Healthy Chocolate Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

 
A little over a year after I finished my chemistry degree, my dad and I planned another one of our baseball vacations. On that particular trip, we arranged to visit three stadiums on the east coast: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, followed by Camden Yards in Baltimore, and finishing at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.  

As usual, we also set aside a few days for sightseeing, so we flew to Philadelphia a full day ahead of our first ballgame to get a taste of the city (starting with classic cheesesteaks, of course!) and soak in some of the historical sights (the Liberty Bell Center and bell itself were huge highlights!). We also tacked on a couple of extra days in the Nation’s Capitol to wander around the National Mall, walk past the White House and Lincoln Monument, and spend a full afternoon at the Air and Space Museum.

As we sat at our gate in the California airport on the morning of our trip, we brainstormed how to fit everything into those five days, and I grew more excited with each passing minute while waiting for our flight. The only downside?
 

 
There were very few flights to Philadelphia from our usual airport… So we booked the only one that would arrive before midnight local time, which meant waking up at the crack of dawn back on the west coast because of the time difference and layovers!

As a result, my dad and I both stopped by the coffee shop a few yards away from our gate to grab a little extra caffeine as soon as we passed through the security checkpoint at the airport. While I opted for a simple latte to pair with the soft and chewy granola bar I had brought for breakfast, my dad ordered a large black coffee and…

A chocolate muffin. A really big, supremely moist, extremely chocolaty muffin with lots of large chocolate chunks pressed into the top and studded throughout the inside too.
 

 
Knowing how much of a chocoholic I am, Dad generously offered to split his breakfast treat with me. Smiling, I accepted a bite, and as I swallowed, my eyes lit up. That chocolate muffin tasted so good…

…but more like a really sweet cupcake than a breakfast item. To prevent a sugar crash while somewhere over the Midwest, I stopped after that first bite and returned to my chewy oatmeal breakfast bar as I sipped my latte and waited for our plane to arrive.

With the start of the Major League Baseball season right around the corner, Dad and I recently talked about what baseball trips we could potentially plan this year… Which reminded me of that really fun east coast vacation and our early morning airport breakfast!
 

 
And now, far too many years later, I combined the two of our breakfasts into one recipe: these healthy chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies! They’re soft and chewy, exactly the way I love my regular cookies (and my oatmeal-based granola bars!), and they have the same extra rich and chocolaty flavor of Dad’s muffin.

Yet unlike our airport choices on that particular morning, these healthy breakfast cookies are flourless, eggless, dairy-free, and have no refined sugar. They’re also easy to make!
 

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOCOLATE OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

Let’s go over what you’ll need to make these healthy flourless double chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies! They remind me of eating brownies for breakfast, which is definitely a good thing in my {chocoholic} book! 😉

You’ll start with instant oats. They’re also called “quick-cooking” and “one-minute” oats. Contrary to what some people think, they’re not the ones that come in those individual brown paper packets with flavors like “apple cinnamon” and “maple brown sugar!”

Instant oats have the same exact health benefits as traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. The only difference? They’re smaller and thinner! This means they soften faster, which gives your healthy chocolate breakfast cookies the best soft and chewy texture.
 

 
Next, you’ll need regular unsweetened cocoa powder, like this! I don’t recommend using Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. These other two have a different acidity level than regular unsweetened cocoa powder, which can affect the taste and texture of your cookies. (You’re also using a full ½ cup of cocoa powder, so your healthy chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies already taste really rich and decadent!)

Hint: The cocoa powder actually replaces the flour, so if you use gluten-free instant oats, then these healthy chocolate breakfast cookies are gluten-free!

Then comes a bit of coconut oil or dairy-free butter (I love this one and this one!). Just 1 tablespoon! That small amount really helps keep your healthy chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies low calorie and low fat… Yet they’re still perfectly soft and chewy!
 

 
Instead of eggs, you’ll use unsweetened applesauce. I tried that applesauce-for-eggs substitution in this brownie recipe, and it worked so well that I decided to try it with these breakfast cookies too. The result? Absolutely perfect! Nobody could tell that these healthy chocolate breakfast cookies were egg-free!

Tip: I love keeping these single-serving applesauce cups around. They’re so handy for baking recipes where you just need a small amount, like these healthy chocolate breakfast cookies. One container holds just a little more than you need for this recipe!

Bonus: By using coconut oil and unsweetened applesauce, your healthy flourless chocolate breakfast cookies are eggless, dairy-free, and vegan! (Plus gluten-free, if you use gluten-free oats!)
 

 
Since these are breakfast cookies, rather than traditional dessert cookies, you’ll only use half as much sweetener as compared to my dessert oatmeal cookie recipes. That gives these healthy double chocolate breakfast cookies the sweetness level of muffins, rather than true cookies. (Or cupcakes, like that particular airport muffin!).

And that sweetener? Pure maple syrup! It’s the kind that comes directly from maple trees. The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
 

 
Then to compensate for the “missing” other half of the sweetener, you’ll stir in some milk. Any kind of milk will work! Unsweetened vanilla almond milk is my family’s favorite dairy-free milk, so I know they’ll always have some on hand. (Unsweetened cashew milk is my other favorite non-dairy milk!)

Finally, it’s impossible to make healthy flourless double chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies without a second chocolate component… So you’ll fold in a generous sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips into your cookie dough! These are my favorite vegan mini chocolate chips. They taste so rich and turn gooey and melty in the oven!
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOCOLATE OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients, let’s cover how to make the best healthy chocolate breakfast cookies! This recipe is easy (I promise!), and I also have some tips to make sure your breakfast cookies turn out deliciously chewy and perfectly chocolaty.

First… It’s extremely important to measure the ingredients correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) This is particularly true of the oats and cocoa powder! Too much cocoa powder will make your cookies taste bitter, rather than rich and chocolaty. Too much of either will also dry out the cookie dough and make your cookies taste cakey or dry, instead of soft and chewy. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture!

So pretty pretty please… Take the few extra moments to properly measure! (And if you use a kitchen scale like I do, then you’ll have fewer measuring cups to wash!)

Next, you’ll chill your cookie dough! It’s rather moist and liquidy when you first mix all of the ingredients together, but chilling helps stiffen the cookie dough. A mere 30 minutes is all it needs!
 

 
Almost time to bake! Because the cookie dough will still be somewhat sticky after chilling (just not as wet and liquidy as before!), use a spoon and a spatula to drop it onto your baking sheet, and flatten each one to be about ¼” to ½” thick. These healthy chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies do not spread at all while baking, so they’ll look exactly the same before and after baking… Just no longer raw! 😉

And because someone always asks… No, I don’t use a cookie scoop or any special tools to shape my cookies! I just use this mini spatula to flatten the cookie dough and smooth out the edges to make them look as round as possible.

It’s time! Slide your baking sheet into the oven, but set a timer and don’t stray too far. These cookies bake relatively quickly! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still look and feel a little soft and underdone. This is my #1 trick for really soft and chewy cookies! The residual heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook those centers all the way through (without drying out the edges!) while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
 

 
How tempting do these look as a healthy breakfast?? 😉 And when you make your own, would you mind leaving a comment and rating the recipe? (You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Facebook!) I’d love to hear what you think of these healthy chocolate oatmeal breakfast cookies!

Healthy Chocolate Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 15 breakfast cookies

These are some of my all-time favorite breakfast cookies! They’re really rich and chocolaty, and they basically have the same texture as fudgy brownies. They’re also really easy to make! Leftover cookies will keep for around one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they freeze really well too!

4.84 from 24 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (115g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
• ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil or vegan butter, melted and cooled slightly (see Notes!)
• 6 tbsp (92g) unsweetened applesauce (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
• ¼ cup (60mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk (room temperature)
• 3 tbsp (42g) miniature chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

• Whisk together the oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut oil or butter, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup and milk. Add in the oat mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in 2 ½ tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips. 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.
• Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet using a spoon and spatula, and flatten to ¼” to ½” thick using a spatula. (These cookies don’t spread, so they’ll look exactly the same before and after baking!) Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and cocoa powder correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out the cookies and make them cakey, bready, or dry, instead of soft and chewy. Too much cocoa powder will also make your cookies taste bitter.

 

IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These breakfast cookies aren’t overly sweet — and that’s intentional! They have a sweetness level similar to muffins or breakfast scones.

 

For sweeter cookies, substitute pure maple syrup, honey, or agave for an equal amount of milk. (For example, add 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons to compensate.) Alternatively, substitute 2 tablespoons (15g) of regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour, or your preferred gluten-free flour blend (like this one!) AND reduce the cocoa powder to 6 tablespoons (30g) to compensate for the added flour.

 

IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These cookies don’t spread. They’ll look the same before and after baking (just no longer raw!).

 

Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.

 

OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as “quick cooking” or “one-minute” oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.

 

In a pinch, to make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.

 

COCOA POWER NOTES: I do not recommend using Dutched cocoa powder or special dark cocoa powder because they have a different acidity level, which affects the taste and texture. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder (like this) has a much better flavor and texture in this recipe!

 

COCONUT OIL ALTERNATIVE: Regular unsalted butter will also work. Do not substitute “light” butter or tub-style butter.

 

APPLESAUCE ALTERNATIVES: Sweetened applesauce may be substituted for the unsweetened applesauce. Mashed banana may also be substituted for the unsweetened applesauce, but you'll be able to detect a subtle banana flavor.

 

SWEETENER NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. I do not recommend substituting sugar-free maple syrup. Because it’s often water-based, it makes the cookies cakey or bready.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

 

GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: Use certified gluten-free instant oats.

 

EGG-FREE, DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Use coconut oil or non-dairy butter (I like this one and this one) and vegan-friendly mini chocolate chips (these are my favorite). For the best results, use stick-style non-dairy butter; do not use whipped or tub-style.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they’ll keep for a couple of days. If refrigerated, they’ll last closer to a week (if not longer!). Once baked and fully cooled, these oatmeal cookies also freeze really well!

 

For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookies FAQ Page.

 

{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡  Healthy Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡  Healthy Triple Chocolate Scones
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Muffins
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Waffles
♡  Healthy Chocolate Granola
♡  Healthy Chocolate Oatmeal Cake
♡  Healthy Practically Flourless Chocolate Brownies
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy breakfast cookie recipes!