It’s likely that many of you have been making my Giant Breakfast Cookies for years. It was one of my very first recipes I shared here. (Aww, sweet memories.)
I used to always bake big batches of these cookies (or even a double batch) and freeze them to pull out as needed. This is great! But I like this new idea better.
See, with this idea we can have hot, fresh breakfast cookies whenever we want them. I think we can all agree that a hot, fresh breakfast cookie with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee is much, much better than a room temperature cookie with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.
So this is what I do now:
Make Giant Breakfast Cookie Dough Balls for the Freezer
I mix up the Giant Breakfast Cookie recipe as normal. I scoop out cookie dough and freeze it on a cookie sheet like this:
Once frozen, I transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer bag.
In the morning, I get out a few cookie dough balls to bake fresh.
I put them into the oven (yep, from their frozen state) and bake them while the coffee brews.
When the family wakes up, there are hot, fresh breakfast cookies ready to go with the rest of our breakfast!
These cookies are always the star of breakfast, but I usually only make enough for two per person so the fruit and protein can get the attention they need. :)
Here’s the recipe and freezing instructions:
Giant Breakfast Cookies (with frozen cookie dough ball instructions)
- 1 cup melted butter
- ½ cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (the recipe will not be effected if you choose to leave this out)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup raisins or chocolate chips
- Mix butter, honey, eggs, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Stir in flour and oats.
- Fold in raisins or chocolate chips.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
- TO FREEZE:
- Mix dough and scoop side-by-side onto a cookie sheet.
- Freeze dough balls, then transfer them to a freezer bag.
- Place desired amount of frozen cookie balls onto a baking sheet while oven pre-heats.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Ever tried freezing cookie dough balls before? I’ve been doing this with regular cookies for years. Why it took me this long to do this with Breakfast Cookies is just sorta silly.
More freezer recipes and ideas coming soon!
Hi Laura,
If I wanted to use maple syrup instead of honey, what amount would you recommend?
Thanks,
Cindra
I’d sub it one-for-one. :)
Hi Laura…I really enjoy your blog and am thankful for all you share. I have been reading & following for a couple of years now. Just had to tell you these breakfast cookies are some of our favorites. I make them usually once a week (except right now bc our kitchen is in the remodel stage), but anyways, my son loves them & calls them “oat cakes.” :) thanks for all the fun recipes & laughs you share.
We make similar breakfast cookies, but I use leftover soaked oatmeal. I always make extra oatmeal just to make some of these up for the following morning. If you let your cooked soaked oatmeal sit out until you use them for the cookies, it goes through a 2nd fermentation process, increasing the nutrition. I like to throw in apples if i have some cut up in the fridge. And we use half syrup half honey. If I have it on hand I add maple flavor for a more intense flavor that doesnt need as much sweetener.
Amanda, would you mind sharing how you soak your oats to make your soaked oatmeal. I love oats, but let’s just say our tummies don’t always love them. I have been considering soaking them to help break them down. Great idea to make extra and use for the cookies, do you change any of the liquids out or just sub the oatmeal for the oats. Thanks.
I soak 3 cups of oats in 3 cups of water with 2-3 tbsp of kefir, yogurt, or lemon juice, overnight. The longer it soaks the better. Add 3 more cups of water in the morning and it cooks up quickly! This makes a lot but my kids eat alot, so you can cut it down a bit. Let the remainder sit out all day to ferment some more, and before bed I throw in some einkorn flour, maybe a cup or so (amazing wheat for those with digestive issues), 2 eggs, 1 tspish baking soda, 1 tspish baking powder, 1 cupish palm shortening, maple syrup to taste (I dont like mine too sweet), salt, cinnamon and raisins. I only use as much flour as needed to thicken it a bit, I find its not necessary to use so much. Bake it at 375 for like 20 minutes. These are really soft and crumble if not baked enough (if using einkorn), so i let mine get quite brown.
Thanks so much cannot wait to try this!
Amanda, Not sure I understand the recipe. You let oats soak overnight, in AM add water & cook. Then you take the left over cooked oatmeal & soak all day to ferment. That night you add eincorn to soak overnight again. Got that part. When are the eggs, baking powder & soda etc. added?
Do they sit out overnight too or are they added the second morning when making the cookies. Can’t imagine leaving eggs in the batter out over night, or the powder & soda too. Can you or Laura or some one clarify this for me please. Thanks. Laura love your blog. Barb
Barb,
you can make the actual cookies anytime after the oatmeal’s cooked, i just dont get to it until later that night. throw everything in there when youre ready to pop them in.
Thank you for clearing up MY confusion. Makes more sense to me now. Can’t wait to try them. Barb
I’m sure I’ve seen these before but I never got around to trying them until this morning. Thanks so much for reposting. I’ve been looking for an easy, quick breakfast that my boys will actually eat. All the breakfast cookie recipes I’ve seen call for a lot of sugar, until this one. Again, thanks for that. ????
Hi Laura,
I’ve also been making these cookies for years. I noticed you listed 1/2 cup honey versus 3/4 cup honey as listed in your original recipe. Misprint or have you started using less honey now?
Thanks,
Lori
I have edited it recently to reduce the sugar content. :) If your family prefers you can still ad the 3/4 cup. :)
I have done this for years! It’s great for busy Sunday mornings!
Do you think they would taste ok if I used coconut oil instead of butter? Can’t do dairy.
Yes, definitely!
My 15yo DS loooooves these! He’s one of those guys that doesn’t always feel like breakfast at 5am. But these little gems he’s totally down with. Thanks for a creative breakfast recipe.
PS. They smell amazing ????
These were great!!! Made them as bars in a jelly roll pan – easy – thanks!
I have been making these for years and love them. I cook them, then freeze them but warm them in the toaster oven to enjoy. I never thought to freeze the dough. You have transformed this recipe for me. So excited to make a double batch and freeze them.
Laura we have eaten these cookies for a few years (LOVE THEM) and have worked on cutting most of the sugar from our diet. Have you or anyone tried to use a stevia blend (like Gentle Wweet from THM) instead of honey? Do you know if it would change the consistency of the cookie or affect the baking? Thanks!
I’d like to make a gluten free version. Can I substitute the whole wheat flour with brown rice flour or almond flour or have you ever tried to make gluten free?
I haven’t tried but I imagine rice flour should work!