Breakfast is a dilemma for many of us. In the hectic morning hours there’s often not enough time to prepare a healthy meal, and even less time to sit down and properly enjoy it. We’re usually stuck with grabbing whatever is quick and convenient, regardless of its nutritional value, before rushing off to work or school. Sadly, this isn’t going to change for most people. The pace of life, especially here in the U.S., is fast and breakfast is the meal that suffers most. That’s why it’s so important to have a few healthy, on-the-go breakfast choices at the ready. For me the ideal breakfast has a decent amount of fiber (to keep me full), some protein, and not too much sugar. These Raspberry Almond Breakfast Cookies fit the bill and are perfect for busy mornings. They’re gluten free and vegan too.
The centers of these cookies have a soft baked texture similar to a muffin. I recommend baking them on silicone baking mats for easy removal. If you’re strictly vegan and/or gluten free make sure you use a brand of granola that is vegan and/or gluten free. I usually pick a plain flavor of granola for this recipe, or one that complements the raspberry and almond flavors in the cookies. In the past I’ve used flavors like Maple Crunch and Vanilla Almond with good results.
These delicious breakfast cookies are light yet filling. Two Raspberry Almond Breakfast Cookies contain 5 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein, and only 7 grams of sugar. Foods that have 5 grams of fiber or more per serving are considered an “excellent source” of fiber by the USDA. Yogurt, by comparison has 0 grams of fiber yet is considered a relatively healthy breakfast choice even though it usually contains lots of sugar. The traditional fruit on the bottom type yogurt contains around 24 grams of sugar per serving. Even the non fat plain flavors of yogurt, which in my opinion don’t taste very good, have at least 9 grams of sugar. When I eat only yogurt for breakfast I am starved by mid morning.
Bake up a batch of Raspberry Almond Breakfast Cookies and store them in your freezer. You can pull out a couple the night before to defrost or take them straight from the freezer and heat them up in your toaster oven for 5 minutes if you want cookies that are warm and a little crisp. Unlike cereal or yogurt this is a breakfast that travels well because there are no utensils required. So grab a couple on your way out the door and eat them in the car, on the bus, or on the train, for a hectic, yet healthy, start to your day!
- 2 ½ cups (250g/9 ounces) almond flour or finely ground almond meal
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup gluten free/vegan granola
- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two half sheet pans with silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl whisk together the almond flour/meal, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, granola, and ground flaxseed.
- In a smaller bowl whisk mix together the apple sauce, melted coconut oil, water, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until blended.
- Fold in the raspberries.
- Place twelve small mounds of batter on one of the baking sheets using a 1 ounce ice cream scoop. Repeat with the other baking sheet.
- Bake in bottom part of the oven for a total of 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 10 minutes (hallway through the baking time).
- Let the breakfast cookies cool for 20 minutes before removing them from the baking sheets.
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Mona these look so tasty! I love everything about these from the almond meal to the granola and raspberries!
Thanks Lauren!