Healthy Seedy Quinoa Breakfast Cookies (GF, Vegan, Nut-Free)

I…don’t know how to make these look a little more beautiful and less blob-y, but these healthy seed-y quinoa breakfast cookies are DELISH.  Pinky promise.

For a while now, I’ve been trying to have a few bites of something with my first morning coffee, to help ensure no weird cortisol spikes and that my blood sugar is A-OK (it is, thankfully).

Sometimes I do seed cycling energy balls, but at other times I’ve found these healthy breakfast cookies to be a perfect choice!  They’re super easy to make, are a nutritional powerhouse, and I can eat on a batch of them for a week or so (I keep them in the fridge).

I’ve tweaked this recipe quite a bit over the several times I’ve made it.  My “dough” mixture was too wet the first time, just wouldn’t hold together even once baked and cooled.  So I made sure that if it seems too wet, I add a tiny bit more oats or oat flour.

Texturally, I’ve also found that I prefer to put the oats and pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor and LIGHTLY break them up with a few quick pulses.  Not pulverized, not ground, just breaking them up a bit.  Not only is the texture better in my mouth, but I’ve found that the cookies hold together better.

This recipe should make 13 to 15 small cookies, but it will depend on your measurement…I use this scoop to measure them out.  There’s no “right” size, it’s totally up to you.  I wholeheartedly recommend these quinoa cookies as a healthy make-ahead breakfast cookie!

Make sure to prepare your cooked quinoa ahead of time so it can cool down.  Simply follow the instructions on the package.  I do it on the stovetop, a scant 1/4 cup of uncooked quinoa should yield about 2/3 cup (124g) of cooked quinoa.  I bring the water and quinoa to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for around 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (~180C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, oats, ground flaxseed (or oat flour), pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.  I like to put my oats and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and just give it a couple quick pulses to break them up.  Stir well to combine.

Add the tahini, maple syrup, baking soda, sea salt, and stir well to fully incorporate.

Depending on how runny your tahini is, you may need to add a tiny bit more oats (or oat flour) to get it to hold together.  It will still be pretty wet, but shouldn’t be runny.  Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out dough in small amounts (I use a #40 small ice cream scoop, this one) and place on the prepared baking sheet.  It should make around 12 cookies.  You can place them pretty close together as they don’t expand.

Wet your finger and gently press the mounds down to flatten slightly.  I’ve tried baking without flattening and they really struggle to hold together and bake evenly.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.  They sometimes need more if the batter is really wet, but they’ll still be quite soft when done.

Let cookies cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (they’ll firm up more as they cool).

I keep mine either out on the counter in a Pyrex container with the lid cracked (so they don’t get soggy) for a day or two, but typically prefer keeping them in an airtight container in the fridge (they’ll keep up to a week in the fridge).

These breakast cookies have been a great healthy treat with my coffee first thing in the morning, to help manage my blood sugar and cortisol levels!

Other super healthy breakfast options you’ll love:

• Cinnamon Maple Tahini Quinoa Granola (GF, vegan, almond-free)
• Easy Seed-Cycling Energy Balls (Follicular Phase) (GF, vegan, nut-free)
• Mom’s Super Healthy Breakfast Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• 5-Minute Healthy Breakfast Tacos
• Clean Eating Banana Oat Muffins (gluten-free)
• Healthy Blueberry Breakfast Crumble (can be GF, vegan if desired)
• Easy, Healthy Raspberry Chia Pudding (Dairy-Free)
• Frittata with Baby Spinach, Goat Cheese, & Sweet Potato Hash Crust

Adapted slightly from Minimalist Baker

Healthy Seed-y Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

Yield: 12-15 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

These healthy breakfast cookies are packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients from a range of seeds and grains. They're gluten-free, vegan, and nut-free, a delicious make-ahead breakfast option that's super healthy yet feels indulgent. Try these seedy quinoa cookies today!

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Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (124g) of cooked white quinoa (cooled, and measured after cooking)
• 1/2 cup of gluten-free rolled oats (see notes)
• 1/4 cup of oat flour or ground flaxseed (I typically use flaxseed)
• 1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds (see notes)
• 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds (hulled)
• 2 tablespoons of organic chia seeds
• 1/2 cup of runny tahini
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup of maple syrup (I go on the low side)
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (or 1/2 teaspoon of flaky sea salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Make sure to prepare your cooked quinoa ahead of time so it can cool down.  Simply follow the instructions on the package.  I do it on the stovetop, a scant 1/4 cup of uncooked quinoa should yield about 2/3 cup (124g) of cooked quinoa.  I bring the water and quinoa to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for around 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F (~180C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. In a medium mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, oats, ground flaxseed (or oat flour), pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.  I like to put my oats and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and just give it a couple quick pulses to break them up.  Stir well to combine.
4. Add the tahini, maple syrup, baking soda, sea salt, and stir well to fully incorporate.  Depending on how runny your tahini is, you may need to add a tiny bit more oats (or oat flour) to get it to hold together.  It will still be pretty wet, but shouldn't be runny.  Then stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Scoop out dough in small amounts (I use a #40 small ice cream scoop, this one) and place on the prepared baking sheet.  It should make around 13-15 cookies.  You can place them pretty close together as they don’t expand.
6. Wet your finger and gently press the mounds down to flatten slightly, then bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.  They sometimes need more if the batter is really wet, but they'll still be quite soft when done.
7. Let cookies cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (they'll firm up more as they cool). 
8. I keep mine either out on the counter in a Pyrex container with the lid cracked (so they don't get soggy) for a day or two, but typically prefer keeping them in an airtight container in the fridge (they'll keep up to a week in the fridge).

Notes

1. I like to put my oats and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and just give it a couple quick pulses to break them up.  I prefer the texture and feel like the cookies hold together slightly better. But don't grind/pulverize!
2. Mine makes, on average, 15 small cookies based on the size of my scoop

Recommended Products

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  Winco #40 Ice Cream Scoop
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