When mornings are too rushed to make a wholesome breakfast (we get it!), enter seedy quinoa breakfast cookies! These chewy, satisfying, lightly sweetened cookies feature whole grains and nutrient-packed seeds to keep you nourished on the go.
Nut-free and meal prep-friendly, these tasty cookies are perfect for school lunches, snacks, or any time you’re too rushed to make breakfast! Just 1 bowl and 25 minutes required. Let us show you how!
These breakfast cookies are seriously breakfast-worthy! Why? Because they’re packed with 5 grams of protein per cookie, rich in minerals (hello, magnesium!), and sweetened with just a touch of maple syrup.
Plus, there’s no flour in sight, just a base of whole grains + seeds: QUINOA, oats, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds! And instead of butter, they rely on tahini (sesame seed paste) for total seedy perfection.
Making these cookies is also seriously simple, especially when you’ve got leftover quinoa around that needs to be used up right away! Simply stir everything together, shape the dough into balls, flatten slightly, and bake.
After baking, your cookies will be golden brown on the outside and tender and chewy on the inside.
We think you’ll LOVE these quinoa breakfast cookies! They’re:
Satisfying
Wholesome
Lightly sweetened
Easy to make
Vegan + gluten-free
& SO delicious!
Enjoy them any time you need a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack or are craving a more wholesome cookie. And because they’re nut-free, they’re the perfect treat to pack in lunch boxes!
More Breakfast Cookie Recipes
- Gluten-Free Vegan Breakfast Cookies
- Blueberry Muffin Breakfast Cookies (Vegan + GF)
- Pumpkin Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies
- Vegan Everything Breakfast Cookies
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Note: recipe updated 9/15/23 to address reader issues. Cooking time was increased from 13-15 minutes to 14-18 minutes.
Seedy Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup cooked quinoa (measured after cooking)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (ensure gluten-free as needed)
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds (hulled)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup tahini (creamy, drippy // find our tahini review here)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup*
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional // ensure dairy-free as needed)
Instructions
- If you do not already have cooked quinoa, prepare it at this time in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop — scant 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa will yield ~2/3 cup (124 g) cooked.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add 2/3 cup (124 g) cooked quinoa (adjust amount if altering default number of servings). Then add the rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds and stir well to combine. Next, add tahini, maple syrup, baking soda, sea salt, and optional chocolate chips. Stir well to fully incorporate.
- Scoop out dough in 1 ½ Tbsp amounts (we like using this scoop) and place on the prepared baking sheet — recipe as written should make 12 cookies. You can place them close together as they don’t expand. Gently press them with the palm of your hand then bake for 14-18 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Let cookies cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely – they'll firm up as they cool.
- Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days or freezer for 1 month or longer.
Video
Notes
*Prep time/cook time assumes using leftover cooked quinoa.
*Inspired by Love and Lemons’ Quinoa Breakfast Cookies and adapted from our Easy Flourless Granola Cookies.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Steph says
What do you think of subbing sunflower seed butter for the tahini, 1:1?
Hi Steph, that should work! It may turn the cookies slightly green from the reaction with the baking soda, but texturally and taste-wise it would be fine :)