These breakfast cookies with cocoa and oats do not contain any flour and make a delicious, healthy breakfast on-the-go or snack anytime. Low in sugar, they are packed full of protein and fibre and take minutes to prepare!
You might also like blueberry oat breakfast bars and blackberry granola bars!
These healthy breakfast cookies contain a generous amount of nuts and seeds and are sweetened with a moderate amount of sugar and dried fruit. They are easy to make and come together in minutes. Simply combine the ingredients into a thick batter and bake the cookies!
Chocolate and cookies are not typically associated with breakfast. Understandably so. They are usually high in sugar and fat but low in fibre, which is precisely the opposite of what a nutritious breakfast should be.
But if you make a few healthy swaps and use less of the bad stuff you can absolutely enjoy chocolate as well as cookies as part of a balanced breakfast.
Which is what I've done in this oatmeal chocolate cookies recipe.
Breakfast cookies ingredients and substitutions
- Oats: use old-fashioned/rolled oats or jumbo oats, not instant oats. You can also use a combination of oats and barley or rye flakes.
- Seeds: I used sunflower and sesame seeds as well as flaxseed, but you can use pumpkin seeds, crushed hazelnuts or pecans instead.
- Cocoa or cacao powder.
- Peanut butter: both smooth and crunchy will work so use your favourite.
- Butter: helps keep the cookie batter together. Use (melted) coconut oil instead if preferred.
- Sugar: I used light brown sugar but coconut sugar makes a good alternative.
- Dried fruit: my choice of dried fruit was currants, but sultanas, raisins or cranberries all all good alternatives.
- Egg: helps bind the ingredients together. To make these breakfast cookies vegan use a flax egg - combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons of water, set aside for a few minutes to thicken then add into the batter.
Step-by-step instructions for making chocolate breakfast cookies
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine the oats, cacao, seeds/nuts, currants, sugar and flaxseed and stir thoroughly.
3. Add wet ingredients: Add the beaten egg (or flax egg, see **Notes below) along with the peanut butter and melted butter.
4. Make batter: Stir until all the ingredients have been fully incorporated.
5. Form and bake cookies: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet then flatten. The cookies won't expand so they can be baked fairly close together. Bake in the centre of the oven for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestions
Chocolate and oat cookies make a delicious breakfast pairing with tea, coffee, milk as well as smoothies (try sweet potato or raspberry and avocado) and juices (even vegetable ones including carrot and beet).
Optional ingredients
These chocolatey breakfast cookies with oats are very adaptable and you can make them successfully using additional ingredients (all optional). For example:
- Add texture - by using desiccated coconut (approx. 1.5 tbsp).
- Add flavour - by using spices, such as cinnamon, ground ginger or pumpkin spice (approx. 1.5 tsp in total).
Top tips
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats, NOT instant.
- These cookies are semi-sweet - adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.
- If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt into the mixture.
- If the batter seems a little too loose add another tablespoon of oats.
- These cookies won't expand so they can be baked fairly close together.
- Make this recipe vegan by using a flax egg - combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons of water, set aside for a few minutes to thicken then add into the batter.
- Store these breakfast chocolate cookies in a plastic container (for a chewier texture) or paper bag for up to 2 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More healthy cookies to try next
- Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (Vegan)
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies (Flourless)
- Very Raspberry Oatmeal Cookies
See also these other healthy, delicious breakfast recipes!
Recipe
Chocolate Breakfast Cookies (Low Sugar)
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats not instant, gluten free if required
- 2 tablespoons cocoa/cacao powder
- 4 tablespoons sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds/nuts, lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed
- 4 tablespoons currants or raisins/other dried fruit
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 large egg lightly beaten, or use a flax egg, see **Notes below
- 5 tablespoons peanut butter crunchy or smooth
- 4 tablespoons *salted butter or coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine the oats, cacao, seeds/nuts, currants, sugar and flaxseed. Stir thoroughly.
- Add wet ingredients: Lightly beat the egg and add into the dry ingredients along with the peanut butter and melted butter. Stir until all the ingredients have been fully incorporated.
- Form cookies: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet then flatten. The cookies won't expand so they can be baked fairly close together.
- Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant.
- These cookies are semi-sweet - adjust the amount of sugar to suit your taste.
- *If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt into the mixture.
- **Make this recipe vegan by using a flax egg - combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons of water, set aside for a few minutes to thicken then add into the batter.
- If the batter seems a little too loose add another tablespoon of oats.
- These cookies won't expand so they can be baked fairly close together.
- Store these chocolate breakfast cookies in a plastic container (for a chewier texture) or paper bag for up to 2 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
Have you made these chocolate oatmeal cookies? I'd love to know how they turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Christina says
Thank you for your super recipe Monika! Love the breakfast cookies! It's so good to find a recipe where you don't have to reduce the quantity of sugar! I'll be baking double next time!
Monika says
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback:)
cathy gilbert says
excellent! easy and healthy
cathy gilbert says
LOVED these easy to make cookies ! - I added some 70% chocolate chips and walnuts and put in a bit of coconut oil to make up the butter ratio. VERY easy and very good! will make again for sure ! thank you
Monika says
These extras sound yummy! Thanks very much for your feedback:)
janissa wan says
Hi there,
The cookies are full of good, healthy ingredients, and yet so yummy. We love them very much. However, they tend to crumble easily. What have I done wrong? How can make them stick together better and not to fall apart so easily?
Thanks very much.
Monika says
Thank you for getting in touch! There could be a number of reasons for this, for instance the kind of peanut butter or oats you use. I used giant oats, not the highly processed small ones, as well as very thick peanut butter. Also, try rolling the batter into firm balls and then gently squashing to form round cookies, rather than just using an ice cream scoop and dropping the mixture loosely onto the cookie sheet. Hope this helps:)
janissa wan says
Thanks for your quick response.. Will try it again with your suggestions. Happy New Year,
Monika says
Hope these will turn out better for you this time. Happy New Year to you too:)
janissa wan says
Same to you too.
Monika says
Oh no, hope you get it sorted soon! Thanks for liking my recipes:)
Debanita says
Including chocolate in breakfast, kids would love it. Such a lovely idea of using coco powder & peanut butter in the cookies.Healthy option too.
Monika says
Thank you Debanita!
Monika says
Thank you Jenny! And thanks for co-hosting FF!
Monika says
Oh, but peanut butter is actually quite healthy. Glad you like this recipe, thanks!
Meredith says
My preschooler would love to help make these breakfast cookies! We will definitely have to try them tomorrow for some easy, on-the-go breakfasts and snacks this week!
Monika says
Thank you! Let me know how they turn out!
Corina Blum says
These sound delicious! My kids love making cookies with me too and I love the fact that these are chocolatey and healthy too!
Monika says
Thanks Corina. I've just made another batch of these.