I’m partnering with Bob’s Red Mill® to bring you today’s recipe! I absolutely love their healthy, top-quality products (flours, oats, protein powder, and more!). They ensure my recipes turn out perfectly and taste delicious every time I make them!
During the winter quarter of my first year of graduate school, I ended up with one class that started at 8 am three days a week, plus a spectroscopy lab at 7:30 am on a fourth day. Around twenty other organic chemistry grad students suffered through the same schedule, and we regularly headed to the closest coffee shop on campus for a caffeine boost as soon as the professors let us out of lecture.
For those four days each week, I set my alarm for 5:30 am (or o’dark thirty, as one of my close friends calls it!) to squeeze in a yoga session, shower, and blow dry my hair. But as a result, I barely ended up with enough time to boil water for tea before dashing out the door… Let alone make a decent breakfast. Staying warm was a much higher priority that winter!
So instead, I usually grabbed a banana to tuck into my backpack. Although a healthier option than the Pop-Tarts and bite-sized powdered sugar donuts that my classmates brought, the banana never kept me full all the way until lunch.
But these Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies totally would’ve done the trick! They’re full of hearty oats and plenty of cozy cinnamon—but no refined flour or sugar—and perfect for quick grab-and-go breakfasts!
And I’m always a huge fan of wholesome breakfast foods that taste like dessert!
This easy recipe is the next installment in my oatmeal breakfast cookies recipe series. ← Have you tried any of those other ones yet? They have the sweetness level of muffins yet the same chewy texture as traditional “dessert-style” oatmeal cookies. An irresistible combination in my book!
These wholesome breakfast cookies begin with Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking oats (these!) and Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour (this kind!). I’m completely obsessed with Bob’s Red Mill products and keep dozens of them in my pantry! Everything from whole wheat flour and oats to coconut flour and protein powder to almond meal and oat flour. All of the Bob’s Red Mill products that I’ve tried have been truly dependable and top-quality—and that makes my baked treats taste even better!
Tip: Quick cooking oats are also called instant or one-minute oats, and they’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned oats. This means they soften a bit more while baking, which makes your cookies perfectly soft and chewy!
Tip 2: Use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free quick cooking oats (these!) and Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour (this one!) to make your breakfast cookies gluten-free!
It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out your dough and make your cookies cakey or crumbly, especially the oats. They act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture from your cookie dough!
You’ll sweeten your healthy breakfast cookies with pure maple syrup (like this!) instead of refined sugar. Make sure your maple syrup is the kind that comes directly from maple trees, not the fake pancake syrups! Because we’re only adding half the amount of sweetener compared to traditional “dessert-style” oatmeal cookies, you’ll also mix in some milk to compensate for the missing liquid and keep your cookies perfectly chewy.
Of course, we can’t forget the apples and spices that make these cookies taste like apple pie! I prefer red Fuji apples because they’re naturally sweet and have a great firm texture for baking. Plus they taste really comforting when paired with cozy cinnamon and nutmeg!
One final thing! These cookies do not spread while baking, so you must flatten the cookie dough before popping your tray in the oven. I just use a little spatula (like this!) to do so because the dough is usually too sticky to touch with my hands.
Quick, healthy, yummy… All of my breakfast problems are solved! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your breakfast cookies!
| Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies | | Print |
- 1 cup (100g) Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking oats (measured like this)
- ¾ cup (90g) Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup
- 5 tbsp (75mL) nonfat milk
- ¾ cup (94g) finely diced red apple
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil, egg white, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup and milk. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the apple. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to the desired thickness and width using a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Quick cooking oats are also known as instant or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.
For a gluten-free version, use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free quick cooking oats and Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
I use Fuji apples because they’re naturally sweet and have a great texture for baking. Make sure the apples are diced to be no larger than the size of mini chocolate chips to ensure they bake all the way through!
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all text, photographs, recipes, and opinions are my own.
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
Can applesauce be used instead of apples? How would i adjust liquids?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Barbara! I don’t really recommend that substitute. Applesauce’s flavor is much more muted compared to fresh apples, so you won’t actually taste any apple flavor if you only use applesauce. However, if you’d like to use fresh apples and applesauce, you can substitute 3 tablespoons (42g) of unsweetened applesauce in place of the egg white! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these breakfast cookies if you try making them!
Can I substitute with self rising flour?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Rheanna! I haven’t tried self-rising flour, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray. However, I’ve included lots of other options that I know will work in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions) and on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page! There’s a link to that FAQ Page in the Notes section of the recipe as well. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉
I’d love to hear what you think of these breakfast cookies if you end up making them!
Can I just use regular all purpose or almond flour?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Melissa! Yes, both will work — and I’ve actually answered this exact question on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page! There’s a link to that FAQ Page in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be really easy to miss though! 😉
I’d love to hear what you think of these breakfast cookies if you try making them!
Could these be made in rectangles instead of circles, like a oatmeal bar? Also, how long would these last? I have 4 kiddos and like making big batches of healthy snacks and meals on my hubby’s day off to make life a little easier when I’m riding solo! Lol
hey so I just realised ive been using this recipe for ages and never actually commented or reviewed it! so I just wanted to say thank you for sharing these are great! (especially for rainy mornings, like today, and picnics with my friends :))
Hi Amy, is there a reason to not use the whole egg?
Thanks
Kate
The moisture is in the yolk so don’t waste the yolk. You can use the whole egg. It won’t hurt it. I assumed it feels healthier. Like when people believe chicken thigh is less healthy than chicken breast
Hoping for something for school mornings, I tried these. They’re very cakey and don’t lend themselves to anything but very delicate packing. They’re also very healthy tasting, which was a miss with the kids, unfortunately.
What is the best way to freeze and defrost these? Is it better to freeze before or after cooking?
Delicious, thanks a lot Amy! I made a double batch and will be making double or triple batches of these again, for sure. Sharing tasty healthy baking treats means you can share them more easily (I always see baking as spreading love hehe) and people can accept it without feeling guilty about sweet treats 🙂
Can I just use this opportunity to thank you for the clarity of your recipes, for the precise measurements (I use scales whenever possible so metric measurements really help), about HOW to measure, and you anticipate all the common questions like “what can I sub XYZ with if I can’t find it” at the bottom of the recipes, with the necessary adjustments.
This all takes a tremendous amount of time and work and I appreciate you going that extra mile, I find it really helps. And of course, your recipes work a treat! pun not intended 😀
Love from the UK xx
You are so incredibly sweet, Olga!! Your comment made my entire week! ♡ I’m truly honored by your kind words about my recipes, and it means the world to me that you’d take the time to let me know. You’re such a gem! 🙂
I love your perspective about baking and spreading love too! I often say I “talk” through my baking. Often, it’s how I say thank you, thinking of you, congratulations, happy birthday, I’m here for you… And, like you said, all of those are basically their own form of sharing love. Cookies are one of the best love languages there is, don’t you think? 😉
Thank you again for your lovely comment, Olga! Sending you a great big virtual hug!