In high school I had a really fun job at a paint-your-pot pottery studio. I loved helping with kids’ birthday parties and as someone who used to be somewhat artistic, it was a fun outlet for my creative side. The studio so happened to be right by a bakery. In fact, you couldn’t get to the studio unless you walked past the bakery. Evil genius.
The bakery had these HUGE apple and oatmeal cookies that were so filling. Nearly every shift I worked at the studio (working for this evil man who is now incarcerated — click with caution…the story is beyond sad and scary), I would get one of these cookies as a small meal for my 4-to-5 hour shifts.
Obsessed I was. Obsessed I am.
When I went off to college, I had withdrawals. Literally.
My mom would spend a LOT of money shipping me these cookies to my dorm, and then to my sorority house…and then the bakery closed. I kid you not, these oatmeal cookies were a staple in my diet, and a healthy one at that, for many years.
I’ve tried to find a substitute…something close. Something half-way decent.
But I haven’t succeeded…until now.
These meet nearly every criteria that I loved about those bakery cookies. Namely, the size and the fact that I can eat the WHOLE thing…guilt-free. I love that they contain lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals, a bit of fruit, and healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
Just to be sure I’m not completely biased to less-than-stellar cookies, I made these for the cafeteria at work. Let’s just say people were looking for seconds…but they were gone. I will be making these again for at work and at home.
Note: these freeze really well, too! Make plenty!
Giant Whole Wheat Apple-Oat Breakfast Cookies slightly adapted from Food.com
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and walnuts. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, oil and eggs.
Mix wet ingredients into the dry; stir to combine. Scoop approximately 1/2 cup of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press dough of each cookie down slightly with fingers to 4 to 5-inch diameter cookies.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are firmed. Let set on baking sheet a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Yield: 18 giant breakfast cookies
Nutrition Information (per cookie): 292 calories; 12.1 g. fat; 31 mg. cholesterol; 306 mg. sodium; 41.7 g. carbohydrate; 4.8 g. fiber; 3.6 g. protein; 13.5 g. sugar
Result: Awesome, delicious, satisfying breakfast cookies! With the fiber and fat, these are very filling and subtly sweet. You’ll love how easy they are to make, how substantial they are for a breakfast on-the-go and how well they freeze for later! Enjoy!
[/print_this]Another week…here we go!
Be well,
These look so good! I’m happy you were able to recreate them at home. That’s always fun! And working next to a bakery… I don’t know if I could do that.
And I am most definitely making these in the fall! Right now I’m so sick of apples after only having apples and oranges all winter. Can’t wait for berry season! 🙂
I totally would have eaten these cookies as a meal too. So happy you were able to recreate them and keep them healthy!
Nicole, these are beautiful- can’t wait to try them. I loved your story about your mom shipping breakfast cookies to you while you were in college! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
PINNED!
They look amazing! I can almost smell them baking 🙂
These cookies look awesome, Nicole! I can see why you loved the bakery’s cookies 🙂
(By the way, did you seriously work for that guy?? How scary! 🙁 )
Author
I did. Perfectly normal guy, it seemed. Fun, outgoing, kind to others…the whole thing it just…horrible and so tragic. 🙁
Oh lord, I just read the article about your former employer. WOW. That’s unbelievable. I’m totally in shock.
Author
I know. I get the chills even thinking about it. I was a junior in college when a former coworker of mine from the studio sent me a link. I think I was in shock for a month…just unthinkable. How does a family rebuild from that? :(:(
These looks divine and something that I must bake!
Made these for my girls for a breakfast alternative to the classic cold cereal or waffle. They tried one after school and LOVED them! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Author
So glad they were a hit 🙂
These look great Nicole and what a creepy story….eek!
These look fantastic! I am always looking for something to give the kids that they think is a treat but is actually healthy, hehe!
Mmmmmmmm these sound so delicious! I can’t wait to try 🙂
Oh these do look incredible! That sounds like it would be a fun job to have (except hopefully no horror stories from you boss!)
Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole’s Chatter is collecting links to posts about breakfast dishes. I do hope you link this in. This is the link . Please do check out some of the other links – there are a lot of good ones already. Cheers
These look delisiou, but my husband is allergic to walnuts. Any suggestions for a substitution that wouldn’t completely ruin the healthy AND texture?
Oh my gosh these look delicious. I’m working on finding more breakfasts that I can prepare beforehand but aren’t overnight oats-these are awesome! Do you recommend freezing the dough or the baked cookies?
Author
I think you’ll love them 🙂 Freeze them after baking. Enjoy!
Do you add the apples with the wet ingredients, or after everything is combined? I’m adding after so they don’t get as beat up, but would love to know which you prefer!
Author
Yep, I added them after everything was combined 🙂
These were yummy! It make a lot! My family really liked them. Son’s comment” Cookies for Breakfast? Cool!” Picky eater daughter complained that she doesn’t like oatmeal cookies while I was mixing them up but ended up eating two and picking at another 🙂 And we have leftovers for the week.
These look awesome! Can’t wait to try them out! Could you please tell me how to modify the recipe to make them nut-free? Do I have to increase the flour content to maintain the proper consistency/bake time/etc? Thanks.
Author
Hi OBK! You can just omit the nuts…it shouldn’t change the bake time or consistency 🙂
I made these today, with some apples a friend gave me. Now I need to share 🙂
Nicole…these look amazing and something I think my 16 yr old son would enjoy in the mornings!
These are fantastic! I finished the first batch and have a second in the oven now. This time I added half pear and half apple, and a bit of cinnamon.
Great recipe! Feels like a treat but is satisfying enough for breakfast! Can’t wait to try your other variations.
I made them today, I got 22 cookies out of the recepie!
I am a type 1 diabetic and was searching for a lunch on the go
I love oats, apple and cinnamon!
Thank you so much for this recepie
I had one for lunch and my bg 1.5 hour afte the cookie was !