Kids and adults alike will devour these healthy, protein-packed pumpkin oatmeal breakfast cookies – ideal for busy mornings on-the-go!
When I first started dating my husband, he had recently graduated from college and was just starting his IT career in the Boston suburbs. He was still living in his parents’ basement and his repertoire of cooking was limited to microwaving instant oatmeal packets and reheating cans of soup. Since his job involved a lot of travel, he basically lived out of his tan Toyota Corolla.
At the time, I was car-less and living in downtown Boston finishing up my hospitality degree at BU. Here we are in February 2002 in Cancun with a group of 14 friends. We were fat, happy and in love.
The fact that I had a boyfriend with an automobile who could drive me to magical places like the grocery store, Costco and Target in the dead of winter was about the sexiest thing alive. Not so sexy? The hundreds of chewy oatmeal raisin breakfast cookie wrappers I had to dig through to get to my seat.
Fast forward 13 years and he still reminisces of his days fueled by breakfast cookies but if you’ve ever looked at the wrapper of one of these babies, there is not much more than sugar, white flour, and salt in the ingredients list. Delicious? Yes. A good source of lasting energy? Negative.
Liz to the rescue. In honor of fall and my mission to eat allofthepumpkin, I decided to create a pumpkin-packed version of my husband’s favorite oatmeal breakfast cookie.
Packed with walnuts, chia, flax seeds and sweetened with pure maple syrup, these babies are fall perfection in every bite. Make up a big batch on a Sunday and grab them throughout the week for a quick breakfast on-the-go or a post-gym snack attack.
No forks required.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Substitute with flour
Keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups oats gluten free or old fashioned
- ½ cup flax seed meal
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup pure pumpkin
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (oats through salt) and set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla) and slowly stir into the dry ingredients.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is evenly incorporated then stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Drop by tablespoons or a large cookie scoop two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes then let cool completely on a cooling rack before serving.
Chef’s Notes
Can I substitute the flaxseed meal? I don’t have any in my pantry.
Yes! Substitute with flourHow long do these cookies keep for?
Keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Find all of my favorite healthy breakfast recipes on my Pinterest page!
Annie
Hi! Same thing happened to me Re wetness of the batter. The flavors are great! But would definitely add a 20 mins “mingling” period before baking.
Liz DellaCroce
They are admittedly a bit more moist of a cookie almost like a muffin :)
Jenny
Mine came out super wet too! Like the consistency of cake batter. There is no way I can scoop these as cookies. I followed the recipe exactly. Any tips?
Liz DellaCroce
Hmmm did you make any changes? I made these recently and didnt have that issue?
Jenny
I did not make any changes. I did end up letting the batter sit in my fridge for a few hours so that the chia seeds, oats and flax could absorb all the liquid. They did (like overnight oats) and I was able to scoop and bake them. They are more like baked oatmeal than a “cookie” but still very good
Liz DellaCroce
That’s fair. :) I hope they were still tasty jenny.
Shena
These are great as breakfast cookies! Not too sweet – perfect for breakfast. I used psyllium eggs instead of eggs, and I omitted chia and flax and replaced with arrowroot flour and cassava flour. I did have to add extra flour because they were so wet, but they still came out very moist. Thanks!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Laura
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m having to eat low FODMAP but also trying to up the fiber in my diet and this recipe is perfect for breakfast!!! I subbed in pecans for walnuts since walnuts interfere with one of my medicines. I also added in coconut!! I’m so grateful for this recipe and can’t wait to try different variations in the future.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh perfect!! Enjoy!
Elaina
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ve been looking for a moist, healthy high fiber, high protein snack and used this as a base. Loved that your recipe had chia, flax, walnuts with only a little sugar.
I made the following additions: 1/2c hemp protein, 1/2c unsweetened flaked coconut, 1/4c chocolate chips. To compensate for the added fiber and protein, I increased pumpkin to 1c and added one flax egg. Baked at 350 for 15 minutes, cooled on pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Made 16 cookies using large ice cream scoop. They don’t spread out much, so I flattened slightly with a fork.
Got high marks from picky hubby! I’ll definitely be making these again!
Liz DellaCroce
So glad you enjoyed these!
Corry Oosterhouse
Thanks, Liz!!! Finally a breakfast cookie that isn’t loaded with sugar!! And only 4 WW smart points each!! Yeaahh!!! I’m definitely making these!💗
Liz DellaCroce
YES!! I hope you love it!
Jill Fisher
Made double batch of these flavor packed cookies just now and my 4, 5, and 9 yr old were in love immediately! I quickly put them away after I lost count after 4 per kid! My 5 yr old leaned back in his chair with this YUM! look on his face as he said, “I could eat these at the beach!!”
Because I was short on ingredients, I substituted whole wheat flour, 50% pure maple syrup and 50% pure honey, 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce in place of coconut oil, and 75% walnuts and 25% pecans. Thanks for making our day!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so happy you enjoyed them!!!! haha I want to go to the beach!
Nancy
Can you substitute almond milk?
Liz DellaCroce
Yes you can!
Alyssa
My family really liked these! We were surprised that the pumpkin flavor didn’t really come through, but it did keep the cookies super moist. I didn’t have enough maple on hand so subbed brown sugar and I added some dried cranberries. Next time I might throw in some diced apple, too.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Melissa Reimers
I made the recipe as written with the addition of 1tsp of powdered ginger. As others have written, the batter is very “loose”. I needed to bake at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes for them to lose their surface shine. Dropping by tablespoons made WAY more than 12 cookies… which I really didn’t mind because then I can have two with no guilt! I only used one baking sheet and subsequent batches were more firm. Another reviewer mentioned putting the batter in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before baking – that seems like a great suggestion.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m glad you enjoyed these!!! Great idea to refrigerate dough too!
Liz C.
Just made a batch and my 3 year old is loving them! I used whole wheat flour instead of flax seed meal, and i didn’t have any nutmeg. The batter seemed a little wet, so I eyeballed a little more oats. These are delicious! Very excited to have an on the go breakfast option.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so glad!!
Jeanine
These are awesome! Had to make some adjustments just because of what I had at home: swapped coconut flour for flax seed, mini choc chips for walnuts (for kids), and honey for maple syrup. Baked at 375 for 15 instead of 10……they’re perfect!
Liz DellaCroce
Sounds perfect!! Enjoy Jeanine!
Natasha
These look yummy – is there anything I can sub for the flaxseed?
Liz DellaCroce
Flour works!
Karen
These look amazing! Can’t wait to try them. Although in the UK, unless it’s a raw pumpkin, the only other pumpkin I can find is canned pumpkin from an American store, I know it says pure pumpkin in the recipe but British people don’t seem to eat a lot of pumpkin so want to make sure I use the right thing! Thanks!
Liz DellaCroce
Yes canned pumpkin = pure pumpkin so just use any sort of cooked pumpkin. :)
Jessica
Made them.. And they are impossible to cook through. Wet and squishy, bland, and an expensive recipe at that. I made a double batch and can’t figure out how to make it better.. Absolutely would not make again.
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Jessica, I am so sorry these didn’t turn out for you! We have made them several times in recent weeks and they are always a huge hit with my boys so I’d love to help brainstorm where things went wrong for you!! Did you make any substitutions or swaps from the original recipe at all? That is often the culprit so I have to ask before we continue brainstorming! Again Im so sorry!
Megan
Are these supposed to be a bit squishy in the middle?
Liz DellaCroce
Yes a little bit!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
Was looking for a healthy pumpkin/oat combo for my son’s breakfasts and came across this beauty on pinterest. Thank you!!!
KnMJ
I REALLY wanted to love these… enough so that I ate several to be sure, but they are just not very good. :-( We certainly don’t like our food to be overly sweet, & like the natural sweeteners best, but despite having used the recommended amount of maple syrup (Organic from Trader Joes), they are so *not* sweet they just don’t taste appealing at all. I assumed I forgot some key ingredient, but on double checking the recipe, I don’t see the solution. Now to be fair, I DID add 2 TB Brewer’s yeast to make these a lactation cookie, but for all other recipes I’ve done so with, this worked as a fine addition to the intended recipe. Perhaps the addition of chocolate chips as a pp wrote would do the trick, but I was trying to be “good” & make a breakfast version I could eat guilt free. Also, I was trying to give these a 2 star, but can’t uncheck the 5 star for some reason?!??
Liz DellaCroce
Hi There! First of all, I’m so sorry these cookies didn’t live up to your expectations! Of course, everyone has a different “sweetness” threshold so I completely understand they were not sweet enough for your taste. We make these cookies all the time and all of my friends and family love them. I also have readers writing to me about these all the time so I’m bummed they weren’t a hit for you! That said, any time you make a modification to a recipe (such as adding two tablespoons of Brewer’s Yeast), you have to expect that the cookie result will not be the same as the original recipe. Brewer’s yeast is a strong flavor with no added sweetness so it doesn’t surprise me that it threw off the end taste. Regardless, I am sorry that you didn’t enjoy these and certainly understand if you prefer a sweeter cookie!
As for the rating, I’m not sure why it won’t let you change it from 5 star? It’s a plugin that I use and not one that I can control but I will try and see if there’s a glitch with it. I promise it’s not something I’ve done – hahaha!! :)
Rose @ Healthyfoodforhecticlives
I have made this recipe once before and enjoyed it. I made it a second time today and decided to add two overripe bananas I had on hand. Good addition!
Liz DellaCroce
What a great idea!!
Cindy
Just made these today and am wondering if they need to be refrigerated – there’s just me to eat them so they will probably last a week or more.
Thanks, Cindy
Liz DellaCroce
I would, yes :) Enjoy!
Mel WOW of Povert
It was good. My son liked them. I’d use less clove next time. Also, I only had one egg. And I subbed corn syrup over the maple because mine had mold on it. Oh, and I used soy milk and I was out of chia so put in hemp powder. Nice texture. We will try this again.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you were able to make it work!
gretchen | kumquat
this is definitely the way to start a fall day! you can’t go wrong eating “cookies” for breakfast.
Monique @ Ambitious Kitchen
Have I told you how awesome you are? ;) I love these pumpkin oatmeal cookies. Looks like a healthy treat to me… except for knowing me, I’d probably sneak in a few chocolate chips. xo
Liz DellaCroce
I miss your face!!! xoxo
Ellen Parlee
Healthy cookies? Sounds good to me! Now’s the perfect time to try the recipe, pumpkin flavored anything is just that much better in the fall.
Liz DellaCroce
Let me know if you try these Ellen!
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen
You had me at cookies for breakfast! This is definitely an upgrade from the packaged ones – lucky man!
Liz DellaCroce
So excited to meet you this week Sarah!!
Sommer @greenmom
These look so delicious. I love anything with pumpkin. I bet my kids would eat these right up! Thanks for sharing!!
Liz DellaCroce
You must make these Sommer!! So good and easy!
Katie Carl
Hi Liz!! It’s your fan from Ohio!! Made these last night because 1. #pumpkineverything, 2. I was looking for something similar to a Lara bar (LOVE Lara bars, don’t love the price!!). I was too tired to scoop cookies, so I made them in a 9×9 bar pan and they turned out wonderfully!!! Thank you for another good recipe for my snack arsenal!!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh what a great idea to put them in a pan!!! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Joanne
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the.boy eat a breakfast cookie, but I don’t doubt that he’d down a batch of these in no time. I’m sure I would also! Pumpkin FTW!
Gaby
What a great breakfast option!
Laura Dembowski
I love a good breakfast cookie! Healthy and delicious!
Liz DellaCroce
Me too friend!! Thank you!
Chelsey
These look so delicious!!! Officially added to my to-make list! Have a great weekend, Liz!
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much Chelsey!
Nutmeg Nanny
Cookies for breakfast are the best!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
I want these right now! So yummy!
bell
I am vegan and gluten free and cannot eat oats (even Gluten free oats)
Do you have a suggestion as to how to substitute oats in this recipe and your granola bar recipes, please?
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Bell, I’m not sure what else to recommend – oats are my go-to gluten free option. So sorry I’m not of much help but I just can’t recommend anything I haven’t tested in my own kitchen. So sorry!
Char
Hi Liz, you know that oats aren’t gluten free right? You have to buy special (and expensive!) de-glutenised oats. Not an issue if your not allergic to gluten but for celiacs this is misleading. They look very tastey though!
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Char – Yes that’s correct. I will make a note in case others don’t realize that though!! Great point.
Michelle @ Healthy Recipe Ecstasy
I’m so excited about these cookies – they look scrumptious and healthy! P.S. I adore going to Costco and Target. :)
Liz DellaCroce
You and me both!! Why is it so magical?
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
Love the idea of pumpkin cookies for breakfast – so healthy and full of goodness!
Liz DellaCroce
Thanks Jeanette!
Amanda
I love this recipe! So fun!
Liz@Virtually Homemade
These look crazy healthy and delicious! I love that they are gluten free
Bubble Girl
These look divine! I can’t wait to whip up a batch this weekend!
Liz DellaCroce
I hope you love them!
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)
I love a good throwback picture!!! :) These breakfast cookies sound wonderful, love how you packed them with so many healthy ingredients. Gotta make these!
Liz DellaCroce
hahaha it’s a throw back alright!! :)
sandy @ Reluctant Entertainer
Looks delish, Liz. I could eat several of these cookies right now! :)
Erin | The Law Student's Wife
I love seeing this old picture! You are clearly a superhero, and breakfast cookies are your secret weapon.
Liz DellaCroce
I don’t think Rich had seen the photo yet…can’t tell if he will laugh or kill me. ;) So great seeing you this week!!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
Aw you two have come a long way! And that picture from your trip is adorable:-)
I should really make a batch of these and freeze them, they would be the perfect post-baby breakfast or snack!
Liz DellaCroce
Adorable or ridiculous? I’m not sure ;)