Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries (one-bowl recipe)
These Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries are nutrient-dense and taste like a treat but are made with only wholesome ingredients. They’re naturally sweetened, rich in protein and healthy fats, and made in one bowl. Basically, they taste like a hearty, chewy oatmeal cookie studded with dried cherries and dark chocolate chips - so good for breakfast or post-workout snack.
When I set out to develop this breakfast cookie, it was driven by self-interest. I had a dum-dum moment when I realized that my years of intermittent fasting (skipping breakfast) meant that I’ve been missing an opportunity to meet my daily protein needs — about 100g for me based on my research aka 15 minutes on the internet. But I’m one of those people who can’t stomach much in the morning so I wanted something uncomplicated for breakfast or post-workout snack. It also had to meet certain criteria:
✔️ good source of protein - each cookie has 6.5g of protein (versus 6g in one large egg)
✔️ refined sugar free - sweetened with pure maple syrup
✔️ no bananas - lots of breakfast cookies have bananas for sweetness and moisture but I wanted to achieve it while keeping things neutral without banana-y flavour
✔️ no protein powder - I rather drink my protein powder
✔️ taste really good obviously
✔️ one-bowl recipe
🎥 watch video for Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries
From a flavour profile perspective, dark chocolate and cherries make an elite combo. Black Forest cake is an excellent example of those flavours being best friends. And there is also this Chocolate and Cherry bar, my favourite store bought snack bar and my biggest inspiration for this recipe.
A single cookie keeps me satiated and energized the whole morning. Hope you give these Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries a try. If you have any questions about the recipe, drop it in the comments section below. I’m always happy to help!
Eat well and be well,
Sonia
what you’ll need:
Ingredients for Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries (one-bowl)
Peanut Butter - use smooth not chunky, unsalted all natural peanut butter (roasted peanuts being the only ingredient). Peanut butter is high in protein. My next fav nut butter to use is almond butter. You can also try another nut butter or a seed butter such as tahini would be so good too
Maple syrup - adds sweetness along with notes of caramel and toasted sugar. If choosing among different grades, choose a lighter one (golden/amber) which adds a delicate sweetness versus other grades (medium/dark) that have a stronger, sometimes smoky taste. There is no refined sugar in these cookies!
Old fashioned rolled oats - adds a satisfying heartiness and texture; a good source of protein and fibre. Choose a certified gluten-free one if gluten intolerance is an issue
Finely ground almond flour - contributes to the softness of the cookie and a good source of protein, fibre and healthy fat making it a great gluten-free alternative to all-purpose flour. Make sure it is “fine ground”!
Dried cherries - I am very partial to dried cherries. They are one of my favourite dried fruits. Feel free to substitute another small dried fruit such as my other favs, dried blueberries and dried currants. Dried cranberries would be excellent in this recipe as well. Bulk Barn sells all of these.
Dark chocolate chips - I use my favourite brands of dairy-free dark chocolate chips which are either Enjoy Life (does have cane sugar) or Lily’s. There is chocolate chip mixed in the cookie plus optional melted chocolate drizzled on top to mimic that store-bought snack bar I love
Sliced almonds - do use almond slices (versus slivers or chopped) as it adds the best light and crunchy texture for this recipe
Peanuts or cashews - adds texture and are good sources of protein and fibre
Hemp seeds - adds a different textural element and high in protein and high in healthy fats (omega-6 and omega-3)
Baking soda and baking powder - for leavening
Vanilla extract - makes baked goods taste good
Egg - for binding
Ground cinnamon - adds a touch of flavour that pairs well with chocolate and cherries
Avocado oil - healthy neutral-tasting fat; can substitute melted coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil (noting that both of these will add a little of their distinctive flavour)
Fine sea salt - every sweet recipe needs salt to enhance and balance the flavours
steps at a glance:
How to make Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries (scroll down to recipe card for the full recipe)
Crack egg into a large mixing bowl and whisk well.
Add remaining wet ingredients - peanut butter, maple syrup, oil and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients - rolled oats, almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until homogenous
Add mix-ins - dried cherries, chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, sliced almonds and hemp seeds. Fold to distribute evenly.
Scoop 20 cookies on a large baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets) and bake until slightly golden on the edges and slightly soft when pressed — cookies will firm up as they cool; about 20 minutes. Cool fully.
For optional chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate chips and pipe on cookies. Enjoy!
Tips & FAQs
What can I substitute for peanut butter? You may substitute another nut butter like almond butter or seed butter like tahini in this recipe. Make sure it is well-stirred to redistribute the oils if it has separated during storage.
Mix-ins - feel free to substitute nuts and dried fruit you have on hand. See recipe note 3.
Storage - Once fully cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or frozen in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Defrost - Leave it on the counter for 10-15 minutes to defrost. Oftentimes, I heat it in my toaster oven on toast for 3-4 minutes to warm and crisp up the cookie edges. The chocolate drizzle gets melty and a little messy but I’m totally okay with that.
You may be interested in these recipes:
Cashew Waffles (gluten free, dairy free, paleo)
Maple Tahini Granola (gluten free, dairy free)
Recipe Notes for Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries
Use 100% peanut butter (roasted peanuts as the only ingredient), preferably organic when it comes to peanuts. Peanut butter can be substituted with other nut/seed butters, my favourite alternatives are almond butter and tahini. Make sure it's well stirred before using. Peanut butter can be substituted with other nut/seed butters, my favourite alternatives are almond butter and tahini. Make sure it's well stirred before using.
Avocado oil can be substituted with melted coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, noting that these will bring some of their flavour to the cookie.
Dried cherries can be substituted with similar small dried fruit. My favourite alternatives are dried blueberries and dried currants. Dried cranberries would be my next choice. Taste testers had different preferences for the amount of dried fruit in the cookie - anything between 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup works, depending on your preference!
Cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or frozen in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries (one-bowl)
Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cherries
These one-bowl, wholesome breakfast cookies are loaded with nutritious ingredients like oats, almond flour, hemp seeds and studded with dried cherries and dark chocolate chips. Each cookie contains 7g of protein (more than the equivalent of a large egg!), naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and sweetened with maple syrup, so you can feel pretty darn good about eating these for breakfast, post-workout or anytime healthy snack. Importantly, they actually taste so good!!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f. Line a large 18” x 13” baking sheet (or two smaller pans) with parchment.
- In a large mixing bowl, first add the egg and whisk well. Add remaining wet ingredients and whisk well. Add dry ingredients and mix with a spatula, making sure to dig all the way down to the bottom of the bowl so everything is properly combined. Fold in mix-ins until evenly distributed.
- Use a medium-sized cookie scoop (or two tablespoons because dough is sticky to handle with hands), scoop dough into 3-tablespoon balls (~50g each) onto baking sheet. They spread a little during baking so leave some space between them. There is enough dough to make 20 cookies. Press down on each mound to flatten slightly. Bake until cookies are slightly browned on top and still ever so slightly soft to the touch but won’t fall apart (they firm up after cooling) – this takes about 20 minutes in my oven. Cool for 10 minutes or whenever they are firm enough to lift and transfer them onto a baking rack to cool the rest of the way.
- For the chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate chips in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Transfer into a small piping bag or ziptop bag with a tiny opening snipped at the corner. Drizzle melted chocolate on cookies in a zig-zag pattern. Let chocolate cool fully at room temperature until hardened before transferring for storage in an airtight container or ziptop bag. These keep well at room temperature for 3-4 days or frozen in freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
252Fat
16 gSat. Fat
4 gCarbs
26 gFiber
4 gNet carbs
22 gSugar
15 gProtein
7 gSodium
177 mgCholesterol
8 mgDisclaimer: The nutrition information was calculated based on nutrition labels of the products used in testing this recipe. Exact figures may differ slightly due to rounding on labels and when different brands are used.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went and what you think of it. Or drop a note if you have any questions. I’m happy to help!
Hi, I’m Sonia
I share recipes inspired by my food cravings and what I make for my family. My role as a working mom of two girls, my life in Toronto Canada and my background as a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong all inform the things I love, crave and create. This means an emphasis on wholesome recipes that are approachable for busy weeknights and fun recipes to make on weekends and for friends!
homemade food to nourish and indulge …
More about Sonia >