Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast cookies are a fun, delicious start to your day! With fresh blueberries and a pop of lemon flavor, these oatmeal-packed breakfast cookies are sure to be your favorite addition to breakfast time. 

WHAT’S NEW?

Is the crud hitting anywhere else? We lost one little this week for a quick 24 hours of fever, fatigue, and low appetite, but she rebounded quickly and was swimming 400’s at swim practice the next day. My crew at work, though…they’re getting hit hard and they’re not in the same office or co-located so that’s when you know the crud is rampant. I say, get it over with before spring break because it is with much excitement that I look towards spring break and a short trip to Florida. Moreso than the weather (thank you, mild winter!), I’m looking forward to a week of no alarms being set, no where to be, and time to just relax and unwind. For as active as my brain and to-do list are nearly all of the time, my vacation brain is a honed skill and I can ghost reality with the best of them! Until then, I’m battling dinner making and prepping breakfast on the weekends. This particular breakfast cookie recipe is adapted from an all-time favorite: Giant Whole Wheat Apple-Oat Breakfast Cookies. This lemon-blueberry version is killer and satisfies that sweet tooth while still serving up healthy cookies the whole family will love!

ROLL CALL FOR THIS RECIPE

• Kid-Friendly Fun: This healthy breakfast recipe is ultimate kid food — GIANT cookies for breakfast or offered as healthy snacks!
• Blueberry Lovers: Is there anything better than juicy blueberries? Can’t think of anything! Though they are truly made better with a burst of fresh lemons – a winning combination if there ever were one!
• Baker Novices: Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine and fold in the blueberries – it’s as easy as that!

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Flour: Substitute in all-purpose flour, half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour, or oat flour for a gluten-free alternative.
• Oats: Old-fashioned oats are minimally processed giving the cookies good stability and texture, however quick oats or instant rolled oats work well, too.
• Brown Sugar: Use more or less to your liking. As an alternative, granulated sugar can be used.
• Applesauce: Choose an unsweetened applesauce variety to reduce the sugar content of the recipe. You can use another pureed fruit, such as banana, or baby food, as well.
• Oil: In place of avocado oil, feel free to use unsalted butter, coconut oil, or olive oil. You can also use yogurt or additional applesauce in place of oil.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon is so good in this lemon blueberry cookie recipe. However, feel free to use more, less, or no lemon juice or lemon zest, as you prefer!
• Eggs:  If you prefer to use egg whites or egg substitute, you can do so. You’ll need about 3/4 cup in place of the 3 eggs. If you prefer to use a flax egg, mix 3 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons water and set aside for 5 minutes before using as you would eggs in this recipe.
• Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries work great, as do peeled and diced apples, pear, or cherries. 

FAQ 

​Can these breakfast cookies be made gluten-free?

Yes! Ensure the oats are gluten-free and use a gluten-free flour, such as oat flour, in place of whole wheat pastry flour.

Would you recommend any other add-ins for these lemon blueberry cookies?

Unsweetened coconut flakes or white chocolate chips would be fun additions to change them up!

What’s the best way to make round, uniform-shaped cookies?

Definitely use a ice cream scoop! These make large cookies, but feel free to reduce the size, if desired. Cookie scoops are a baker’s staple and come in a variety of sizes.

NUTRITIONAL MERITS

• With nearly 4.5 grams of fiber per cookie, these delicious cookies are a good source of fiber
• These breakfast cookies are made from whole grains
• Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and multiple vitamins and minerals including potassium, folate, and vitamin C 

VARIATIONS, STORAGE, and TIPS

• Line your baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up!
• Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. If you wish, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to reduce moisture on the bottoms of the cookies.
• Feel free to add vanilla extract to the wet ingredients, if desired. I prefer a full-on lemon flavor!

I love oats – so versatile! Here’s some additional ways to enjoy them!

• Oatmeal-Almond Breakfast Cookies
• Meyer Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Cups
• Chunky Monkey Banana Baked Oatmeal
• No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
• Blueberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal
• Whole Wheat Apple-Oat Breakfast Cookies

Be well,