I’m a big fan of oatmeal, but I don’t always have time to sit down for a bowl of oatmeal before I go for a run or workout. Enter Chocolate Almond Butter Breakfast Cookies! This is one of the most popular recipes from my book Planted performance.
They’re made with the ingredients I’d normally put in a bowl of oatmeal (and chocolate chips), all baked into a portable cookie.
I grab one or two before heading out the door and they give me a little boost to get through my workout.
Because these cookies are the perfect pre-workout snack
Eating something before a workout is important because food provides the energy for exercise. The body relies on two forms of carbohydrates for energy—the type that comes from our food and another type that is stored in our muscles and liver (called glycogen).
Your stomach is empty in the morning, so you have no dietary carbohydrates floating around in your bloodstream, and your glycogen levels are likely low. Without these energy sources, you will feel sluggish during a workout. Even a bite of banana or an almond butter cookie will help you feel more energized during a workout.
Oats are a great source of carbohydrates that take a little longer to digest, so they’ll stay with you and provide long-lasting energy. A little pre-workout protein, like that found in flaxseed or almond butter, helps prevent excessive muscle breakdown.
Components
To make these plant-based breakfast cookies, you’ll need a few ingredients:
- A Flax Egg: To make a flax “egg”, combine one tablespoon of flax meal with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes until it thickens
- Rolled Oats: There are many different types of oats on the market, but rolled oats are the best for this recipe
- Almond Butter: While it’s a bit more expensive than other nut butters, it has a rich flavor that works really well in these cookies
- Maple Syrup: This is one of my favorite sweeteners because of its flavor profile
- Cinnamon
- Dark Chocolate Chips: If you’re vegan, check the ingredients to make sure you find one that doesn’t contain milk.
How to Make Almond Breakfast Cookies
These cookies are incredibly easy to make. Put all the ingredients together in a bowl and stick them in the oven. Here are the steps.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Make the flax “egg”. Combine the flax meal with the warm water and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. It will become thick.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and flax meal mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and mix again.
- Press into 2″ x 2″ cookies and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and let them cool.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Eat them cold or microwave them for 10-15 seconds before eating.
Exchanges & Replacements
These cookies are just a few accessible ingredients, but there are still some substitutions you can make. Here are some of my suggestions:
- Use any other type of nut butter instead of almond butter
- Add dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries to the batter
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut
- Experiment with different spices, like cardamom spice or pumpkin pie
- Swap dark chocolate chips for white chocolate chips (note: these are usually not vegan)
If you make these cookies once, they will be a repeat recipe in your household. Enjoy!
Almond Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
A delicious vegan healthy cookie made with oats and almond butter
-
1
Tablespoon
linen house -
3
tablespoons
hot water -
1 1/2
cups
oat flakes -
1/3
cup
Almond butter -
1/4
cup
maple syrup -
1
teaspoon
cinnamon -
1/4
cup
dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine the flaxseed and warm water in a small bowl and stir. Set aside for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and flax meal mixture. Mix until well combined.
Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and mix again.
Press into 2” x 2” cookies and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
Nutrition facts
Almond Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
Amount per serving (2 cookies)
Calories 246
Calories from fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12 gr18%
Saturated fat 3 g19%
Polyunsaturated fat 3 g
Monounsaturated fat 5 g
Cholesterol 0.1 mg0%
Sodium 12 mg1%
Potassium 266 mg8%
Carbohydrates 30 gr10%
Vegetable fibers 4 g17%
Sugar 11 g12%
Protein 6 gr12%
Vitamin A 2 IU0%
Vitamin C 0.1 mg0%
Calcium 102 mg10%
Iron 2 mg11%
* Percent daily values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
