Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for Breakfast

I love breakfast.  That is to say, I love the foods my society has deemed appropriate for consuming first thing in the morning. I'm not, however, so thrilled about the time at which it actually occurs. 

It's not that I'm not a morning person - I just don't like getting dishes dirty right before I head out the door. I'm a huge fan of breakfasts which can be prepared ahead of time and divvied out in single-sized portions for the entire week. Quiche is a favorite.  Cookies are becoming a close second. 

The Original Monster Cookie

When I was in elementary school, each kid in class was allowed to bring treats and have a short party on their birthday.  We'd eat sweets and play games like "Heads Up 7-up" or, my favorite, eraser tag. My favorite treat to bring was monster cookies - they were delicious, beautiful AND bigger than my hand. 

As an adult, these cookies gained appeal because they do not contain flour. It's all oats. Its basically like eating my bowl of sugary sweet oatmeal without the bowl.  And that's when I decided to doctor this recipe into something portable and relatively healthy. 

This is a combination of some of my favorite breakfast items - especially molasses and peanut butter. As a bonus, it features many of the local ingredients in my kitchen like eggs, honey, apple sauce, dried fruits and nuts. The variations on this recipe are endless, but remember - it's a breakfast cookie, not a doughnut.

Mix together in the order below: 

• 1/2 stick butter (4T.)
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 c. molasses
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c. apple sauce or apple butter
• 1 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• EXTRAS: raisins, nuts, seeds, etc.

Drop large spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Place about 6 per sheet, using a cup to flatten each one. I make mine about 1/4 each, but they are pretty filling, so you may decide to make smaller ones depending on your appetite.

Bake about 15 minutes at 375 degrees F. Allow them to rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will harden up as they cool, but make sure they are cooked enough to hold their shape when you are trying to eat one in the car. 

These cookies are much darker than their monster cookie cousin pictured above. If you want to fancy them up a bit, push your fruits and nuts into the surface of the cookie immediately after you remove them from the oven. Just like with the M&M's, you can make sure each cookie has a nice aesthetic appeal. 

January 29, 2013, contributed by Rebecca

The monster cookie photo was taken from Google images, it is not my own.