Breakfast Cookies- Great for Freezing!

Yup! Just as I suspected-- with my busy life this will not get updated terribly often. Maybe I'll find my rhythm and update more regularly, but for now.... I guess this is more-or-less a way for me to keep track of the recipes I make, especially the ones I adjust to make my own. So, on to the Breakfast Cookie!

Years ago some friends of ours in Wisconsin had us over for a weekend. One of the mornings they made some breakfast cookies (which they had gotten frozen from some local bakery). They were AMAZING. After that, I was determined to have some at home. I finally found this Best Breakfast Cookie Recipe, which got me close. There were a few things I didn't have around the house, so I punted. They turned out great, and years later they're still one of my favorite things. I usually freeze most of the batch and make a couple at a time for a fast homemade breakfast. Over the years the recipe has morphed,  so here's what I have today. Feel free to make your own adjustments to suit your tastes!

I thought I'd try to take some pictures this time around as I went. I now realize, however, that some of my pictures were taken "portrait" and they will only go here "landscape". Weird. I'll have to figure that out later... Anyhow, here's how this recipe went down (in landscape):

Gathering up my ingredients

 

Using the cookie scoop

Flattening with my glass

Ready to bake

Yummy!

Ready to freeze

Freezing in layers

Frozen, seperated, and labeled for easy baking!



I actually had the chance to make a fresh batch today, since my husband's sister and her daughter were here for a visit. This time around I used milk chocolate chips, walnuts, and raisins. The raisins were actually a little old and SUPER hard, but I new that using them in this baked cookie would totally work. In the end the raisins were soft and the cookies were delicious. Intrigued? Try the recipe!

Breakfast Cookie
makes approx. 4 dozen

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups oats (I use 1 1/2 cups Old-Fashioned and 1 cup Quick)
• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use grapeseed)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (white, milk, or semi-sweet)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/3 cup raisins or craisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degreees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, flax seeds, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, 2 tablespoons water, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until well blended. The dough should be fairly thick and sticky. If it is too difficult to work with, add the other tablespoon water.
5. Stir in the chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit.
6. Scoop cookies using a scoop (I think mine is a tablespoon scoop), or roll into golf ball-sized balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten to about a 1/2 inch thickness (I use the bottom of a glass dipped in water).
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.

**To freeze the batch

1. Scoop cookies onto waxed paper. Flatten as before, and cover with more waxed paper.
2. Freeze in layers on a cookie sheet for about 1 hour.
3. Remove from the freezer, use a scissor to cut apart each cookie, and store in a freezer bag (I label it with the contents, date, and how to prepare them).
4. When you are ready to bake them, remove the waxed paper and place cookies on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes.