Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

©: Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 15 cookies

These oatmeal cookies are such a fun and easy breakfast treat! They have the sweetness level as muffins and the same chewy texture as regular “dessert-style” oatmeal cookies… Along with lots of cozy pumpkin flavor, warm spices, and chocolate chips! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator—if they last that long! (And they freeze really well, too!)

1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup (183g) pumpkin purée, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
¼ cup (60mL) unsweetened cashew milk, room temperature
2 ½ tbsp (35g) miniature chocolate chips, divided

Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut oil, pumpkin, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup and milk. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in 2 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips.
Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to the desired thickness and width using a spatula. 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: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them cakey instead of chewy.

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

Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened cashew milk.

EGG-FREE, DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Use the coconut oil option and vegan-friendly miniature chocolate chips (these are my favorite!). Alternatively, substitute stick-style vegan butter (this is my favorite!) for the unsalted butter.

GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free instant oats and the following gluten-free flour blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.

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

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

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2017/09/17/healthy-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-breakfast-cookies/