CEiMB - Breakfast Cookies

Ellie, how did you know?

How did you know that when you say "breakfast cookie," this

is what I think of. I mean, if it's a cookie, and you eat it for breakfast, that makes it a breakfast cookie, right?

Um, no.

So Ellie designed a cookie for me. She must have heard me scream when I climbed on the scale a few weeks back.

Thanks, Ellie.

There was a bit of measuring and all that, but these cookies were fairly easy to put together. My hand slipped and I added a few more walnuts than the recipe called for. The recipe warns that the "dough" will be very wet, and it was, almost like a muffin batter. I grated nutmeg and it smelled amazing while it was baking. After the cookies cooled, I sampled one. Frankly, it was fantastic, so much better than I thought it would be. It was very cakey, but the spices and the moistness took this one right over the top. These are going in the freezer, so I can retrieve one for breakfast as needed.

Many thanks to Natalie of What's for Supper? for this super pick.

Breakfast Cookies

Makes 12 cookies
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough. 

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.