Cranberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

I suck at breakfast. I know it is the most important meal of the day, but I never want to eat in the morning. I work until midnight, so cooking a hot breakfast when I get up with a toddler sounds like too much work. And a cold bowl of cereal only appeals to me about once a month, which means I throw away boxes of cereal because they go stale before I eat them. Ugh

But I'm a mom and I need to set an example. A healthy breakfast is the best way to get your metabolism going, keep hunger at bay and have the energy to face the day. That's why today, Baby Bear and I tried something new and made Cranberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies.

These cookies are super easy to make, and contain some pretty healthy ingredients. Just mix together oatmeal, cranberries, applesauce, mashed banana, cinnamon and vanilla. It's really that simple. And with ingredients like that, you won't even mind if your kids have one or two for breakfast.

This recipe does not make a ton of cookies. It only makes a dozen to be exact. And that's not a bad thing. Making small batches keeps you from getting bored eating the same thing, and lets you try different fruits. Cranberries are great for November, but maybe you want to try dried cherries or apricots or even dried pineapple next time. The possibilities are only limited by you.

After 20 minutes, they come out of the oven golden brown and ready to eat. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and just pop them in the toaster oven for a warm breakfast tomorrow. I like them warm, but they are just as delicious cold.

I should have taken a pretty picture of all the cookies on a plate, but instead I took baby bear outside to play in the snow. It wasn't much and it's all melted by now, but she had a blast. She even put some in a container in the fridge to try and save for later. lol

Cranberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 c rolled oats
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 c unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside. 
2. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. 
3. Use a tablespoon to scoop out 12 cookies and drop them onto the cookie sheet. Use a fork or the back of the spoon to flatten the cookies into circular shapes. 
4. Bake in your prepared oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. The cookies will have a cakey texture, but should retain their shape. 
5. Remove your cookies from the cookie sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 
6. Store leftovers in a sealed bag in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	82
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	1%
Saturated Fat 0.2g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 16.6g	6%
Dietary Fiber 2.4g	9%
Total Sugars 4.8g
Protein 2g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 11mg	1%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 144mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

At 82 calories a cookie, having two for breakfast is not a big deal. They are a good source of fiber and a great source of potassium. Let me know if you make them and what dried fruits are your favorite to add. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Kristie