These Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies are sweetened with just dates and perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack! You can make them ahead of time and their freezer friendly.
First of all, if you’re a regular around here, you may have noticed it looks a little bit different today! I’m so excited about my new website design and I hope you all love it too! It should be much easier to navigate now 🙂
Now, for these Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies. You all loved my Healthy Make Ahead Breakfast Cookies, and although they are refined sugar free, I got a lot of questions about using even less sugar or leaving it out completely.
So, I decided to come up with a naturally sweetened breakfast cookie recipe. The base recipe for these cookies is only sweetened with dates and un-sweetened applesauce. Now, they aren’t super sweet at all, so if you’re looking for a sweeter breakfast cookie, then these ones are for you.
But, if you’re looking for a healthier make ahead breakfast option that isn’t too sweet, then you will love these! And, as usual, I’m giving you 6 delicious flavors so you never get bored 🙂
A few things:
- If you are making then gluten free, make sure to use gluten free certified oats.
- If you aren’t familiar with almond meal, this is the kind that I use most often.
- One batch fits perfectly on a large baking sheet and I like to line mine with a non-stick baking mat and use a 1/4 cup scooper to scoop them out.
- You are more than welcome to substitute: regular milk for almond milk, an egg for the flax egg, and your choice of flour for the almond meal, it will however change the nutritional information.
- I would suggest storing these cookies in a large Tupperware rather than a plastic bag, they can get a little crumbly if tossed around.*
- Some mix in suggestions if you want an extra boost:
- 1-2 tablespoons Chia Seeds – high in omega-3, fiber, antioxidants and protein
- 1-2 tablespoons Hemp Hearts – high in omegas and protein
- Protein Powder – extra boost of protein
- 1-2 tablespoons Brewers Yeast – This can help boost lactation for nursing mothers
***CLICK HERE FOR ALL NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION***
To make date paste: Pour boiling water over 4 pitted dates. Let sit for 20 minutes. Blend dates, plus 4 tablespoons of soaking liquid in a blender until smooth.
LEMON POPPYSEED
Lemon Poppyseed – Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
A classic flavor combination with a kick from the lemon!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 3/4 cups almond meal
- 2 teaspoons poppyseeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup date paste, see recipe above*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. Try to leave about an inch in-between each cookie. Use your fingers or the scoop to gently press down the the top of the cookie to make it flat.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15-20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Make Ahead, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free
ZUCCHINI BREAD
Zucchini Bread – Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
A delicious breakfast cookie packed with shredded zucchini!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 3/4 cups almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup date paste, see recipe above*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 1 cup grated zucchini, squeezed out in a clean dishcloth. Measure after it’s been squeezed out.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. Try to leave about an inch in-between each cookie. Use your fingers or the scoop to gently press down the the top of the cookie to make it flat.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Make Ahead, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free
PINEAPPLE COCONUT
Pineapple Coconut – Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
These cookies have a delicious tropical flavor to them!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 3/4 cups almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup date paste, see recipe above*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup small diced fresh pineapple, if using canned make sure to squeeze a lot of the liquid out
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. Try to leave about an inch in-between each cookie. Use your fingers or the scoop to gently press down the the top of the cookie to make it flat.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Make Ahead, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free
PEANUT BUTTER BANANA
Peanut Butter Banana – Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
You can’t go wrong with a classic flavor like peanut butter and banana!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 3/4 cups almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup date paste, see recipe below*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 1 medium sized banana, mashed
- 1/3 cup peanut butter, I used one that was only made of peanuts, no sugar added
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. Try to leave about an inch in-between each cookie. Use your fingers or the scoop to gently press down the the top of the cookie to make it flat.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins`
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Make Ahead, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free
PUMPKIN ORANGE
Pumpkin Orange – Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
A delicious seasonally inspired breakfast cookies!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 3/4 cups almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup date paste, see recipe below*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 3/4 cups pure pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. Try to leave about an inch in-between each cookie. Use your fingers or the scoop to gently press down the the top of the cookie to make it flat.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Make Ahead, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free
APPLE CINNAMON
Apple Cinnamon – Healthy Naturally Sweetened Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
This cookie is packed with shredded apple and extra cinnamon!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 3/4 cups almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup date paste, see recipe below*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 1 cup grated apple, squeeze out all liquid in a clean dishcloth and measure after liquid is squeezed out. You can use whatever kind of apple you like.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet. Try to leave about an inch in-between each cookie. Use your fingers or the scoop to gently press down the the top of the cookie to make it flat.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Make Ahead, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free
You might also enjoy:
Healthy Make Ahead Breakfast Cookies – 6 Ways
Healthy Make Ahead Baked Oatmeal Cups – 6 Ways
*This post contains affiliate links, thank you so much for helping to support She Likes Food!
For people who are allergic to almonds — can the almond meal be replaced?
Yes, just use AP flour or gluten free flour. The only flour that I know for sure won’t work is coconut flour 🙂
Hi Izzy, I am glad I saw this. I was going to use coconut flour as it is the only kind I have other than regular flour. Can you elaborate on why coconut flour and unbleached flour will not work?
Hi Lori, unbleached flour will work great! Coconut flour doesn’t work because it doesn’t absorb liquid very well so it makes them very dry and crumbly 🙂
Hi Lizzy thank you for answering my question. I’m getting ready to make the pumpkin orange recipe and I wanted to know if I could use coconut milk instead of Almond milk?
Sure! I think that would work great 🙂
Hi Lizzy
I was just telling my daughter about your delicious breakfast cookies and she quoted an article that read coconut flour is extra absorbent ( not, not absorben)and you need 1/4 for every 1 cup in a recipe.
I’m basically clarifying for other readers.
I do love the breakfast cookies I have told so many people about them.
Hi Lori! That’s good to know! I haven’t experimented much with coconut flour myself, but maybe I need too. Thanks 🙂
Your new site design is SO gorgeous Izzy — I love it! It’s totally you. 🙂 And I need to make all of these cookies ASAP — they all look so good I don’t know where to start!
Thank so much, Marcie!! I love it so much! 🙂 The pineapple coconut are my favorites!
I LOVE your new site design, Izzy! It’s so pretty and welcoming. 🙂
These cookies look like a delicious start to any day. I love how thick they are and that you can customize them any way you like. Brilliant!
Thanks, Sarah!! I really love it too! Eli gobbles these cookies down 🙂
Loving the new site design Izzy! It looks fantastic!! And I am also loving these breakfast cookies! Breakfast cookies are a favorite of mine and these flavors all sound so good!!
Thanks so much, Ashley! I really love it too 🙂 They’re a favorite of mine too! So easy and so good!
Your new site is lovely Izzy! It made me smile when I landed here on these fabulous cookies! You’ve outdone yourself too! These x ways post are over the top!! That pumpkin orange is my favorite! 😀
Thanks, Traci!! I’m really loving the new design! The pumpkin orange are a favorite of mine too! And Eli gobbles them up as well 🙂
Do you think I could sub coconut sugar for the date paste (because it’s what I have in house)? Or I have organic cane sugar…
Definitely! I also have this breakfast cookie recipe that only calls for date paste and applesauce as sweeteners 🙂 https://www.shelikesfood.com/1/post/2017/08/healthy-naturally-sweetened-breakfast-cookies-6-ways.html
Hello Izzy, If I was to sub coconut sugar for date paste, how much coconut sugar should I use?
would use about 1/4 cup!
What can I use as a substitute for the date paste?
Hi Lisa, you could use more applesauce or a mashed banana 🙂
Hi,
The link for the date paste isn’t showing up for me… maybe because I’m on my cell? Would you mind posting it please?
These recipes look amazing! Im excited to try them. And I love how so many of the ingredients are the same in each recipe, makes it easier to try them all!!!
Thanks,
Talia
Hi Talia, the date paste recipe isn’t a link, I just list the recipe right before the first cookie recipe. I hope you can find it!
I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Hi! I’ve just been given some QUICK COOKING Bob’s Red Mill Organic Steel Cut Oats and would like to try them in this recipe… Do you think they might work? Thank you. Cant wait to try them!
Hi Mary! I think they maybe could work, but you might need to adjust a few other things in the recipe, like amount of milk. I haven’t tried them with steel cut oats myself so I can’t say for sure though, sorry about that!
How much protein powder should l add? Wouldn’t a scoop through off the flavor and texture?
Hi Lisa, I would just add a couple of tablespoons. This recipe is very forgiving so it should still work out with a little added protein powder 🙂
Great! Thank you!
Hi. These look amazing! I have couple of questions. Can I use a regular egg? And can I use regular milk?
Yes and yes! 🙂
I’m not a big fan of date paste. Is there any substitute, or will the cookies be fine if I just leave them out?
You could probably just leave it out and they would be fine!
can you leave out the apple sauce and datepaste? can i replace them with maple syrup or will that effect the taste too much?
they look delicious btw!
I think that would probably work!
I just made the pineapple coconut ones. Lovely! The pineapple taste is so subtle thought that my husband couldn’t even identify the flavor. I would put a little more pineapple in next time.
I thought 1/4 cup for the cookie size was giant, though! I guess they’re supposed to be if you eat them for breakfast. I was just making them for snacks, so I made them much smaller, more like regular cookies. I was able to get 25 cookies out of it.
Hi! just made these can’t wait for them to cool enough for me to taste! Thanks for the recipes, made lemon poppy natural and lemon blueberry regular
Wondering about the fridge storage, would these would be ok in an airtight jar on the counter for several days? id rather they not be cold with my morning coffee.
Thanks!
I think they would do well on the counter as long as it isn’t too hot in the kitchen 🙂
I made the zucchinis one this time. Also good! Definitely more of a breakfast item than a snack, as they’re not very sweet. I would have one maybe with some yogurt or fruit on the side. 🙂
It made 16 cookies for me at your 1/4 cup size. Thanks!
so glad you enjoyed them!
I would like to know the calorie count per breakfast cookie,
There is a link to all the nutritional information right before the first recipe