Breakfast Pumpkin Cookies

Sharing is caring!

The chewy, hearty, and crumbly texture of these Breakfast Pumpkin Cookies mixed with a caramel sweetness from dates will make them an instant favorite. In 30 minutes you’ll have a nutrient dense, delicious breakfast prepared for the whole week. 

If you like hearty grab-and-go breakfasts like my Pumpkin Protein Bites you will love these Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies. They are sweetened by chopped dates and date syrup which provides a caramel sweetness plus a little extra fiber. This cookie can be eaten on its own for a quick breakfast or paired with fruit on the side.

This recipe contains ingredients that were provided to me as a donation in return for a review on social media. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ingredients for Breakfast Pumpkin Cookies

• Oats – use rolled oats and not quick oats.
• Whole wheat flour – for less heartiness try almond flour or all-purpose.
• Flax meal – bump up the fiber with whole milled flax seeds. We absorb the fiber more easily when flax seeds are milled instead of eating them whole.
• Hemp hearts – the easiest way to add quality fats to a recipe. I add them often even in my a soup like this Spiced Lentil and Carrot or on a salad like my Sante Fe Salad. I buy Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts.
• Chopped pecans – these scream Autumn to me and so if you’re looking for the best autumn breakfast cookie, it ought to have pecans.
• Chopped dates – add a caramel flavor and increase the fiber as well. I used D’Vash medjool dates in this recipe because they sent me a goodie box to review on social media.
• Baking powder – make sure to check freshness.
• Salt – it adds balance to the sweetness.
• Cinnamon – It is the perfect spice to compliment the hearty ingredients.
• Pumpkin purée – use 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Find this in the baking aisle.
• Milk – regular milk works great or use any milk alternative.
• Date syrup – I use this to add sweetness to a recipe much like honey, maple or agave syrup.
• Peanut butter –  love using peanut butter to add quality fat to a recipe. I recommend creamy be used for this recipe.

Learn How to Make It

For this recipe all you have to do is mix all of the ingredients together in one bowl. Isn’t that great? I recommend using a rubber spatula to easily scrape the sides.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper and set aside. 

Add all ingredients to one mixing bowl and stir well. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes so the oats absorb some of the moisture. 

Use a 1/4 measuring cup or eyeball nine portions of the mixture and roll them into balls. You can make smaller cookies if preferred but making nine gives you the best hearty cookie in my opinion.

Place each one on a baking sheet and flatten them all with your hand or the back of a spoon. Bake in your preheated oven at 350° for 20 minutes.

Allow them to cool completely on the pan before removing them and enjoying or storing them. I like to dunk them in vanilla yogurt or drizzle some melted peanut butter or chocolate on top when I’m ready to eat them.

Variations

There are a ton of variations for this recipe. I will list each ingredient that’s in the recipe along with substitutions you could use in their place. These can easily be made gluten free breakfast cookies if you swap the flour and make sure the oats are gluten free.

• Oats: use any form of oats that you like or if you prefer, you can grind up the oats in a food processor. This will give you a more uniform texture.
• Whole wheat flour: almond, flour, coconut, flour, or all-purpose flour all make great substitutes.
• Chopped pecans: any nut will work well, but I prefer to use roasted and unsalted. You could definitely try cocoa dusted almonds if you want a fun, chocolatey twist. Alternatively, you can use pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds if you would like.
• Chopped dates: try any dried fruit, such as craisins, apricots, raisins, golden raisins, cherries, or blueberries.
• Pumpkin purée: test mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce, sweet potato or mashed avocado, in place of pumpkin. Sweet potato
• Milk: Any form of milk will work just fine in this recipe.
• Date syrup: maple and agave syrup will also work in this recipe. However, the bonus is that date syrup is sweet and provides an extra bit of fiber.
• Peanut butter: any nut or a seed butter can be added in instead of peanut butter.

As you can see, these Breakfast Pumpkin Cookies are extremely variable and easy to make your own based on what you prefer or what you have on hand.

Optional Add-Ins and Toppings

I find I like a little extra sweetness with these cookies so I suggest tossing in a few chocolate, dark chocolate, or butterscotch chips. Alternatively, white chocolate chips or white chocolate drizzled on top after they are cooled is a great touch.

Storage 

Store these in an airtight container or in pre-portioned bags on the counter so you can grab them quickly in the morning. They can also be refrigerated but they do get a bit drier this way. They will last 5 days on the counter and in the fridge.

You can freeze them as well. I recommend freezing them with a piece of parchment paper in between each one. This will help them not stick together and you’ll be able to take out the amount you want.

 I recommend you make a batch of these or my Peanut Butter Oreo Balls to always have in the freezer for a quick and hearty snack. They can be frozen for up to three months.

Reheating 

From frozen: I recommend heating them in the microwave in 30 second increments to thaw them.

From the fridge: These cookies taste fine cold but some people prefer them warm. To warm them up simply put them in the microwave for 20 second increments.

Serving Suggestions

They are great on their own, but to round out a more filling breakfast I recommend pairing them with a serving of fruit and/or dairy. This could look like breakfast cookie plus a banana and a yogurt. Or they could pair with a drinkable yogurt or protein shake as you go out the door. 

They would also accompany a smoothie quite well if you’re someone who doesn’t feel satisfied just drinking your breakfast. I like to pair them with my Blueberry Zucchini Smoothie for the ultimate on-the-go breakfast.

More Breakfast Recipes

Using your cooking skills at breakfast is the best! Try my Ricotta Egg Bites, Oatmilk Pancakes, Ham and Cheese Frittata or Slow Cooked Berry Oatmeal.