Pioneer Woman Breakfast Cookies

Pioneer Woman breakfast cookies take 40 minutes and a mix of oats, dried cherries and pepitas to make a chewy grab-and-go cookie. Save this easy make-ahead breakfast idea for busy school mornings, picnics, potlucks or holiday gift boxes, because the dough freezes ahead of time.

Beat the butter and both sugars for a full 1 to 2 minutes until they turn pale and creamy. Skip that and the cookies bake up dense and greasy instead of soft in the middle.

Folding in puffed rice cereal and pepitas gives these a light crunch that a plain oatmeal cookie never has. Pressing each ball flat with a greased glass also helps them bake evenly, so the edges turn golden while the centers stay chewy.

Pioneer Woman Breakfast Cookies

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Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

14

minutes

Calories

294

kcal

Chewy oat cookies with tart cherries, crunchy pepitas and bits of chocolate bake up golden at the edges and soft in the middle. Pressing the dough flat before baking gives each one an even, bakery-style shape.

Ingredients

• 1 c. salted butter, melted
  

• 3/4 c. dark brown sugar
  

• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
  

• 2 eggs
  

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  

• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  

• 2 1/2 c. oats
  

• 1 c. dried cherries, roughly chopped
  

• 1 c. puffed rice cereal
  

• 1 c. pepitas
  

• 1/2 c. chocolate chips
  

Directions

• Cream the butter and sugars: Combine 1 cup melted salted butter, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until lightened in color and creamy.
• Add eggs and vanilla: Add the 2 eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until each is fully combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, then mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract on low.
• Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 1/2 cups oats in a medium bowl. Then slowly add them to the butter mixture on low speed, scraping the bowl as you go.
• Fold in the mix-ins: Fold in 1 cup roughly chopped dried cherries, 1 cup puffed rice cereal, 1 cup pepitas and 1/2 cup chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Stir just until everything is spread evenly through the dough.
• Scoop and shape: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet tray with parchment. Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, place them about 2 inches apart, then press each to 1/2-inch thickness with a greased glass.
• Bake the cookies: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. For frozen dough, thaw it on the counter for about 20 minutes while the oven heats. Then space the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart and bake for about 15 minutes.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I swap the dried cherries for something else?

Dried cranberries, raisins or chopped dried apricots all work in the same amount. Keep the pieces small so they spread evenly through the dough.

How do I store breakfast cookies?

Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies or the scooped dough.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, scoop the dough into balls and freeze them, then bake straight from the freezer after about 20 minutes on the counter. That gives you fresh cookies in the morning with almost no work.

Do I need a stand mixer for these cookies?

A hand mixer works fine for creaming the butter and sugars. You can also stir by hand, though it takes a bit more effort to get the mixture creamy.

What's the most common mistake with these cookies?

Skipping the pressing step is the big one, because the dense, oat-packed dough doesn't spread much on its own. Press each ball to 1/2 inch so the centers cook through before the edges overbrown.