Cookies for Breakfast + Cookbook Giveaway

In celebration of Laura Wright's first cookbook: The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons, we wanted to share an easy and delicious recipe to be enjoyed throughout the day, starting with breakfast. Her cookbook is gorgeously photographed with 125 vegan recipes with notations for gluten-free, sugar-free, oil-free, and nut-free throughout. Laura's passionate about living simply, cooking, and staying connected to the earth. Her foundation in cooking is through seasonal plant-based recipes that are approachable for the everyday cook and baker. 

Cookies for Breakfast

Makes 12 cookies

Reprinted from The First Mess Cookbook by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2017, Laura Wright

• 1 1/4 cups gluten-free rolled oats (not quick-cooking) 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
• 1/2 cup smooth almond butter, stirred (I used crunchy peanut butter and it tasted great!)
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 3 tablespoons liquid virgin coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup add-ins of your choice (Laura recommends dried blueberries, pumpkin seeds, and chopped walnuts. I used raisins and pumpkin seeds.)

DIRECTIONS: 

1. 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. 2) In a large bowl, stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, almond flour, and brown rice flour until combined.
3. 3) In a bowl of a food processor, combine the mashed banana, almond butter, maple syrup, ground flaxseed, coconut oil, and vanilla. Process on high until the mixture is smooth.
4. 4) Scrape the almond butter mixture into the large bowl with the oats and flour mixture. Thrown your add-ins into the bowl. Stir the mixture with a spatula until you have a unified and very stiff cookie dough.
5. 5) Drop 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each mound of dough with the palm of your hand. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake until lightly golden brown, about 15 to 17 minutes. 
6. 6) Cool cookies completely before storing in an airtight container. The cookies will last on the counter for 5 days. 
7.  

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY! Enter for a chance to win 1 copy of the newly published The First Mess cookbook + $100 worth of MightyNest kitchen gear.  Giveaway ends March 27th at 11:59pm CST.

CONGRATULATIONS to Clea Ackerman, the winner of this giveaway!