Protein Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast!?

Some mornings you wake up with the energy of a wilted spinach leaf. Not even baby spinach — I’m talking the sad, floppy, funk-smelling adult stuff you find at the bottom of the bag. Enter: breakfast cookies. Let's be honest here, you need and deserve so much better than the sad, rushed toast you choke down while running out the door. You can even throw your kids some on those mornings they jus don't seem to understand what "time to get ready!" or "put some pants on!" means.

A note on cooking with protein powders

I'm not the biggest protein powder fan, especially flavoured ones, as I think the artificial flavourings tend to take over whatever dish you put it into. However, in an attempt to get some protein in without having to devote time to a tofu scramble, I've been exploring ways to cook with unflavoured soy protein. Out of all plant-based proteins, soy is one of the rare complete ones, meaning it packs all essential amino acids. That's just an extra win on your morning!

The search for good recipes with this protein powder has only just begun, so you can expect more successful experiments to appear on my blog soon. These cookies were one of the first things that I actually found to work. They are chewy and slightly sweet from the banana and grated apple. The protein powder makes the cookie hold together, allowing you to basically have a bowl of protein oats in grab-and-go form. They come together in minutes, offering you a very easy breakfast meal prep for the week.

Protein-Packed Apple & Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas, mashed

• 1/2 cup (120 g) almond butter

• 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats

• 1/2 cup (50 g) unflavored soy protein powder

• 1/3 cup (50 g) raisins

• 1/4 cup (35 g) sunflower seeds

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional but recommended)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

• Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, start by mixing your mashed bananas, almond butter, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until well-combined.

3. Throw in the remaining ingredients and mix until everything is mixed in with the batter.

4. Wet your hands and roll about a tablespoon of batter into a ball. Flatten it out on the baking sheet. The cookies will not spread out, so you'll have to do the shaping. This recipe makes for either 12 smaller or 6 large cookies.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let them cool on a wired rack to allow them to fully firm up.

So before you go all 'Four-Coffee-No-Lunch' on your day like the trooper you are, let me help you just a tiny bit. These powerhouses might not be the prettiest, but neither is a bowl of oatmeal, and that one is also certain to fuel your day well.

Happy baking. I am happy you are here :)