Description
These Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Breakfast Cookies are a wholesome and flavorful treat perfect for autumn mornings or any time you want a healthy snack. Made with cooked quinoa, pumpkin puree, and warm pumpkin spice, these cookies are naturally sweetened and packed with fiber and protein. They’re soft, lightly spiced, and can be topped with a touch of whipped cream for an extra special touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg white (about 2 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup fat free whipped topping (Optional, for serving)
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup quinoa (raw)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or substitute with granulated sugar)
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice mix
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse and Cook Quinoa: Add quinoa to a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold water. In a saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat, uncover, and let cool for a few minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: While quinoa cooks, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, coconut sugar, ground flax seeds, pumpkin spice mix, and sea salt. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the cooked quinoa and add it to the dry ingredients. Stir well to coat all quinoa grains evenly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla extract, egg white, and maple syrup until well combined.
- Form Cookie Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and quinoa. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are fully incorporated into a sticky dough.
- Shape Cookies: Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies close together since they will not spread much. Flatten each cookie slightly with your palms to shape them.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cookies are golden and cooked through.
- Cool: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely for a couple of hours. The cookies will firm up as they cool due to the quinoa.
- Serve: If desired, top each cookie with a teaspoon of fat-free whipped topping before serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- These cookies make a nutritious breakfast or a delicious snack, especially loved during fall when pumpkin spice flavors shine.
- You can substitute coconut sugar with granulated sugar if preferred.
- Using cooked quinoa gives the cookies a chewy texture and adds protein and fiber.
- Cookies firm up as they cool, so be patient for the best texture.
- Optional whipped topping adds a creamy contrast but can be omitted for a lighter option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cookies
- Calories: 144 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
