Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast? Why not? A few years ago one of my biking partners brought some hearty cookies for us to eat at the start of an early-morning, forty-mile ride. She called them breakfast cookies. I liked the idea. I’ve created my own version loaded with oats, nuts, flax, chia seeds, and dried cranberries. These soft, chewy disks of goodness will get you going when you’re on the go—by foot or by pedal. You’ll need to plan ahead when you decide to make these cookies, though: the dough needs to be refrigerated overnight before baking.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup honey
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour (see tip)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ cup ground flaxseeds
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and honey together until smooth. Add brown sugar and continue beating. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
2. In another bowl, use a whisk to mix flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Add to bowl with butter mixture and blend on low speed.
3. Use a wooden spoon to mix in walnuts, cranberries, chia seeds, flax, and oats. Seal bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop chilled cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Slightly smash the cookies with the palm of your hand. Bake for about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then slide the cookie-laden parchment paper right off the baking sheet onto a counter to cool. Store in a tightly covered container.

Tip for the cook

I like to use slightly nutty-flavored white whole wheat flour for added health benefits in these cookies. You can substitute with an equal amount of all-purpose flour.

Recipe from from Homemade with Honey by Sue Doeden, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press.