When I was a kid, I imagined that I would be the kind of adult who ate cookies for breakfast.

…and I’m happy to say that I have, in fact, become that adult. 😁

Not to avenge the countless times that Little Nikki was not allowed to have cookies for breakfast (though that is a perk 😜) but because these Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cookies are as nutrient-packed, filling, and nourishing as they are fun to eat.

Adult Nikki likes that this meal-prep friendly breakfast is made with whole grains, wholesome almonds and flax seeds which provide omegas and protein, and naturally sweetened with dried fruit and pure maple syrup.

They’re sweet but not sugary, filling but not heavy. And the orange zest, tart cranberries, and chewy oats create the most delicious combination! You’re just going to have to try one to see what I mean!

This + a cup of coffee is exactly the way Little Nikki thought my future mornings would start and it’s every bit as wonderful as I imagined 😊

Makes 6 cookies

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp melted refined coconut oil
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• 2 tsp vanilla
• zest of half a large orange

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apple (chopped into small pieces)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients and mix well. Set aside so the flax can thicken a bit. About 5-10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, blend 1 cup of oats for 5-10 seconds in a blender until it forms flour. If you’re using a NutriBullet like me, this takes about 7 seconds.
4. Add the oat flour to a bowl and add the remaining cup of oats along with the baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and sea salt. Mix very well and add in the dried fruit and nuts.
5. Mix again and then combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Be careful not to overmix 🙂
6. Divide the dough evenly into 6 balls and place on a lined cookie sheet. Then press down to shape the cookies. I actually measured this to help make it easy and they should be around 3 – 3.5 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes. In my oven they need exactly 14 minutes but every oven is different so cook until they look good to you 🙂
8. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the tray for a few minutes to set. After about 5 minutes or so, serve them up with a cup of warm coffee or tea and enjoy!

To save the leftovers, let the cookies cool completely, then store in an airtight container for 3 days on the counter (up to 5 in the fridge)

Happy baking!