Vegetarian Recipes
Breakfast Cookies
The older I get, the more I realize how important breakfast really is to start my day off right. I don’t need an elaborate breakfast, just a quick snack to get me going, like these easy Breakfast Cookies. They’re soft & chewy, not too sweet, and can easily be made in just one bowl. They’re also the perfect grab-and-go breakfast for those busy mornings. A super budget-friendly way to have breakfast ready to go throughout the week…I’m all for it!😉
What Are Breakfast Cookies?
This recipe for breakfast cookies falls somewhere between baked oatmeal and a traditional oatmeal cookie. They’re soft, chewy, and packed with wholesome ingredients that’ll keep you satisfied until lunchtime. I mix old-fashioned rolled oats with mashed bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, and maple syrup to make a batter that’s loaded with flavor, fiber, and protein. Then, I add in some dried cranberries and chopped pecans for even more texture and sweetness. They bake up in less than 20 minutes and are perfect for meal prepping!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these homemade breakfast cookies:
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking or steel-cut oats. Rolled oats will give your cookies the best texture and chewiness. I also tested this recipe using half-oat flour and half-rolled oats, but I didn’t like the consistency. It tasted chalky to me. Instead, using all rolled oats was the way to go.
- Bananas: I use bananas that are very ripe. The more brown spots, the better! This is where half of the sweetness comes from in this recipe.
- Maple Syrup: Adds some more natural sweetness and keeps this recipe vegan!
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Melt this slightly in the microwave so it mixes more evenly with the other ingredients. It shouldn’t be too hot or liquidy; it should just be melted enough so it pours easily. If you can’t have peanut butter, try almond butter or sunflower seed butter instead.
- Vanilla Extract & Ground Cinnamon: Both of these add a yummy, comforting flavor to your healthy breakfast cookies.
- Salt: The perfect natural flavor enhancer!
- Mix-Ins: Now, this is where you can really have some fun. I’ve shared some different ideas below, but I always use dried cranberries and chopped pecans. I highly recommend this combo!
Variations to Try!
These oat breakfast cookies are so easy to customize by adding your favorite mix-ins or using up nuts, seeds, or dried fruit that you already have in your pantry. Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, raisins, walnuts, and chocolate chips are all great options. You could also switch out the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for a different flavor. Here are some more variations that I think will be delicious:
- Add a pinch of nutmeg and use chopped walnuts for a banana bread-inspired treat.
- Throw in some dried apricots and coconut flakes for a tropical twist.
- Use almond extract instead of vanilla, and add in sliced almonds and dried cherries for a cherry frangipane flavor.
- Add shredded carrot, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and golden raisins—just like I use in my carrot cake muffins recipe!
Let me know if you try any of these variations (or come up with your own!) in the comment section below!
Budget-Saving Tip
One of the biggest ways to save money on your shopping bill is to use what you already have on hand. This recipe is also a great way to use up any leftover nuts or candy from the holidays! You can also go for cheaper add-ins that are on sale if you don’t have a specific mix-in in mind. For example, if you can get a good deal on raisins, use those instead of the dried cranberries I use in this recipe.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- This breakfast cookie recipe is gluten-free, so long as you use certified gluten-free oats. Not all oats are gluten-free, as they can be cross-contaminated with wheat during processing. If this is a concern for you, be sure to check the label before purchasing.
- Make sure you use ripe bananas! They’ll mash much easier and provide more sweetness and flavor.
- Don’t worry if your cookies still look a little soft when you pull them out of the oven. So long as they’ve turned a nice golden brown color, they’ll firm up as they cool.
- Or are you looking for a great no-bake breakfast option? Try our homemade granola bars! They’re another easy make-ahead breakfast option for those busy mornings.
How to Store
Once cooled, these banana breakfast cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months. I’d layer them between sheets of parchment paper before storing them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Breakfast Cookies Recipe
Equipment
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Baking Sheet
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Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas $0.40
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, slightly melted $0.49
- ⅓ cup maple syrup $1.50
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract $0.50
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats $0.80
- 1 tsp cinnamon $0.10
- ½ tsp salt $0.03
- ½ cup dried cranberries $0.80
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans $0.70
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork.
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Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Stir together with the mashed bananas until combined.
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Next add the rolled oats, cinnamon, and salt to the bowl. Stir together until combined.
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Now stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans into the batter until combined.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop the cookie batter into roughly 2 Tbsp portions. Place the cookies on the baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart. Use the back of a spoon to flatten the cookies a little bit since they won’t spread much in the oven.
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Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter. Enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
how to make Breakfast Cookies – step by step photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mash 2 ripe bananas well with a fork.
Add ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, ⅓ cup maple syrup, and 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract to the bowl. Stir together with the mashed bananas until combined. I melted the peanut butter for just a few seconds in the microwave first so that it mixes smoothly with the rest of the ingredients.
Next, add 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp salt to the bowl. Stir together until combined.
Now stir in ½ cup dried cranberries and ⅓ cup chopped pecans into the batter until combined.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop the cookie batter into roughly 2 Tbsp portions. Place the cookies on the baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart. Use the back of a spoon to flatten the cookies a little bit since they won’t spread much in the oven.
Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter. Enjoy!
More Oat Breakfast Recipes
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Vegetarian Recipes
Homemade Kimchi
Once upon a time, I auditioned for one of those reality food shows, and my kimchi spring rolls got me to the next level of auditions (If you haven’t tried them yet, I posted a budget-friendly version here on the blog!) Why would a recipe like that get me flown to Los Angeles, you ask? Well, the judge asked me how I made my kimchi, and apparently, I aced his test; it’s not simply pickled; it’s fermented! I’ve always loved fermented foods, and this Homemade Kimchi is easy, vegan, budget-friendly perfection—the longer it sits, the better it gets! However, the process is super important, so let’s dive in!
Easy Recipe for Homemade Kimchi
Kimchi is a spicy, tangy, and veggie-packed Korean side dish made by fermenting fresh vegetables (think of it like pickles with a probiotic boost!). Instead of vinegar, the magic happens through lacto-fermentation, where good bacteria (the kind that’s great for your gut) naturally preserve the veggies and build the signature sour-savory flavor. I love serving it on rice bowls, tucked into wraps, or eaten straight from the jar as a quick snack. 😋
When I was in my 20s, I took a holistic nutrition course with a Naturopath Doctor in Indonesia. On my sojourn, I had a very long layover in South Korea, where I swear I ate 100 different kinds of kimchi. It helped me pinpoint the veggies I love most in my homemade recipe, but you can use just about any hardy vegetable you have on hand; I like to do a seasonal version as well, using raw pumpkin or butternut squash in the fall. Veggies like cucumbers and zucchini can be used, but because of their super high water content, they turn too mushy for my liking. Cabbage truly helps the texture no matter what else you add, so be sure to pick out a nice fresh head of cabbage!
Homemade Kimchi Recipe
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Equipment
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3 12 oz Canning Jars
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Food Processor
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Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp agave $0.14*
- 1 jalapeno seeded, $0.41
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and divided, $1.48
- ½ red onion divided, $0.54
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled, $0.24
- 2 large cloves garlic $0.06
- ½ green cabbage mine was about 1 ¾ lbs, $1.66
- ¼ red cabbage mine was about ¾ lb, $0.86
- 4 green onions $0.48
- 2 ribs celery $0.30
- 2 carrots $0.16
- 1 Tbsp sea salt $0.08
Instructions
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Begin by sanitizing your workspace and running three 12 oz canning jars through your dishwasher on high heat to sanitize them. Alternatively, you can also sanitize your jars by submerging them in boiling water and then allowing them to air dry.
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Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine agave syrup, 1 jalapeno (seeded), ½ red bell pepper (seeded), ¼ red onion, peeled ginger, and garlic cloves.
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Pulse vegetables and agave in a food processor until all vegetables have been broken down into a paste-like consistency, with any visible vegetables all being the same size, minced. Set aside.
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Prep all the vegetables: roughly chop or slice both cabbages, roughly chop the green onion (discarding only the very tip of the root), dice celery, julienne carrots, remaining ½ red bell pepper, and remaining ¼ red onion. This step is a great time to practice your knife skills or skip laboring over cutting everything and just chop it up coarsely. Kimchi is very forgiving, and it’s fun to have a lot of different shapes that will contribute to the texture once it is fermented later.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine all prepared veggies and salt. With clean hands, massage the salt into the prepared vegetables until they are all very soft. (It’s arm day, y’all! Use those muscles, and don’t stop!)
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After at least 10 minutes of massaging the vegetables and salt, add the prepared, processed vegetable and agave mixture. Continue to massage the vegetables and the spicy-sweet processed mixture together for another 5-10 minutes, or until a significant amount of water is released from the veggies, and you can see it pooling at the bottom of our bowl.
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With clean hands, spoon your mixture into jars and push it down firmly with the spoon once full. You should see a significant amount of liquid brine rising to the top, covering your vegetables whenever you push it down with the spoon (or clean fingers!) Don’t waste the brine; top off the jars as much as you can to cover the veggies.
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Place lids on jars loosely and wipe down the jars. Transfer the jars to a dark place in your kitchen for 24 hours. I like to place my jars in a spare Tupperware container and keep them under the sink, so they are contained and in a warm(ish) place to help with the early fermentation process.
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After 24 hours, carefully “burp” each jar by simply removing the lid to allow some of the naturally occurring gasses to escape. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you may want to burp your kimchi after just 12 hours to avoid a small (potent!) explosion. 🙂
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After the initial 24-hour fermentation period, burp your kimchi every 8-12 hours until you see consistent, active bubbles every time you open the lid. Once you see a lot of bubbling on a regular basis, you can screw the lid on tight and transfer the jars to your refrigerator. It’s done!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
The total amount of time for fermentation to take place can depend on various factors, such as the temperature of your kitchen. Keep burping the jar every 8-12 hours after the initial 24-hour (or 12-hour) fermentation period until you see consistent bubbles.
Nutrition
how to make Homemade Kimchi step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients. Before starting, completely sanitize your workspace and run three 12 oz canning jars through your dishwasher on high heat to sanitize them. Or, you can alternatively sanitize your jars by submerging them in boiling water and then allowing them to air dry. I’ve also shared more on this below the step-by-step photos for reference.
Prep the veggies: While you wait for your jars to sanitize, you can get started on the vegetables. Add 1 Tbsp agave syrup, 1 jalapeno (seeded), ½ red bell pepper (seeded), ¼ red onion, 2 inch peeled fresh ginger, and 2 large garlic cloves to a food processor.
Pulse them in the food processor until all the veggies break down into a paste-like consistency. Any visible veggies should roughly be all the same size, minced. Set this mixture to one side for now.
Now roughly chop or slice ½ green cabbage and ¼ red cabbage, roughly chop 4 green onions (discarding only the very tip of the root), dice 2 ribs celery, julienne (thinly slice) 2 carrots, remaining ½ red bell pepper, and remaining ¼ red onion. You can also chop up everything coarsely if desired (this recipe is very forgiving!)
Massage the vegetables: Add the prepped vegetables to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp salt. With clean hands, massage the salt into the vegetables until they are all very soft (about 10 minutes).
After at least 10 minutes of massaging, add the processed vegetables and agave mixture from your food processor to the bowl.
Massage the vegetables with the spicy-sweet processed mixture for a further 5-10 minutes or until a significant amount of water has been released from the veggies.
You should see it pooling at the bottom of your bowl, as shown in the photo above.
Add to jars: Again, with clean hands, use a spoon to add your veggie mix to the sterilized jars.
Push the mixture down firmly with your spoon once full (a significant amount of liquid brine should rise to the top, covering the homemade kimchi as you push down).
Don’t waste any of the brine from the bottom of the mixing bowl! Try to top off each jar with as much as you can. You ideally want all the veggies to be submerged in the brine for fermentation.
Ferment: Place the lids on the jars loosely and wipe down the sides of the jars. Now, place the jars in a dark place in your kitchen for 24 hours. (I like to place my jars in a spare Tupperware container and keep them under the sink so they are contained and in a warm(ish) place to help with the early fermentation process.)
Once it’s been 24 hours, carefully ”burp” each jar by removing the lid. This allows some of the naturally occurring gases from the fermentation process to escape the jars. If your kitchen is quite warm, you may want to ”burp” your jars after 12 hours, not 24, to release the gases and avoid any small explosions!
After the initial 24-hour fermentation period, you want to burp your jars every 8-12 hours until you see consistent and active bubbles whenever you open the lid. As soon as you see lots of bubbling on a regular basis, screw the lid on tight and transfer the jars into your refrigerator. Now it’s ready to be eaten!
What is lacto-fermentation?
I mentioned lacto-fermentation earlier, but I just wanted to touch on what that actually means. It’s a natural preservation process where good bacteria (lactobacillus) feed on the sugars in the veggies and produce lactic acid. That acid gives kimchi its tangy flavor and helps keep it safe to eat. This is the same process used when making sauerkraut and dill pickles. But before that can happen, we need to salt the veggies.
Salting helps draw out moisture, slows the growth of harmful bacteria, and creates a brine that sets the stage for fermentation. So, yes, all that massaging the veggies isn’t just a good workout—it’s vital for the lacto-fermentation process!
Important Recipe Success Tips!
- CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! Whether you’re experimenting with this recipe, sauerkraut, pickling, brewing beer, or making kombucha, you want to make sure you’re always working with clean materials when it comes to fermentation. We are trying to promote healthy bacteria, not the bad kind!
- Sanitize your jars. Following on from the previous point, you must sanitize your jars before starting this recipe. Run them through the dishwasher on high heat, submerge them in boiling water and let them air dry, or give them a bath in a food-grade hydrogen peroxide and water mix (follow the label for the correct ratio and instructions).
- Keep it submerged. You can use the rough ends of your cabbage and red onion or the butts of carrots to help keep the prepared vegetables submerged in the brine during the fermentation process. Just put the lid on top after you add the rough vegetable ends. Before you get to the refrigerator step, discard those pieces of veggies that didn’t go beneath the brine. If you skip this tip, you can scrape off the top of the kimchi if it doesn’t sit underneath the brine. (Sometimes this happens if you are short on brine.) Everything underneath will be fermented just right and safe to eat!
- Don’t tighten the lid during fermentation. Make sure to leave the lid loose while your vegetables ferment. Tightening the lid too early can lead to pressure buildup (and possibly a kimchi explosion…not fun!)
- Use a sea salt with no additives. Stick to plain sea salt with no additives. Additives can interfere with fermentation, and I want you to give those good bacteria the best chance to thrive!
Serving Suggestions
I love piling this recipe for kimchi on scrambled eggs…it adds just the right kick to a simple breakfast. For lunch or dinner, I’d toss it into fried rice or add it to an easy rice bowl (our Bibimbap recipe is perfect for this!). And, of course, I couldn’t make my kimchi spring rolls without it. Or, if you want a comfort food twist, it’s amazing in quesadillas with some melty cheese. You can also spoon it over grain bowls, stuff it into wraps and sandwiches, or add it to any salad for an extra punch of flavor.
How to Store
This recipe can last for several months in an airtight jar in the fridge. Be sure to use clean fingers or utensils whenever you grab some, as introducing new bacteria can shorten its life span or throw off the flavor. Also, make sure the top layer is always submerged under the brine to keep everything fresh and safe. If anything starts to look or smell off, it’s best to toss it and start a new batch.
More Easy How-Tos
The post Homemade Kimchi appeared first on Budget Bytes.
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