Breakfast Cookies!

What would your kids say if you told them they could have a cookie for breakfast?  I know when I was a kid, that would have been my choice : )  I'm not a typical breakfast person--a doughnut, a scone, or even a "Pop Tart" is my first choice to have in the morning.  That's why when I got an email from King Arthur Flour with this recipe, my interest was peaked and I thought, "what a great idea!"

These "cookies" are packed with protein and fiber, so as a mother, I would have gladly have made them for my girls.  Also, when paired with fruit and yogurt and you now have a well rounded meal to start the day...with a smile.  What's really fun about these cookies is that you can customize them with your (and your children's) taste.  Furthermore, you can make them gluten-free by substituting  the mere 1 1/4 cups of flour with a combination of a specialty flour blend (rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, brown rice flour, for example).

Breakfast Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cups King Arthur All-purpose flour
1/3 cup Hi Maize Natural Fiber 
1/3 cup dried milk, whole or non-fat
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
4 1/2 cups of Add Ins (dried fruit, old-fashioned oatmeal, granola, nuts, coconut, chocolate bits, etc.)

First, I want to give the changes I made in the "Basic" ingredients.  I also added:
2 T molasses
1/2 tsp. cardamon
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Raspberry Jammy Bits
2 T Malted powder

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

I also used chunky peanut butter and toasted 3/4 cup of walnuts (as one of my add-ins)

I also lowered the oven temperature to 325F-degrees (the original recipe calls for 350F-degrees) because I used a one-third scoop to measure my cookie dough.
In the KitchenAid, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar.  Add in the molasses and vanilla extract (and bean, if using) and blend well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between.  Add the milk and blend.  Sift the flour, Hi Maize Natural Fiber, dried milk, salt and spices.  Add to the dough and combine well.

The dough will resemble more a "cake" batter, but remember you're adding in 4 1/2 cups of additional ingredients, so don't be concerned.
Scoop out the dough onto parchment-lined sheets.

I pressed down slightly on the cookie dough.  Bake 15-18 minutes.  My cookies were done at 16 minutes.  Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.


Breakfast is definitely one of the important meals of the day and these healthy cookies will give you and your children a great start to the day, especially these wintry days.  Maddie and Ari, bundled up, would have loved these before going out into the cold.

I know my mother would have approved; this is a person who loved chocolate and cheese curls! Enjoy!