Healthy cookies for breakfast with Vegan Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies. Peanut butter, banana, honey, oats, whole wheat and dried fruit. Super chewy cookies full of protein, fiber and nutrients. Breakfast has never tasted so good.
Within this recipe post you’ll make easy vegan breakfast cookies that can rival any dessert cookie…and these are healthy and naturally sweetened with no sugars! Pair these with green tea for a decadent breakfast. Plus you’ll learn about baking soda vs baking powder. Let’s go!
I’ve been posting plenty of healthy recipes, plus my fair share of decadent treats and appetizers as well. It’s all about finding that right balance of maintaining a general course, with occasional rewards. It’s even better if your treat is a healthy one.
These Healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies are a snack or meal you can enjoy in the mornings, but you’d swear it was a regular chewy dessert cookie.
Looks and tastes can be deceiving as these are about as healthy as you can get, plus vegan with a gluten free option. These Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies are full of protein, fiber and wholesome nutrients, with no sugars.
The main ingredients are as follows: peanut butter (of course), banana, honey, oats, whole wheat, almond milk and dried fruits. That’s it, no butter, eggs, sugars or oils needed.
You might be asking how these could possibly bake like a cookie without all the standard cookie ingredients. Well they do… they’re moist and chewy and hold together well. The peanut butter and oats are bound with a bit of whole wheat and some baking soda is added to help them rise.
What’s the difference between baking powder and baking soda?
Baking soda has only one ingredient–sodium bicarbonate. It’s a base that reacts when it comes into contact with acids like buttermilk or vinegar. The reaction happens almost instantly to create carbon dioxide (CO2); which bubbles up and leavens breads and baked goods; basically making dough or batter rise.
Baking powder fixes this by delaying the reaction and is double acting It contains sodium acid pyrophosphate or sodium aluminum sulfate, which won’t react with the sodium bicarbonate until the batter is moist (mixed with wet ingredients) and heated (baked in the oven). These two reactions create the leavening effect; giving you plenty of time to prep your batter.
Recipe at-a-glance:
Flavor profiles: Sweetness of banana, honey and dried fruit paired with nutty peanut butter butter.
Texture: Soft, moist and super chewy.
Dietary Options/Substitutions: Not much! These are vegan. You can sub out gluten-free flour if needed, or try oat flour. Try different dried fruits or even add nuts like sliced almonds or sunflower seeds.
Leave a comment below and star rating if you made this recipe or want to share your thoughts.
Are you following me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter? Also, sign up for our newsletter to get all our recipes and cooking tips.
Healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 large ripe banana, mashed
- 1 cup honey, or agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, or gluten-free
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups dried blueberries, raisins, chopped apricots or other fruit
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. In large bowl, stir together peanut butter, banana, honey, vanilla and milk until well combined.
- In separate medium bowl stir together flour, oats, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir oat mixture into peanut butter mixture until combined, then fold in dried fruit.
- Use a ¼-cup measure to scoop and drop dough in mounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet, about 2–3 inches apart. Use a rubber spatula to flatten mounds to an even ½-inch thickness and about 3-inches wide (this is a critical steps as the cookies will not flatten out or reshape while baking).
- Bake for 12–15 minutes or until cookies are browned and slightly firm. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes very large cookies; store extras in a sealed container in refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for 2–3 months.
These are sooo good! My 2 year old twins are loving them. I added about a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the milk to help them bind. I used real maple syrup instead of honey. And I put dried cranberries and sunflower seeds at the end. Even my husband loves them!
I like all the modifications and sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for the lovely comment Spoonie! It’s feedback like this that makes me love blogging and sharing recipes.
hi there, good job but i just wanted to point out that honey was in the ingredients and this is labeled as a vegan recipe. Honey is not vegan. Maybe you could edit the recipe and sub with dates or agave nectar… best of luck! 🙂
That’s a good point, some vegans would conciser honey non-vegan because of how it’s produced. I updated the recipe to include agave syrup as a substitute. Thanks Molly!
These breakfast cookies look seriously delicious!!! and yay! on the weight loss!
Yes to cookies for breakfast! Love this idea!
When they’re this good and healthy, yes indeed! Thanks Joanie!
YES!! I have all of these ingredients! Making these this weekend 🙂 thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome Christina! It helps it’s mostly staple pantry ingredients. Enjoy!
You had me at peanut butter for breakfast 😀 Yum!
Haha so true Chrisy! Peanut butter in anything is amazing.
I am wanting to make more vegetation and vegan recipes so I was thrilled to see this one!
Well glad I could help then. Thanks Mackenzie!
Okay, I can’t stand banana, but I am in desperate need of a quick, easy breakfast recipe so maybe I will try to substitute pumpkin in this recipe?? Sounds good except for banana!!! 🙂
Haha I love banana but sure Rachel, I bet you could sub that out. Pumpkin puree is about the same consistency too. The cookies taste pretty sweet and think with the raisins and honey it’d be sweet enough without banana. Thanks!
These look and sound delicious! I love all of the good stuff in them!
All good stuff indeed. Thanks Becky!
These cookies look like they would be perfect with my new diet. I love having something tasty for breakfast with my Bigelow tea. [client]
They sure would be and are perfect with Bigelow teas. Thanks Janet!
I definitely need to make this after my month of Whole 30. These will be a perfect “sweet” treat for me.
It would be a perfect “reward” Renee. I bet it would fit into whole 30 anyways so it’s a win win!
Wow well done on 13lb down! I am very impressed and really have to do the same.
I love this breakfast! Pinned for later!
Thanks Helen! It’s a lot of work but I’m actually enjoying it.
Congratulations on your weight loss! This is such a yummy breakfast!
Thanks so much Sandhya!
Yay for weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes! While not vegan, I do eat very healthfully, and that is the focus of my blog as well. I think these cookies look fabulous! Best wishes for 2016!
I’m not vegan either but they can make for great healthy options when needed. Thanks Tamara and best wishes to you!
Congrats on your weight loss! I’ve been looking for a sweet, yet healthy breakfast treat when I’m not feeling eggs. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Chrissa! It’s great to have all kinds of healthy breakfast options to keep things interesting.