As I write this post I’m sitting in bed nibbling on the last of these cookies. I don’t know whether to savor these few remaining bites and relish in how truly delicious they are or weep over their soon-to-be absence. Yes, these cookies are that good; and they’re healthy.
I’ve made banana-based cookies before and this recipe is based off of that concept. Only this time I added a healthy scoop of pumpkin puree to the batter, as I always seem to have an excess of it lying around in the fall.
I also made them vegan and nearly gluten free thanks to the help of almond meal in place of most the flour (the whole 2 dozen batch has just 1/2 cup whole wheat flour). They also feature pecans and dried cranberries in addition to dark chocolate chips for extra substance. For this reason, I can easily call them breakfast with a clear conscious. But really, they’re so delicious I can eat them morning noon and night (and I do).
These cookies are irresistibly delicious, and unlike other desserts don’t leave you feeling miserable and heavy afterwards. They are insanely moist and slightly dense, pack a healthy serving of protein thanks to both almond butter and almond meal as well as pecans, and are just sweet enough with the addition of agave nectar and dark chocolate chips. You simply can’t have just one – you have to have two or three. Trust me, I tried. Didn’t work out.
Bake these, snack on these, share these, save these all for yourself. But simply don’t pass up making them – they’re too good to miss out on.
Vegan Everything Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 2 Tbsp refined coconut oil (melted // or canola oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp agave nectar
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (pastry flour // if you have it)
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt (add more or less depending on preference and saltiness of your almond butter)
- 3 Tbsp lightly crushed pecans
- 2 Tbsp dried cranberries (more if you prefer)
- 1/2 cup dairy-free semisweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- In a large bowl mash the bananas then add almond butter, pumpkin puree, baking powder, baking soda, oil, agave nectar, salt, vanilla and stir.
- Add oats, almond meal and flour and mix well.
- Add chocolate chips, cranberries, pecans (optional) and stir until well combined.
- Drop cookies by spoonfuls on a baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten. Make them as uniform in size as possible (generously rounded tablespoons).
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden brown.
- Rest on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an air-tight container to keep fresh for up to 5 days.
Toki says
These are amazing. They freeze very well and my kids love to eat them half frozen! I’ve subbed walnut butter.
We’re so glad you and your family are enjoying them, Toki! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Stacy says
Another delish recipe! I swapped avocado oil for coconut oil, maple syrup for agave, and substituted half peanut butter and half almond butter and only one banana. I also added extra of all the goodies – cranberries, chocolate, and pecans.
They came out perfectly and the entire fam loves them! Thanks for another fabulous recipe! I enjoy all of the vegan offerings and this recipe does not disappoint!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Stacy! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Azlin says
This looks amazing and I really want to try making it! Unfortunately living in Australia I don’t have access to canned pumpkin purée. Would I be able to substitute it for something else?
Hi Azlin, you could make homemade pumpkin purée using a sugar pumpkin (we have a recipe here). Or try applesauce or more banana. Hope that helps!
Abby says
These cookies are amazing! So legit, when I eat them, I know I’m eating REAL food. I used all pumpkin and no banana because I was out of bananas (I equated the two bananas with 1 cup pumpkin). Tahini and peanut butter combo instead of almond butter, ground mixed nuts instead of the almond meal, and maple syrup instead of agave. Sweet, but also nicely salty and nutty. Delicious. My three year old was wary at first but had two for lunch today.
We’re so glad you and your little one enjoy them, Abby! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
E says
I have a similar question about the coconut oil.
I don’t eat oils or butter, but I eat nut butters. Could I substitute more nut butter for the coconut oil? Or apple sauce? And, maple syrup for the agave?
These cookies sound delicious and will be perfect to take to my morning book club.
Thanks!
Hello, we haven’t tried these without oil but other readers have had success substituting it with apple sauce! Hope this helps!
Caryl Neufeld says
Where can you find dried cranberries (I won’t use Craisins because they are MUCH too sweet). I used to roast them myself; but can you buy them without all the sugar?
Hi Caryl, they can certainly be hard to find! We have sometimes had luck in the bulk section of our grocery store, or looking online. Hope this helps!
Cyd says
Hi Dana,
These were WONDERFUL!! I am trying to cut out oil. If next time I replace the two TBS oil with 2 TBS apple sauce, would I have to adjust the dry ingredients for the same outcome?
Thank you for all your fantastic recipes!!
Hi Cyd! We haven’t tried it but we think that should work. So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
ashley says
This is a great recipe. Made it for a pre sport food for my daughter and she requested it for the next event, and so did others. Thanks for the great vegan options!!!
We love to hear this! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Ashley!
Alisa says
Hi there, could I sub more pumpkin for the banana? I saw someone successfully subbed one banana but wondering if I can sub both?
Thanks so much for the wonderful recipes.
Hi Alisa, they won’t have the same sweetness, so we would recommend using 1 banana for best results. But if you want to try it, maybe use more agave, chocolate chips, and/or dried cranberries. Hope that helps!
Ellen says
These are wonderful. I’ve made them twice this week. I’m gluten free so just used gluten free flour. Perfect snack, breakfast and/or on the go treat.
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Ellen! xoxo
Nyssa says
Great breakfast for picky toddlers! I subbed the almond flour for more whole wheat flour, and the agave for maple syrup, and switched the amounts of chocolate chips and cranberries. My kids loved them.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Nyssa! So glad you all enjoy them!
Jen says
These were YUM. The whole family approved (which includes three little ones). I used peanut butter instead of almond butter & I swapped the agave for cane sugar, just because it’s what I had on hand. I also added a couple TBLS of chia seeds. Still turned out delicious. Thanks Dana!
Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them. xoxo
Candice says
Love this so much. I routinely make it for my kids as a grab and go breakfast or snack. I use more banana and no pumpkin, simply because it’s easier than opening a can of pumpkin. Thank you for this recipe.
Smart! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them, Candice! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Laurie says
I like the ingredients in this more than the gluten free breakfast cookies. Can I substitute the whole wheat flour for bobs 1:1 flour, rendering these gluten free?
We haven’t tried this recipe with gluten free flour. Perhaps 1/2 gluten free blend and almond flour would be worth a try, but we aren’t sure! Let us know how it goes if you try it out. xo
Callie V says
These are a great snack! Not overly sweet and great texture. I tweaked the recipe a little bit. I had to use a little more flour to get the right texture (it was too moist) and used peanut instead of almond butter. I also substituted the oil for applesauce and it worked well. Lastly I added flax seed and hemp seeds, about 3T each. A great snack!
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing, Callie! xo
Orian says
Hi! I saw that you suggest using “flax eggs” in other baking recipes, I am guessing that helps keeping the cookies together. Is that something I could add in here? if so, how much?
Since I usually pack them to go, I prefer them to hold well rather than being crumbly. Thanks!
It does help with binding, but we think it might add too much moisture here. You would probably want to reduce the pumpkin slightly to compensate. Let us know if you try it!
Christina says
This is a fool proof recipe. MB never fails me!! I was missing a few of the ingredients so pardon my subs noted here! I subbed maple syrup for the agave for what I had on hand, added double pumpkin and minused one banana (again, for what I had on on hand). I added a few dashes of pumpkin spice for fun too! I did not add any craisins/raisin.
Danielle says
I love these so much!!! I’ve made them for so many different occasions and they’re always perfect (although I usually just make them for me)!
Just a great recipe, thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy these, Danielle! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kate says
I recently cooked a week’s worth of breakfasts for a friend who is in the middle of chemo for breast cancer and her family (it was recommended to go vegan during her treatments). I was a little intimidated to find vegan recipes her whole family would love! This was on my list of things to make and in a moment of brilliance decided to double the recipe and keep half. These. Are. Amazing. I’m not even the slightest bit vegan but these will be a staple in my freezer from now on. Note: I subbed dried (unsweetened) bing cherries for the cranberries and will continue that substitution in the future!
What a great friend! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kate. We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Amy A. says
Amazing, healthy and soooo easy.
Five plus stars! Thanks ?
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Amy! xo
Nicole says
I made your blueberry muffin breakfast cookies and love them and would like to try a similar recipe for variety. I have my eye on these babies but I don’t have 2 ripe bananas kicking around and don’t want to wait. Do you think subbing applesauce would do the trick? If so approximately how much per banana? Thanks for your help!
Hmm, I think the texture and sweetness will be affected. A sweet potato might be the next best option?
Reema Farhat says
They were delish! A big hit with my colleagues. Love a lot of your recipes!!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Reema. We are so glad you and your colleagues enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Heidi says
Delicious, I’ve made them twice now. Once with chocolate chips, the second time with 70% chocolate bar, chopped up. Some substitutions I made based on what I had: subbed peanut butter, honey and baked squash.
My kids and husband love them.
Now all I need to do is craft a nut free version so they can go to school. Any suggestions, from your site, for nut free healthy baking for school lunches/ snacks?
Hi Heidi, so glad to hear everyone loved these! You can view all of our nut-free recipes here. One suggestion for nut-free snacks would be these bites. Hope that helps!
Kristy says
Hi! I made these this morning when the kiddos and I were craving something sweet and different. I have used many of your recipes so I knew these would work. I subbed peanut butter for almond butter and just added .25 cup of extra whole wheat flour for almond meal. I subbed hemp hearts and crumbled sliced almonds for the pecans . I added cinnamon (2tsp) and used golden raisins because my kids prefer them to cranberries. They are excellent and filling! I will make these again. Thank you!
Erica says
Hello! I would love to make these breakfast cookies for my co-workers. However, I was wondering if I could use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour? Or maybe I can just use more almond meal?
Lindsay says
EVERYONE GO MAKE THESE NOW.
These cookies are amazing, nice alternative for someone who likes to grab and go in the mornings! They were moist and chewy (not dry, which I have noticed with other “healthy” options). They also turned out JUST like the picture, again, something I don’t always expect on the first try. I did add a bit of dessicated coconut as well and who couldn’t like that?! Dana, wow. It’s clear you take time perfecting your recipes and we thank you for the inspiration you are ? I recently started trying a bunch of your recipes and I’m not even vegan (just trying to eat healthier and get more fruits and veggies in my diet) but I might just “convert”; didn’t realize how delicious vegan could be!!
Bob says
Was wondering if you tried to substitute the wheat flour with a gluten free(I’m off all wheat…O Diet plan) any suggestions ?
Thanks
Hi Bob! Another reader above used brown rice flour and had success with it. Additionally, you may be interested in this recipe as well!
Eva says
Delicious!
– I used 1 banana instead of 2, because I had to use up a full cup of pumpkin puree (instead of the 1/3 C)
– I used 3 Tbsp maple syrup instead of agave nectar (that’s what I had)
– Instead of the combo of 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup almond meal, I used my food processor to grind up a cup’s worth of a combo of almonds, sunflower seeds and some oats
– Instead of dried cranberries I had dried tart cherries
I will make these often! Next time I’ll add some cinnamon (and maybe a teaspoon of instant coffee…?)
Thanks!
Marissa says
Made them this morning and they turned out wonderfully!! I adjusted the recipe slightly (honey instead of agave, peanut butter instead of almond) and baked for 13 min and they were soo moist and tasty! I loved the texture of these cookies, not too oat-y and dense like other breakfast cookies I’ve had. Definitely will be making this recipe again!
Christina Smith says
Oddly just after Halloween I had no pumpkin. Steamed a yam. What I would like to know is whether they would work if all the flour was almond.
Seclusive Nature says
Wow, these turned out SO phenomenal! My husband and I will be making these for the rest of our lives, we love them that much. Thank you!
Jess says
In followed this recipe exact but used natural peanut butter in lieu of almond butter and they are truly amazing!
Katie says
Wow these are awesome! I used this recipe as a base for proportions and made several changes to accommodate what I had on hand:
Applesauce instead of pumpkin puree
Cashew butter instead of almond
Melted butter instead of coconut oil
Honey instead of agave nectar
White all purpose flour instead of whole wheat
Flax meal instead of almond meal
Dried blueberries instead of cranberries
To accommodate the Denver altitude I also added about 3 tbsp more flour and turned the oven to 375, baking for 19 minutes total.
This is an awesome recipe that’s easy to modify and still be successful. Five stars!
Kim says
Wow!!! These were amazing.
For me I used my kitchen aid. Threw the ingredients in as it called in the recipe. Used peanut butter instead of almond butter because I was out. Left out the pumpkin purée completely. Also threw in some walnuts and unsweetened shredded coconut.
They came out so awesome!!!! Moist and chewy. These will definitely be something I make every week!!!
Judy Oleksik says
Never used agave. I hear it is really sweet. Could you use raw honey in place and possibly less than the recipe called for? The cookie looks great. I notice there isn’t nutritional values. I am a long time gastric
by pass patient who has all but gotten off of conventional cookies, cake and the like. Some times, I just need a bite or two of something, so I don’t feel like I am completely deprived.
Thank you. Judy in Virginia
If you give that a try, let me know how it goes!
Erin from Joliette says
Made these this afternoon! They are absolutely Delish!!! Like seriously it’s hard to believe these are healthy (Shhh I won’t tell the kids!!)! My kids and hubby are already asking when I’m making more – I don’t know if they’ll last until Monday! Lol
I made a few changes: subbed applesauce for the pumpkin, used peanut butter instead of almond and walnuts instead of pecan. Oh and I added 1 tbsp maca because it’s a great energy booster!!
I would love to see other cookie recipes like these! With cocoa powder?!!!
Shannon says
I’ve been making these breakfast cookies for myself for months now. They are perfect to grab and go in the morning and they’re so dense that they keep me full all morning until I can get lunch. They are simply fabulous.
Alison says
I had left over pumpkin in the freezer so I googled – Minamalist baker pumpkin cookies and this recipe came up, I’ve never used agave sweetener before and being Canadian had maple syrup in the fridge. I absolutely love these cookies Dana.
Jessica says
Scrumptious and FILLING! You never disappoint. Thank you!
Chantell Horn says
When your recipe asks to preheat an oven to 350 degrees…. I am assuming it is Fahrenheit and not Celsius? I am from South Africa and here we use Celsius. So just want to know if i need to convert it.
Yes, always Fahrenheit.
Chantell Horn says
Thank you!
Janet E says
to make GF can I simply sub Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 for the wheat flour?
Monique Robinson says
Great recipe!!! You can freeze them and heat them up by putting them in the oven.
You will always have fresh, warm, oven baked cookies!!!!! This is my go to recipe.
Kella says
I love coconut. I can I add it in?
Sure!
Karen B says
Just made these and they are fantastic! I was out of almond meal, so I used flaxseed meal and it came out perfectly.
Cassie says
Delicious! It’s almost like a bread, but in a cookie form. Will make this weeks’ mornings easy! Thanks for the recipe!
ASHLEE LYMAN says
I didn’t have parchment paper and didn’t want to deal with sticking on my cookie sheet so I made them in muffin cups and they turned out great!
Alyson says
These are awesome. I always have overripe bananas and because of an obsession with baking pumpkins, have lots of homemade pumpkin purée. The subtle sweetness does a great job of quieting my junk food-jones. Breakfast…..lunchtime dessert……afternoon snack……..these should be called the Everything Anytime Cookie!
I like that title! Ha! I’ll consider giving it a title makeover :D
Shivani Gupa says
Hi! Unfortunately, I don’t have rolled oats and I am thinking quick oats won’t do the job. I do have almond meal though, is it possible if I could increase my amount of almond meal? Would that make for rolled oats or is that something that can’t be replaced? :(
Sam says
I just found your recipe recently. I took out the banana and used all pumpkin instead. These are my new favorite cookies! They taste amazing! My only (small) issue is they crumble very easily. Did I do something wrong or is this their texture?
hmm, they shouldn’t be so crumbly. The pumpkin is not as binding as banana so that might’ve been the issue. And next time, maybe scale back a bit on dry ingredients so they are more sticky/wet. Hope that helps!
Heather says
Would flax seed meal work?
Yes, that’s what I used. As long as it’s ground into meal, it works. Hope that helps!
Jessica says
Hi Dana!
I stumbled across your site quite recently and am loving your recipes! I made these cookies on Monday, but subbed sweet potato for the pumpkin, as I had left over mash from the night before, and they are absolutely divine. I ate two straight off the tray and have frozen a bunch to have every day at work as my morning tea!
Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Love to hear it! Thanks for saying hi, Jessica. So glad you enjoyed these cookies. They’re some of my faves!
Michelle Stevens says
My kids and all that tried these loved them.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However mine turned green. Any idea why?
I used frozen bananas (over ripe). I had to sub sunflower butter for pb and coconut flour for almond meal. But that’s it… They turned green within the time of mixing to putting in oven. When they came out they were brown, but as they cooled they slowly turned green.
As I said they still tasted good but I’m confused.
Thank you
Hi Michelle, the sunflower butter causes that in baking!
kendra says
Why refined coconut oil? It is so processed I don’t buy it.
Kendra – good question! That’s just usually what I have on hand because it can withstand higher heat in baking/frying. But you can certainly use unrefined in this recipe. Hope that clarifies/helps!
Casey says
These are so good! I subbed 1/4c coconut flour and 1/4c GF flour blend for the whole wheat flour and added cinnamon and unsweetened coconut flakes. I also used honey in place of the agave. Delicious! Can’t wait for my kids to wake up and see that we are having cookies for breakfast. Thanks for the recipe!
Olivia says
These were delicious! i did make some mods however…better n’ peanut butter instead of almond butter (one of trader joe’s gems), vanilla whey protein powder instead of almond meal, and raw almonds instead of pecans. amazingly addictive! i put a lot of chocolate chips in, so im not sure these counted as a healthy breakfast…but i did eat about two a day for about a week! thanks for this great recipe. ill be using it again and again (and making more fun changes) :)
Joyce says
I made these cookies for my friend’s 2year old twins. They have milk,egg, and peanut allergies so these were perfect. They kept asking for more. Brown rice flour is a nice alternative to whole wheat to make them gluten free. Yum!
Janelle says
Love this recipe. I OMITTED THE WHEAT FLOUR ALTOGETHER. I didn’t even substitute it with more almond/oat flour. They still turned out great! Thanks for this guilt free recipe.
Sherry says
I do not like bananas — can I substitute more pumpkin instead?
Lauren says
Same question. I hate bananas and my husband is allergic. I’ve heard avocado is a possible sub but eating lots of avocado with a banana allergy can make allergic reactions worse over time so we try to avoid using excess avocado when possible. Would apple sauce work?
Aliesha says
I just made these this morning with the help of my two-year-old daughter. They are so good! I subbed flax seed meal for the almond meal, subbed honey for the agave, left out the nuts and chocolate, and added more Craisins. Moist, chewy, and delicious!
Sherry in Chicago says
I made these last night, YUM! My sweetie saw the word Vegan in the recipe and commented that I could have them all to myself. Once they came out of the oven, he sampled half a cookie and suddenly I no longer had them all to myself. This morning we both were tucking several into our totes and backpacks as we headed out the door. We love the not too sweet flavor and goodies in them. This was added to my recipe file as a make again.
RisaG says
Question – my son is allergic to almonds. What can I substitute for the almond butter? Another fat? Coconut oil? Also, I think I will use pumpkin meal (I use pumpkin seeds for all kinds of stuff for him) or hemp meal for the almond meal. Both work well in baking.
He is also allergic to oats and I substitute flaked barley or flaked kamut for that and that works really well. Can’t tell the difference at all in texture or taste. These look so good. I am going to make a batch for him.
Jenn@slim-shoppin says
I could eat those for breakfast!
Belinda says
Dana! I just made these this morning. AMAZING!! I didn’t have any pecans but used a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead and omitted the cranberries. So good! These are my new fav cookie recipe. Thank you so much!
Yay! So glad you liked them, Belinda. They’re certainly a contender in the race for my all-time favorite cookie!
natalie@thesweetslife says
i conveniently have some pumpkin puree hanging out in my fridge… :)
Party. :D
crystal says
Looks delish! I don’t have almond flour. Could I just use AP flour or whole wheat?
Yes, that would be fine!
Jen says
I have read that AP cannot be used as a substitute for almond flour AND this recipe calls for almond meal not almond flour. I did not think the two were interchangeable… I am so confused.
Stephanie says
I didnt have almond meal either but I used my coffee grinder and whole almonds to grind into a fine powder and I think it worked just fine.
I also used greek yogurt instead of pumpkin puree because I’m not vegan and did not have pumpkin on hand. Threw in a TBSP of coffee as well :) loved them!!
Mel says
I didn’t have any almond meal so I ground some walnuts in my food processor. Cookies turned out great.
The Food Gays says
These look pronominal… will definitely need to try these soon :)
Ashley says
I absolutely love thick and textured cookies like this! They look perfect.