Breakfast Cookies

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

Oatmeal is always a sure-fire way to fill up my babies in the morning, which means this nutritional grain is a favorite of mine.

The six and four year old never complain when a warm bowl of oatmeal is placed in front of them. I think it's because they know what follows.

Peanut butter and an array of their favorite toppings normally attend the oatmeal party.

The pb and brown sugar is spooned into their bowl. They stir. Then all the toppings are placed in front of them, buffet style: raisins, bananas, chocolate chips and sometimes sprinkles if I'm feeling generous. Sometimes if I'm feeling extra-fun I place them in cupcake tins. They go bonkers for it.

However there are weeks when putting together this somewhat simple meal seems too daunting.

It's not fast enough! It takes too much time! I have to get ALL these toppings out?

During these moments I’ve thought "I need an oatmeal cookie. One that contains all these pieces balled up together so I can just toss them to my kids and still know I've given them a hearty breakfast.

After multiple instances of wishing I had made oatmeal cookies and had a stash stored in the pantry and freezer I finally bit the bullet.

Okay. I'll bake.

Thankfully this didn't require a trip outside my house. I had everything in my kitchen...including the over-ripe bananas.

Out comes the stand mixer and all the measuring cups. The kids pull up their cooking stools and we go to baking town.

The kids add the over-ripe bananas and brown sugar. I add the freshly ground peanut butter from Market Street. The local Texas honey is squeezed out of the container in turns. And then I add the oatmeal.

Ugh.

Let me retract the earlier statement I did NOT have enough ingredients. There wasn't enough oatmeal which means 1) I could toss what we've mixed up or 2) just pop into the car and make a quick trip to the grocery store.

To Market Street we go.

The kids didn't mind because that meant they got a free cookie from the bakery and a piece of fruit from the kids’ club station in the produce department. They were happy.

I grabbed the oatmeal and decided that these cookies would be eaten up in jiffy so I probably should just pick up more items to make another batch of cookies. I threw in a gallon of organic milk for good measure because...cookies and milk.

This was the cherry on top for the little ones. More cookies meant they got to turn on the peanut butter contraption. Down the baking aisle we went and they each took turns turning on the grinder as it pumped out freshly ground unsalted peanut butter.

Once home the cookie batter was completed with the newly purchased oatmeal. Then the batter was scooped into perfectly sized balls using an ice cream scoop.

20 minutes later I had 30+ cookies filled with oatmeal, peanut butter, bananas and honey ready to help me with the morning scramble.

Breakfast Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Author note: These cookies are very basic. Raisins, nuts and chocolate chips would be great additions. Additional salt sprinkled on top of the cookies is a nice finishing touch. These cookies are freezer friendly.

Ingredients:

1/4 c unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c brown sugar

4 over-ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup honey

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups rolled oats

Directions:

1) Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar and bananas using a paddle attachment until the bananas are well mashed and all ingredients are well mixed.

3) Add the eggs, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda. Mix well.

4) Add the peanut butter and honey. Continue to mix.

5) Add the oats and mix until well incorporated.

6) With an ice cream scoop, scoop out the batter onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.

7) Bake for 22-25 minutes.