Have you ever wanted cookies for breakfast? In my case it's not very uncommon. While I absolutely love traditional breakfast foods (seriously... they're my favorite), every now and then I have the desire to mix it up. However, who can really justify eating desserts for breakfast? Unless it's the day after your birthday and you have leftover cake (yeah... that's acceptable), it doesn't happen often in our house.

I take that back. Whenever I make cookies or cupcakes or some kind of baked treat, Clark will eat one the next morning and just stick "breakfast" in front of it. "Oh, this? It's a breakfast cookie."

Lightbulb.

So when all these recipes were floating around Pinterest for breakfast cookies, I wasn't sure what to think. Until I made some. And then what did I think?

Genius.

And, of course, Michael agreed with me.

Ingredients:

- 2 very ripe, smashed bananas
- 1/2 C peanut butter, creamy or chunky (I used all natural creamy)
- 1/3 C protein powder or wheat germ (I used wheat germ because I didn't have any protein powder lying around)
- 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1.5 C oats (you can use quick oats or old fashioned; I used old fashioned for a more oatmeal-like-texture)
- 1/4 to 1/3 C carob or chocolate chips *optional*
For those of you that have a sweet-tooth, you may want to add a tablespoon or so of honey as well!

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 350.
- Mix your bananas and peanut butter together nicely before adding your protein powder/wheat germ, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Stir in your oats.
- Stir in your *optional* chips.
(Yep. It's that easy.)
- Let your dough rest for a couple minutes. Prepare your cookie sheet, tidy up, whatever works-- for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Drop your cookies and criss-cross them like you would with peanut butter cookies.

*Note: I didn't do this until they had been in the oven for a while, but I think it works better if you do it when they are still actual dough!*

- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let sit on the pan for 2 to 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.


Yummy breakfast cookies with a fabulous kick of protein to start your day!


This recipe was molded from Watching What I Eat.