The Best Easy Breakfast Cookies

These gluten-free breakfast cookies with a vegan option are a recipe I created quite awhile ago, so I had to pull it out of the vault. I had discovered two opened bags of organic dried mulberries which is pretty unusual for me--they are sometimes so expensive that usually I keep very good track of my precious mulberries.

Anyway, I wanted a pumpkin cookie, and it was breakfast time, but I also wanted to eat some mulberries.  Somehow the combination not only worked, it tasted amazing.  So here you are--a fast and easy cookie recipe with yummy and nutritious pumpkin, chia, and yes, mulberries.  If you don't have any though, any dried fruit such as raisins, currants, cranberries, blueberries or something similar would work fine.  Heck, if you want more of a dessert, omit the fruit and add in your favorite chocolate chips! This is also a great way to use up any leftover pumpkin from your Thanksgiving pies or Christmas party desserts.

The Best Easy Breakfast Cookies

yields 10

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted

3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 egg or egg replacement

3/4 cup gluten-free oat or regular flour

3/4 cup gluten-free oats

2 tablespoons ground chia seeds*

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

sprinkle sea salt (optional)

1/4 cup dried mulberries (or fruit of choice or chocolate chips)

*make your own oat flour and ground chia seeds with an inexpensive coffee grinder

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Mix all wet ingredients together, then stir in dry ingredients.  Add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of pumpkin if the batter looks too dry.

3.  Stir in mulberries or dried fruit on hand, or for a more dessert option, nondairy chocolate!

4.  Divide into 10 cookies and bake for 10-12 minutes or until set but look soft still.  For my oven, 11 minutes is perfect.  Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before pulling off the cookie tray.  Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge; will keep for a few days.

Enjoy! These gluten-free vegan (or non-vegan) breakfast cookies are a great way to start your day, or use them as snacks in your kids' lunchbox. Even picky toddlers love these snacks, so it's a total win for everyone.