Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

I start work pretty early, so I don't have a lot of time in the morning to fix breakfast. I wanted something that was grab and go, not too unhealthy but that filled me up to carry me through the morning. I tried the overnight oats a couple of different times and was not a big fan, so I decided to go with a breakfast cookie - something with oats, peanut butter, banana, and some fruity and nutty mix-ins. I made these specifically for me not thinking anyone else in the house would be interested, but my hubby tried one and loved it so much that he now takes two every morning - one to eat on his way to work and one to eat in the afternoon to hold him over until dinner. These may not be the prettiest breakfast cookies in the world, but they sure taste delicious and they keep you full through the morning!

The great thing about breakfast cookies is that you can switch out mix-ins and make them a completely different flavor, but this is our absolute favorite mix for the morning. We love the saltiness of the pepitas, (little green pumpkin seeds), mixed with the sweetness of the craisins and golden raisins. However, you can switch out any kind of chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or other dried fruit that you like! As a note, I couldn't decide which kind of oats I liked better, so I settled on one cup of each, but you can definitely substitute one for the other if you don't have both on hand. This recipe makes 12 good size cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup quick cooking oats

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup applesauce

1 banana, mashed

1-1/2 cups of mix-ins, we love:

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup pepitas

Put all ingredients in your mixer bowl and mix until well combined. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop generous scoops of the mixture on to a silicone mat lined baking sheet. (These cookies don't spread so I can get all 12 of mine on one pan.) Use a glass or a flat turner to smash the cookie down just a little so they are flat, but still pretty thick. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-18 minutes or until they just start to turn golden brown around the bottom edges. Let cool and store in a air tight container or baggie at room temperature.

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