Breakfast Cookies (or Protein Bars!)

Makes 4 large cookies or 8 bars

Each cookie contains 20 grams of protein, so if you aim for closer to 30 grams of protein at breakfast, a scoop of collagen in your morning coffee or tea will get you to 30 grams!

Make this recipe into 4 large cookies for a complete meal, or bake in an 8 x 8 pan and cut into bars to use them as whole-food protein bars.

Wet ingredients

  • 1large egg
  • 1/4cupalmond butter
  • 3tbspunsweetened milk of choice
  • 1/4cupmonkfruit syrup, allulose syrup or maple syrup
  • 2tbspchia seeds
  • 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Dry ingredients

  • 3/4cupsalmond flour
  • 1/4cupflaxseed meal
  • 1/4cuplupin flour
  • 1/4cupunsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2tbsphemphearts
  • 1/2tsp baking powder
  • 1tspcinnamon
  • 1/2tsp cardamom
  • 1/8tsp salt

Add-ins:

  • 1/2cupsugar-free dark chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1/4cupchopped nuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, cashews (optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, almond butter, milk, syrup,chia seeds, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine almond flour, flaxseed meal, lupin flour, shreddedcoconut, hemp hearts, baking powder, spices, and salt.
  4. Shape the cookies: Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. The dough will be very sticky, so itmay be helpful to rub a little coconut oil into your hands. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten it slightly into a cookie shape using the palm of your hand. Place the cookies on the preparedbaking sheet. If you have decided to make bars, press the dough into a parchment-lined 8 x 8 pan.
  5. Bake: Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Allowthem to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you make bars and bake in an 8×8 pan, bake for 18-20 minutes.
  6. Bars: Allow the pan to cool, then lift the bars out using the edges of the parchment paper. Using asharp knife, cut them into 8 bars. If you are making these as protein bars for children, you can cut them into 16 squares!
  7. Enjoy! Any leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or frozen for longer storage. Tip: wrap your bars or cookies individually in compostable plastic wrap so they are easy to grab and go!

Nutrition Per Cookie when made into 4 cookies

  • Calories: 450
  • Protein: 20g
  • Fiber: 15g
  • NetCarbs: 8g
  • Fat:35g

Nutrition Per Cookie when made into 8 bars

  • Calories: 225
  • Protein: 10g
  • Fiber: 7.5g
  • NetCarbs: 4g
  • Fat:17.5g

Swaps

Egg: to make these egg-free, use ¼ cup mashed banana or ¼ cup pumpkin puree.

Almond butter: use your favorite nut butter.

Milk of choice: use your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk; just make sure they are unsweetened.

Monk fruit syrup, allulose syrup, or maple syrup: any of these will work; nutrition facts calculated for maple syrup, so if you want these to be even lower carb, use monk fruit or allulose syrup.

Chia seeds: swap for basil seeds. Basil seeds soak up more water, so if your batter is dry, add atablespoon more milk.

Almond flour: use cashew flour, pumpkin seed flour, or sunflower seed flour.

Flaxseed meal: use coconut flour or protein powder.

Lupin flour: use lupin meal, coconut flour, or protein powder.

Unsweetened shredded coconut: leave it out if you don’t like coconut.

Hemp hearts: swap for protein powder.

Chocolate chips: use your favorite dark chocolate or sugar-free chopped chocolate.

Nuts: use your favorites or leave them out! I use ½ sunflower seeds and ½ cashews in my breakfast cookies.