Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Yum

Generally, I don’t believe in the idea of eating dessert for breakfast (I’m a purist when it comes to the division of meals and sweets), but who doesn’t want to break the rules a little once in a while?

Pumpkin breakfast cookies allow you to have your cake and eat it too (I’d be lying if I said that pun was unintended) because they combine filling, healthy oatmeal with hazelnuts and pumpkin puree, plus they are sweetened with a little maple syrup and some white chocolate chips to make them just sweet enough without making them too sweet.

Why you should make Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

• They’re perfect for pumpkin lovers: These cookies are made with both pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Need I say more?
• They’re sweet but not too sweet: These cookies are sweetened with just 2 tablespoons of oatmeal and a handful of white chocolate chips.
• They’re simple, easy and quick to make: Mix everything in a bowl, form cookies on a baking sheet, and just bake for 15 minutes!
• They’re pretty healthy: Heart healthy oatmeal combined with unsweetened pumpkin puree makes for a filling combination and a balanced breakfast.

• They’re perfect for meal prep: One batch makes 12 cookies and they’re perfect to eat with morning tea or coffee.

Okay so what ingredients do I need to make Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies?

Not many! You only need:

• Quick Oats Oatmeal
• Water
• Hazelnuts (chopped)
• Pumpkin puree
• Pumpkin Pie spice
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla
• White chocolate chips

How do I make Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies?

I swear, it’s SO easy, it’s literally just 4 steps!

1. Prep ingredients: measure out oatmeal, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla, maple syrup, hazelnuts and white chocolate chips. Chop hazelnuts. Cook ¼ cup of oatmeal in water. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper (or cooking spray) and set aside. Set oven to 365 degrees.

2. Combine: In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix with a teaspoon spoon until fully combined.

3. Form Cookies: Use the teaspoon to scoop 12 roughly equal-sized balls and flatten them on the parchment-lined baking sheet to form a cookie shape.

4. Bake: Bake for 15 minutes until cookies have cooked completely. White chocolate chips should be melted and be starting to toast slightly on the tops.

Can I Use Regular Oatmeal In This Recipe?

You can use regular oatmeal in this recipe, but your cookies will come out less soft and much more mealy (because the oats will not cook as much as they do when using quick oats. With quick oats, the cookies come out much more soft.

If you would like your cookies to still be soft, but a bit more crunchy, you can use ¼ of a cup of pumpkin instead of ½ cup to reduce the moisture levels.

Can I Make These Vegan?

Yes! These can easily be made vegan if you omit the white chocolate chips, or swap them out for non-dairy white chocolate chips.

Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Mix Instead of Pumpkin Puree?

You can, but tyically, pumpkin pie mix tends to be pre-sweetened. So if you elect to use it, your cookies will have the sugar content of a regular cookie. If you’re okay with that, fine with me!