Coconut, oat, & chia breakfast cookies

A morning treat for your sweet tooth

Saying no to baked treats is hard, so my philosophy of "everything in moderation" goes right out the window whenever I have a surplus of cookies in the kitchen. In an attempt to have my cake and eat it too, I've been making banana oat cookies — a healthy treat that, if you think of it as more of a granola bar, is actually super satisfying. 

Well my dear friend Rachel has her own version of the healthy breakfast cookie, courtesy of Eating Bird Food. While eating bird food sounds like a sad life choice, I decided to give these breakfast cookies a whirl. Just like my favorite banana oat cookies, these coconut-oat treats are just what your sweet tooth ordered for mid-morning snack time. I doctored up the recipe a tad (why not add some vanilla and slivered almonds if you have them on hand, plus some salt for flavor?). I also unfortunately had to sub sweetened coconut for unsweetened (couldn't find unsweetened at the store). 

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COCONUT OAT BREAKFAST COOKIES

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 and 1/2 TBS chia seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped dates 
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1 TBS almond butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together chia seeds and almond milk. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes (a gel-like consistency will form).

2. To the chia seed mixture, add the mashed bananas, almond butter, vanilla, oats, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until combined. Fold in chopped dates, chocolate chips, and almonds (if using). 

3. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Scoop heaping tablespoon-sized amounts of dough on the foil. Use the back of a spoon or fork to press the dough down into more of a cookie shape. Sprinkle each cookie with cinnamon, and top with extra coconut and chocolate chips if desired. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

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These won't be replacing your indulgent desserts, but they're not supposed to. I made a batch last weekend and have been bringing them to work each day to satisfy my mid-morning snack cravings. I should also note that you could sub in peanut butter for almond butter and raisins or dried cranberries for the chopped dates. When it comes to these breakfast-y cookies, make it work with what you've got!