good, but next time I will leave out the flour, baking powder, and Splenda.
Gina
Our family LOVES these! I always double the recipe because we plough through them. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
This last time I added some orange zest and some orange juice (making me need to add a bit more oats to get the right consistency), but they are FANTASTIC. The orange really brings out a nice brightness and go with the pumpkin and cranberry so nicely.
Nancy Sullivan
These are awesome. If my husband gives something a thumbs up it proves how good they are. Thank you for starting off our morning with a up!
Anna
I had to come back to your website just to let you know how much I love these! I've been trying to break out of my bagel rut with something that is healthy but will still satisfy me. These cookies did the trick! The dried cranberries give them just enough sweetness and the pumpkin seeds add texture and crunch. 10/10. Will make again!
Cheyenne
No doubt, hands down THE best "healthy cookies" recipe I have ever made. I have tried many, many recipes somewhat similar to this and they have all been utter failures! I am beyond estatic to find one that is simple, easy, and so delicious!! Thank you for sharing these with the world lol.
Kate
Best breakfast cookies ever!
How can there be so much cholesterol with only 2 eggs? Is it the coconut oil? I am not a fan of coconut so i use olive oil. Still very delicious.
Ann
We LOVE this cookie recipe! I’ve made it 5+ times already and learned that the cookies freeze well so I double the recipe each time. Today I’m making bars instead of cookies to save time. Wish me luck!
Ann
Success! The bars are great!
Regina
Awesome! So happy to hear this worked out for you
Yolande
Made this but used vegetable oil in place of coconut oil also substituted banana for the pumpkin and it came out great
Jennifer
Just made these and swapped the coconut oil for extra pumpkin, the quick cooking oats for regular oat and then chickpea flour. I skipped the egg since there was ground flax seed already in them and just used the flax seed that was called for to make the egg substitute. They came out so good I should have doubled the recipe because my son is finding it hard to stay out of them!
Regina
So glad to hear the breakfast cookies are a hit at your house!
Heather
How much extra pumpkin did you use (instead of the oil)? And how did you do the egg substitute?
van
i have the same questions!!
Regina
So while I haven't made the oil substitution with more pumpkin, I would start with 2 extra tablespoons of pumpkin. And add more (up to 1/4 cup total) if needed to moisten the oats.
I have a post about flax egg substitute here https://leelalicious.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg-vegan-egg-substitute/
So I assume she soaked the called for amount of ground flax in water to make it gelatinous before adding to the batter
Lynelle
Love these! I made them into bars because it was easier for me. They turned out amazing! Wouldn’t change a thing. These are perfect.
mary tonelli
Hello - These look great! I did however substitute applesauce for the pumpkin puree and I found it was too moist
(before baking). Also, your printed copy indicates baking at 350 but your video says 325 degrees...just an FYI. My
yield was only 10 cookies - not quite sure why.
Debra
I'm allergic to coconut oil, what can I substitute?
Regina
Another mild flavored oil like avocado would work
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Regina
On the counter a couple of days, a week in the fridge, and several months frozen
S harris
Where did you find unsweetened dried cranberries?! The only ones I can find all have oil and sugar added
Regina
Amazon or health food store - but even there it's hard
Cindy Berry
I found unsweetened cranberries at Crest and Wal-Mart where the raisins are located. These cookies are not very sweet, but knowing all the good-for-you ingredients makes them tastier.
Regina
Awesome to hear there are unsweetened cranberries in stores now too
Trudi
Thanks for this recipe - my family LOVE it. I have started squishing it into a baking tray and then cutting into bars once cooked. I found this quicker than making cookies (I haven’t had any success with just using a scoop, so have had to roll each one). Again, thanks - this recipe is on high rotation here!
Regina
Hi Trudi, so great to hear you family love the recipe and you found a way to make it that works well for you. It's really great to hear this recipe works as bars too
LB
Hi, could you share how long you baked as bars? Thx.
Meenal
Hi Regina. I can’t wait to make the eat cookies. I was wondering however would it be possible to leave the eggs out to make it vegan? If so would I have to substitute it with anything else to get the same results?
Katie
You can use flax meal, look up the egg replacement in one of her other breakfast cookie recipes or online, its wicked easy! Just make sure to let the flax meal and water sit to the side and get sticky before mixing into the 'dough'. Good Luck!
Regina
Other readers have mentioned flax egg substitute worked well for them in this recipe
Brenda Sievers
So yummy! I didn’t have quick oats so I replaced it with ground up old fashioned oats. I added some dark chocolate chips too. I can imagine so many variations of this recipe! I will be making these over & over! Thank you!
Regina
Yes! There are so many ways to switch these up. I have a few other flavor varieties but would love to hear what else you come up with
Leah Lundell
Absolutely love these! Do they have to be refrigerated ?
Thanks!
Regina
Yes, I don't keep them at room temperature for longer than 1 day
CToth
Yummy!!! I really liked these. One time I didn't have enough oats so I subbed in 1/2 cup oat flour. I also added lots of cinnamon and more pumpkin pie spice. I have made them with raisins and with chocolate chips and like them both ways. Thank you for a delicious breakfast option.
Tina Celeste
These are great!!!! I was skeptical, but super glad I tried this!!!! A million thanks!!!!
Regina
So glad you liked them 🙂