When cookies are for breakfast, you just know it’s going to be a good day! We are coming in hot with these wholesome and delicious Vegan Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies that are a healthy twist on the southern classic hummingbird cake. Sweet dates, juicy pineapple, rich coconut, hearty oats, and tasty pecans make for an amazing breakfast cookie that will delight kids and adults alike. These comforting cookies are not only for breakfast, they make fantastic snacks and treats for dessert – YUM!
Whole Food Plant Based, plant based, vegan, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Ameera here!
I want to help! Seriously, when Mom and I see our Whole Food Plant Based friends asking for help, we want to see if we can help in some way. So here goes . . .
Over the past month, I’ve read at least a dozen Facebook posts in various WFPB groups from moms asking for help from our WFPB community. These moms have young children who are losing weight because they aren’t getting enough healthy plant fats in their diet. The kids are eating tons of veggies, fruits, healthy dishes, and other great WFPB food, but they are still losing weight and the moms were concerned.
The moms were asking for help on what to feed their children to prevent them from continuing to lose weight. These kids are perfectly healthy, and the moms are just looking for more calorically dense dishes. Everyone wanted to help, which is awesome! And there were tons of great suggestions.
What’s a Mom to do?
So, I showed mom the Facebook posts and we rolled up our sleeves and got to work to see if we could offer something too. We know that normally, in the WFPB diet, we would want to limit our fat intake, but we also know that small children need calorically dense, healthy high fat foods for brain development.
We got to thinking what if we make a cookie that has a dual purpose? It can be a breakfast cookie and also a treat! A Win-Win. We landed on a Hummingbird Breakfast Cookie as we modeled it after the southern classic hummingbird cake.
Why is it called a “hummingbird” cake, inquiring minds want to know?
The classic southern hummingbird cake got its name because it is so sweet that one could only eat a very small piece of cake, fit for a hummingbird. I’ve never had a hummingbird cake before, but Mom has (in her past life) and she says it is decadently sweet.
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Twist on a Classic
Mom and I weren’t looking at this from the sweet aspect, but rather from a calorically dense aspect, using all healthy ingredients. It has dates, oats, almond flour, almond butter, maple syrup, pineapple, pecans and coconut. The cookies taste lightly sweet, with a rich, buttery texture, and boy are they delicious! We were hoping that a breakfast “cookie” would appeal to the little ones.
Ohhh so good!
This breakfast cookie is soooo good! Dad loved them too! The great news is that they freeze really well, so make a batch, let them cool and get those babies in the freezer. LOL
Then these little delights will be ready for whenever you need them, pull them out of the freezer, let them thaw for an hour or two, and you’ve got a perfect breakfast, snack, or tasty treat.
I’ll let Mom tell you more.
Hi! Robin here.
This delicious healthy twist on a southern classic is all that and then some. We absolutely loved them. We are hoping that you will give this recipe a try. Let us know if your kids enjoy them.
Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
Products Used:
- Food Processor
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Vegan Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 12 Minutes
- Total Time: 27 Minutes
- Yield: 19-20 Breakfast Cookies 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
When cookies are for breakfast, you just know it’s going to be a good day! We are coming in hot with these wholesome and delicious Vegan Hummingbird Breakfast Cookies that are a healthy twist on the southern classic hummingbird cake. Sweet dates, juicy pineapple, rich coconut, hearty oats, and tasty pecans make for an amazing breakfast cookie that will delight kids and adults alike. These comforting cookies are not only for breakfast, they make fantastic snacks and treats for dessert – YUM!
Whole Food Plant Based, plant based, vegan, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (gluten free, if needed)
- ¼ cup almond flour, lightly packed
- 1 Tablespoon flax meal
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond butter
- ¼ cup organic maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1/3 cup drained crushed pineapple
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened plain plant milk *(see step 3)
Optional:
- WFPB Maple Glaze found on Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the oven rack to the center position.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat, set aside.
- Add the Medjool dates to a food processor, process for one minute to break them up, then add all the remaining ingredients (except the plant milk). Process for 30 – 45 seconds to combine. Test the dough by picking up some dough and squeezing it. If it does not hold together easily, add 1 Tablespoon of plant milk, and process for a few seconds. If it holds together and forms a ball easily, no need to add the plant milk.
- Scoop up a golf ball size dough (2 cookie scoops), roll into a tight smooth ball, then slightly flatten into a thick disk, then place onto the lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used. Wash hands between every 5 to 6 dough ball rolls to prevent sticking.
- Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven. Allow to set on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooking rack.
- If desired (optional), drizzle the Maple Glaze over the breakfast cookies.
Notes
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Makes: 19 to 20 breakfast cookies
*Storage: Refrigerate, use within 5 days. Freezes well.
This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.
I am a huge fan of your blog!!!! I make one if your recipes every Sunday to eat for lunch or dinner throughout the week and my non-vegan family lives every dish! I have one question: How many Hummingbird breakfast cookies make one serving for a breakfast meal? Also, it would be great to see serving sizes and nutritional information on future recipes.
Thank you, Judy Wehking ?
Hi there JudyAnn 🙂
Yay! Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so excited that you are enjoying our blog and recipes. It means so much to us that you took the time to write such wonderful feedback! We appreciate your input and hope to add nutritional information in the near future. You may wish to use an app like cronometer to decide what is the best portion size for you <3
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Thanks so much, I will check out Chronometer! Many thanks, JudyAnn
Our pleasure!
Loved these! Made them as dessert, although I could also see how they could work for breakfast. With the icing on, of course. (Unlike a lot of other recipes, yours gave the perfect amount of frosting for the cookies–not too much and not too little). So delicious! Before I went WFPB, I loved hummingbird cake (made commercially at one of the local grocery stores) but even then felt a little guilty knowing it was such a sugar and fat bomb. I’d probably find it too cloying now. But your cookies were healthy hummingbird perfection!
Hi there Ellen 🙂
Yaaayyy! We are beyond excited that you enjoyed these cookies and liked the amount of frosting too 😀 We are glad to hear that it reminds you of a healthier version, and we appreciate you taking the time to write! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback <3 Wishing you a beautiful day!
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Can these be made without the pineapple? Can it be omitted or is a substitution require?
Hi there Susan 🙂
Thank you so much for reaching out to us. The pineapple adds a bit of moisture to this recipe. We think if you omit the pineapple, the cookie might be a tad dry. We don’t have a substitution, as gluten free, oil free WFPB baking is very finicky and any changes/substitutions can drastically change the overall texture and flavor.
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
I can’t wait to make these. I’m going to make for work and take them for my birthday treats I’ll t’ll let you know what they say about them
Hi there Karen,
We are so thrilled you’ll be giving this recipe a try! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Wishing you a very happy birthday!
-Ameera and Robin
Can I use spelt flour in place of the almond flour?
Hi there Stacey,
Thank you for your questions. We don’t know if spelt flour will work as we have not kitchen tested it. If you give it a try, but sure to let us know.
-Ameera and Robin
I made these with applesauce instead of pineapple since I did not have pineapple. I used equal measurements. They came out great and had a wonderful consistency!! Another delicious recipe from you both!!!
Hi there Janet,
YAYYYY!!! We are so happy that you enjoyed this recipe. So glad the applesauce worked instead of pineapple. Thank you so much for the lovely review.
-Ameera and Robin