Cranberry Breakfast Cookies

Name: Cranberry Breakfast Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 egg (beaten lightly); 1 cup dried cranberries

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Cranberry breakfast cookies are filled with oats and dried cranberries for a hearty start to the day. You’ll be making them all fall long.

A large oatmeal and dried fruit cookie is placed on a wooden surface. Dried cranberries are scattered around, with a white bowl filled with more dried cranberries in the background.

This recipe has been retested and updated since first publishing November 2015.

Breakfast cookies are a brilliant invention, because you get to feel like you’re getting away with something by eating a cookie, but you’re basically just eating a helping of whole grains, hearty nuts, and fruit!

These cranberry breakfast cookies are full of sweet-tart cranberries and are spiced with fragrant ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. They’re so good you might find excuses to eat breakfast all day long!

Plus, they store well, so you can make a batch today and have them ready for the days ahead, or tucking into a bag to take with you for early morning tailgating, apple picking, or a day of holiday shopping.

Ingredients for breakfast cookies

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

Top-down view of various labeled ingredients arranged in bowls and a single egg, including oats, ginger, nutmeg, maple syrup, flour, cranberries, baking soda, salt, applesauce, walnuts, and cinnamon.

You’ll need:

Rolled oats – also known as old-fashioned oats
All-purpose flour
Walnuts
Spices – Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg
Baking soda
Salt
Applesauce
Maple syrup
Egg
Dried cranberries

I like to buy unsweetened applesauce in individual cups for baking. They’re perfectly portioned into 1/2 cup, and I don’t need to worry about the rest of a jar languishing in the back of my fridge! Make sure to buy applesauce without added sugar or flavors.

How to make this recipe

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, walnuts, spices, baking soda, and salt until uniformly mixed.

Add the applesauce, maple syrup, and beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Stir until there are no dry bits remaining. You want all of the oats evenly moistened; any dry oats won’t form into cookies. Stir in the cranberries.

A mixing bowl containing oats, chopped nuts, flour, cinnamon, and a blend of other dry ingredients. A cup of beaten egg and a cup of applesauce are nearby.

A mixing bowl with rolled oats, applesauce, egg, and a spoon ready for mixing. A small bowl of cranberries is partially visible at the top left, and a cloth is partly seen on the right.

Now, let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes. This helps the oats to soak up the liquid so they soften and the cookies stay together better.

While the mixture is resting, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Scoop out the dough into large balls using clean hands or a large cookie scoop. They should be about 3 tablespoons in size, packed firmly so they do not fall apart.

A mixing bowl containing oatmeal mixture with raisins and a metal scoop. Some scooped oatmeal portions are placed on a parchment-lined baking tray.

A baking tray lined with parchment paper holds eight freshly baked oatmeal cookies with visible raisins.

Place each ball onto the baking sheet and flatten slightly, reshaping the cookie as needed. Repeat with remaining dough. These cookies do not really rise, so you can place them somewhat close together on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nine oatmeal cookies with dried fruit are arranged on a cooling rack, with a bowl of additional dried fruit placed above them.

Storage tips

Store the breakfast cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They do not need to be refrigerated.

For longer storage, you can freeze them! Once completely cooled, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container. Laying a piece of waxed or parchment paper between the cookies will make it easier to remove them later.

Freeze for up to 3 months for best flavor.

Thaw cookies at room temperature, or place in the microwave and heat in 15 second bursts, or until warmed through.

A stack of homemade oatmeal cookies with dried berries and oats sits on a wooden surface.

Recipe suggestions

The previous version of this recipe used fresh cranberries. If you prefer that juicy tart flavor, feel free to swap them back in! You will need 4 ounces of fresh cranberries. If using frozen, make sure they are completely thawed first.

Change out or increase the spices as desired. Sometimes I use just cinnamon, or bump up the ginger flavor! Apple pie spice blend is also a great option.

Substitute pecans or almonds for the walnuts, or use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) instead. Chocolate chips are a fun addition too!

If you don’t have applesauce on hand, you can swap in a mashed banana.

FAQ

Yes! To make this recipe vegan, swap the egg with a flax egg. Whisk together 1 tablespoon ground flax meal with 3 tablespoons water, then use in place of the egg.

If you need to eat gluten free, this recipe is easily altered. First, make sure your oats are certified gluten free. All oats are technically gluten free, but there can be a risk of cross-contamination.

Instead of all-purpose flour, swap in your favorite all-purpose gluten-free blend. I usually use Pamela’s, which is widely available.

I recommend using a cookie scoop to shape the cookies, and making sure it is firmly packed. Then use a hand to gently press on the cookie and shape it. If you have kitchen gloves, they come in handy here to form the cookies.

You can also swap 1/2 cup of the rolled oats for 1/2 cup quick oats, which can help the cookies bind together better.

More cranberry breakfasts

Are you in the mood for cranberries now?

Make a batch of cranberry orange muffins or a quick loaf of cranberry soda bread. You can also go all out with cranberry orange cinnamon rolls!

Apple cranberry crisp is perfect for both breakfast and dessert, and so are mini mincemeat pies.

Close-up of oat and dried fruit cookies on a wooden board, with a white bowl of dried fruit in the background.

These breakfast cookies come together so easily. You’ll love how perfect they are for eating on the go!

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