Know how a sandwich tastes way better when someone else makes it for you? Way. There’s a reason for that. And its name is I Didn’t Make It. I suspect that doesn’t make any sense. I woke up late today. That might be the best I can do right about now.
This is me, late. And wrinkled. Old. I’m fairly certain I aged in my sleep last night. I’ll have proof soon enough. I’m getting my hair cut today, and ten bucks says my underneath-gray-hairs become out-and-proud-gray-hairs with a few snips of those scissors.
Food you make yourself doesn’t taste as good to you. It’s a fact. The New York Times says so, at least as it relates to sandwiches. But this is much bigger than just sandwiches. In my life, it’s beginning to reach epidemic proportions. It’s a problem. In case you hadn’t noticed, I make everything around here.
I taste everything I make. I am surrounded by taste testers, but for the most part … they’re useless in that department. My husband nods his head and declares everything “good.” Sometimes, a thumbs-up is all I get. My children … act like children.
So I taste.
And then I eat rice and beans for dinner.
I have strategies. Oodles of strategies. Most of them don’t work. But they’re strategic. And evolving. And I’m open to suggestion.
Sometimes, it helps if I eat a little sample for mouth feel — and then go mostly by smell. My sense of smell is legendary. Sometimes an asset, sometimes a liability. It depends.
Other times, I wait until the next day. I rely upon the fact that my short term memory isn’t what it used to be. By the next day, I’m usually a clean slate again. And I can taste test, and truly enjoy.
And if something is a total bust, I know right away. I don’t know how I know. I just do. Like the way you know about a good melon.
These breakfast cookies, though. They’re different.
They come together so quickly, that even I knew how good they were right away — soft and chewy, toothsome and aromatic. And perfectly packed with protein, and light enough on butter and sugar to qualify as the perfect grab-n-go breakfast goodie. The pumpkin flavor is just right — and it’s no biggie that you only use one-half a 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree. By now, we all know what to do with the rest. And since I didn’t have to spend much time fussing over them, I was able to spend time eating and loving them. That, and they came out exactly as I had intended — on the first try. (Which was perhaps my favorite kitchen event this week, since it took me 4 tries to come up with the perfect recipe for Yeasted Chocolate Bread that is guaranteed to knock your socks off. It was worth it, though. Every try.)
| Pumpkin Granola Breakfast Cookies |
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I use Better Batter)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if using Better Batter)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups granola (can be replaced by 1 1/2 cups rolled oats + 1/4 cup dried fruit)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like grapeseed or canola)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 7 1/2 ounces (half a 15 ounce can) pure packed pumpkin
- Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and sugars, and whisk to combine (and eliminate any lumps). Add the granola and mix to combine well.
- Add the oil, vanilla, butter, eggs and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition. The batter will be thick and stiff, but not quite as stiff as you would expect other cookie dough to be. Divide the dough into 36 equal portions. This works best with a small ice cream scoop, but can easily be done with a couple small spoons. Place the portions of dough about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for about 10 minutes until firm.
- Once the dough is firm, place the cookies in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (or until lightly browned around the edges and solid to the touch), rotating once during baking.
- Allow to cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store the cookies back to back, with small sheets of parchment paper between pairs of cookies, in airtight containers either on the counter or in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is drying, but the cookies are moist enough that they can stand up to it quite well.
Bean flour blends are not true all purpose flours.
Pamelas baking mixes are not intended to be all purpose flours. They are multi-ingredient baking mixes.
If you’d like to make your own granola, use my recipe for Oven-Worth Granola Bars, but omit the sweetened condensed milk, and bake in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet for about 20 minutes, stirring periodically. Allow to cool before using in this recipe. There is also a recipe for GF granola in my cookbook.
Love,
Nicole
P.S. Your continued support of my cookbook means so much to me. You must be telling your friends about us, and I’m truly grateful.
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Cookies for Breakfast – YUM! I made your Apple Crisp, Again with cherries yesterday. I ate it for dessert and then ate it AGAIN for breakfast. Because I can. Because I raked for 90 minutes the other day and my muscles are so sore I can’t breathe properly. Because my youngest son refuses to wear shoes. Because now I’m singing the Because line of the Wizard of Oz song.
Making these this weekend!
Oh, so you entice us with promises of Yeasted Chocolate Bread… I’d love to see the recipe for that one once it’s ready! :)
Planning to make the pumpkin carrot muffins and the pumpkin cookies~
I made these cookies this morning, and they are super-excellent! They will be ideal to take along when we are travelling! Thank you for posting the recipe!
I plan to add chopped walnuts to my breakfast pumpkin breakfast cookies! Got to make those this weekend…maybe double the recipe so I can freeze some!
Hi, Peggy!
My very wrong children never want any sort of nuts in anything, other than the pecans that are in the granola that I made. If you plan to make your own granola, you can just add walnuts to that. oooh if you toast them they would be amazing. This recipe doubles easily — and then you’ll be using the whole 15 ounce can of pumpkin. Perfect!
xoxo Nicole
Thanks, Nicole! Since I don’t eat much granola I will pick up a small bag of GF granola from Trader Joe’s…I can add my nuts to that mix! When I bake for others I usually leave the nuts out but these will be just for “me” & I love, love nuts!
So glad you’re making something just for you, Peggy!
xoxo Nicole
I think I’m losing it. I forgot I now have to go gluten-free and bought a three pack of canned pumpkin at Sam’s club this morning. I was going to bake my signature pumpkin bread this weekend to “give away/keep some for me too.” I remembered when I got home and went on line. Thanks for reeling me in and giving me two new options, (these cookies, and the Pumpkin Carrot cupcakes), to bake and have new signature “give aways/ keep some for me too” treats. Is it okay if I take all the glory and pats on the back or do you want in? Did you ever forget you had to go gluten free when you first started or am I losing it?
Hey, there, JoAnn,
The only reason I never forgot is because it was for my son, and he was really really ill. And now I’ve been doing it for so many years, that it’s fully part of me.
But everything else — including, at times, my children’s birthdays if you catch me off guard — is subject to being forgotten. :)
There are also a few other keeper recipes for pumpkin goodies in my cookbook, if you’re so inclined (pg. 196 Pumpkin Bread; Page 194 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares; Page 216 Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Cookie Crust).
Oh, and I’d much prefer if you took all the credit. After all, you’ll be doing the baking, as it’s not going to bake itself. ;)
xoxo Nicole
My birthday is next month and your book is on my wish list. Thanks for the info.
Hi, JoAnn,
You could probably get the book from your local library. If they don’t have a copy, you can usually request that they get one. I hope I didn’t make you feel pressured to buy it. That absolutely was not my intention. I hope you’ll stick around here on the blog!
xoxo Nicole
No pressure at all. I love cookbooks and now that I’m GF I get to buy more!
Good. I’m glad. :)
Can’t wait to try this one. Sounds delicious! Love your cookbook too.
Hi, Carol,
Thanks so much! I hope you’ll stick around.
xoxo Nicole
You are my hero! And I totally know what to do with the other half of that can of pumpkin. DOUBLE THE BATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) These are on the list of things to make today. Gotta mix up some flour today and pizza is on the menu for dinner tonight. The kids have been begging. :) And if you ever need a taste tester, I’ll email you my address. :) You do awesome work, Nicole!
Hey, Kadren,
I really do need a better taste tester. If only you lived closer! Seriously, my husband is all but useless. At least he eats the food. Where would I be without that, right?
So glad you’re excited about the breakfast cookies!
xoxo Nicole
I made these today. Mine are more like biscuits than cookies. My GF flour is not Better Batter (It is Jules) but it did have xantham gum already in it – should I have left it out of my recipe? I did not and that may have been my issue. Thanks!
Hi, Stephanie,
Yes, if your gluten-free flour blend already has xanthan gum in it, you should definitely leave out that ingredient. Jules flour, in particular, not only has xanthan gum in it, but also has something called Expandex in it, which is a modified tapioca starch that performs many of the same functions as does xanthan gum.
I assume that, by saying these came out more like biscuits, you mean that they were very fluffy. That would make sense, based upon the amount of xanthan gum – plus Expandex – in your batter.
I hope that helps!
xoxo Nicole
Thanks for the info I have your cookbook and love it. I have been gluten free for four years and am just now venturing into baking without a box mix. I will try these without Jules next time. Thanks again.
You bet. I wish I didn’t have to blame these things on the flour, but it is often the case that the flour is to blame. :/
xoxo Nicole
I just made these cookies, and while the flavor is delicious, the texture is off. My dough never spread, and the cookies are very lumpy. They don’t look like your pretty cookies above! I used Whole Foods Gluten Free Pantry all purpose flour, which doesn’t have xanthan gum, so I added that as directed. Not to put you on the spot, but any ideas? Thanks in advance!
Hi, Blair,
It’s most likely your flour that is to blame. Better Batter works every time. Most of the other flour blends on the market work sometimes, and not others. The only commercially prepared all-purpose flours I can recommend are Better Batter or Tom Sawyer for those who have to be potato-free. Everything else seems to be hit or miss, in my experience. The lumpiness of the cookies does sound rather strange, though, unless the lumps are pieces of granola (in which case, that’s good). Without knowing more, that’s all I can think of. I hope it’s helpful!
xoxo Nicole
That’s a fantastic recipe! I love biscuits, I love all kind of sweets! I’m italian, but when I came to New York last march my cousin gifted me your book and I think that there are so many beautiful and good recipes to make and to taste!! :-)
Simona
Hi, Simona,
I feel like I remember hearing from your cousin about her buying you my book. I might be imagining things. Either way, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. :)
xoxo Nicole
yeh I told you about this some months ago…I have a blog too with obviously gluten free recipes..it’s an italian blog, but all the recipes are also in english (I’m sure with some translation mistakes): http://www.pazziedolciesalate.com
p.s. I love also your last recipe, but it’s difficult to find coconut milk here…maybe there is only in some particular kind of shops..I’ll must find it!
Simona
I thought so, Simona! If you can’t find coconut milk, you can definitely use sweetened condensed milk if you are not dairy-free. Here, coconut milk is often considered an Asian ingredient. Maybe that will help you find it?
xoxo Nicole
Thank you so much Nicole!! XD
You bet, Simona. :)
xoxo Nicole
yes I told you about this some months ago…I have a blog too with obviously gluten free recipes..it’s an italian blog, but all the recipes are also in english (I’m sure with some translation mistakes): http://www.pazziedolciesalate.com
p.s. I love also your last recipe, but it’s difficult to find coconut milk here…maybe there is only in some particular kind of shops..I’ll must find it!
Simona
I am so pleased you found a way for me to justify eating cookies for breakfast. You are officially my hero. ~Darlene~
I do what I can, Darlene. :)
xoxo Nicole
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