Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies
Looking for something sweet and wholesome to add to your breakfast spread? Made with banana, pineapple, pecans, coconut, warm spices, and whole grains, these island-inspired Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies are just what you need to start the day off right!
I love the whole idea of breakfast cookies, don’t you? They’re easy to grab on a busy morning and just begging to be packed in a lunch box. But cookies for breakfast? It all comes down to the recipe and I’ll tell you, finding the right balance between ‘healthy’ and ‘tasty’ can be tricky. Too much fat and sugar and you’ll just feel like you’re eating…well…cookies. Too little and you’re left with a flavorless hockey puck.
So what makes this recipe that’s inspired by the beloved Hummingbird Cake worthy of the most important meal of the day? Keep reading to find out!
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All the Good Stuff
Whole grains, banana, pineapple, pecans, coconut, spices–what’s not to love about this ingredient list! It’s like a dietitian’s dream come true! Not only does each ingredient bring some nutritional heft to the table, but the natural sweetness, healthy fats, and extra moisture mean you can use less added sugar and butter. It’s a breakfast cookie that’s both delicious and good for you!
The end result? You get a wonderfully moist cookie with the perfect amount sweetness, making it an ideal choice any time of day. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast option, healthy snack, or island-inspired dessert, you can’t go wrong with these Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies!
The Recipe
Whipping up a batch of these fruity cookies is straightforward and uncomplicated. You’ll begin by creaming your butter and sugars together, beating in the egg, and gradually mixing in the remaining ingredients. Easy peasy!
When it comes time to make your cookie dough balls, you might find the dough is a bit sticky to work with. I didn’t have too much trouble, but you can definitely pop your dough in the fridge for half an hour to firm things up. Either way, you’ll finish things off by scooping the dough into balls, rolling in extra coconut (if desired), and baking in a preheated oven.
Before you know it, your whole house will be filled with the most amazing aroma–think tropical fruits, toasted nuts, and warm spices. Serve with your favorite coconut Greek yogurt and fresh fruit for a balanced breakfast inspired by the islands!
Like a bigger cookie?
I personally love smaller cookies. It means you get more cookies! But all joking aside, if you prefer a larger cookie, go for it! I experimented with two sizes and they both baked up beautifully.
To make a smaller cookie, use a small cookie dough scoop or two spoons to make balls the size of a walnut. For the larger size, I used my 1/4 cup and formed discs about 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick. Just give the larger cookies about a minute longer in the oven and you’re good to go!
To roll or not to roll?
The last step of making these delicious Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies is to roll each ball of cookie dough in a bit of additional flaked coconut. So good! I adore not only the extra coconutty flavor, but also the wonderful crunch from the toasted coconut coating. It looks amazing, too!
If, however, you’re not super big on coconut or would like to shave off a few extra calories, feel free to skip the coconut coating! It’s up to you!
Hot Tip: Make & Freeze!
Love cookies warm out of the oven? Me, too. One of the best baking tricks I ever learned was to freeze balls of cookie dough for future baking! Just think–freshly baked, homemade cookies that are ready in 15 minutes and require virtually ZERO clean up. Are you sold yet?
Freezing cookie dough couldn’t be easier. Simply make your cookie balls in whatever size you like best, arrange them on a small baking sheet (no need to space them out), cover with plastic wrap, and pop in the freezer. Once your cookie dough is frozen, transfer the balls to a zip-top freezer bag and that’s it! Just be sure to label your bag with what sort of cookie you’ve got stashed in there as well as the baking temperature and time. Take it from me–you don’t want to mistake your cookies for meatballs!
Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies
I hope you love these Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies! With the perfect amount of natural sweetness, good-for-you fats, and wholesome grains, these cookies are sure to give you the energy you need to face the day.
Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1½ cup oats (I used quick oats)
- ½ cup pecans, chopped to small chips
- ½ + ⅔ cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
- ⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the egg and beat an additional 2 minutes.
- Now add the vanilla, spices, and banana and mix on low speed until well incorporated. Sprinkle in the baking soda, salt, and flours and mix until just combined.
- Add in the oats, pecans, ½ cup coconut, and crushed pineapple and mix well. At this point, assess the stickiness of your dough. If it seems too sticky to handle, pop the dough in the fridge for a half hour to firm things up a bit. Otherwise, it's time to roll those cookies!
- With two small spoons or a small cookie dough scoop, begin to make balls of cookie dough about the size of a walnut. Gently roll them in the remaining flaked coconut, if desired. Place on a lined cookie sheet a couple inches apart and bake in your preheated oven for 9-11 minutes. The dough will look set and both the coconut and bottoms will be starting to turn a beautiful golden brown when done. Note: If you like a larger cookie, use a ¼ cup to scoop the cookie dough. Shape into flattened discs about ½" to ¾" thick, press into the coconut, and bake an additional minute–approximately 10-12 minutes total.
- Once your cookies are done, transfer them to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before eating (if you can wait that long!). These store very well for several days if kept in an airtight container.
- Hot tip: This cookie dough freezes beautifully! Simply shape your cookie dough balls, place on a small baking sheet, and freeze. Transfer your dough balls into a labelled zip-lock bag and store in the freezer until you're ready for an easy breakfast! Just grab the number you need, press in flaked coconut (if desired), and add 1 additional minute to your baking time, for a total of 10-12 minutes for the smaller sized cookie.
Notes
Did you try this recipe for Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies? Let me know how it went down in the comments!
P.S. Hungry for more? Check out these other delicious recipes!
6 thoughts on “Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies”
hello!
I just made these pretty breakfast cookies, substituting a few of the ingredients in your recipe with what I had on hand: coconut oil instead of butter; walnuts rather than pecans; fresh pineapple instead of canned and almond extract rather than vanilla. I also replaced the 1/4 c all~purpose flour with whole wheat flour and left out the white sugar altogether with no negative impact on flavor or texture~ they are definitely sweet enough ~ probably due to the extra ripeness of my banana and pineapple.
Finally, I decided to use a wooden spoon to blend and beat the batter rather than getting the electric mixer out ~ it just seemed easier and the end result was excellent.
So now that the first batch is out of the oven, I must say that they smell and look very inviting ~ a special breakfast treat to serve to my husband tomorrow morning alongside his coffee.
thank you Darlene, for taking the time to create and share so many interesting, uncomplicated and appealing recipes ~ I look forward to further exploring your site. 🌀
These cookies look amazing! I can’t wait to try the recipe out — always looking for something new to whip up in the kitchen. 🙂
I hope you love them! Always nice to have another breakfast option!
perfect, thanks for sharing! I think now I’ve plenty of time to try different baking and have no excuse not to do it 😀
Omg this looks amazing, my mouth is literally drooling!
Thank you! I hope you try them! ❤️