Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast? Oh yeah baby, you heard me. Why not. I remember going on a big family vacation with my sister years ago and she let her kids have Rice Krispie Treats for breakfast. Why not, they're made from cereal. I started looking at my sister in a whole new light that day. After all, she had 3 kids, I only had 2 at the time. Looking back now, she was on to something.


My kids are up before I am. My son and older daughter are out of the house to catch the bus for school before I'm out of bed. Now don't go thinking I'm a horrible mother. My son catches the bus at 6:10 and my daughter at 6:15. My hubby is the morning person. He's the one up at 4 am, without an alarm clock. He makes sure they're up and showered in time. I'm awake, I'm just sitting in bed drinking my coffee and watching the morning news. It's one of my quiet times. The youngest will usually come in and sit with me (a little cuddle time) before she heads off to catch the bus at 7:10.

Needless to say, they don't get eggs and bacon for breakfast on school days. We do breakfast for dinner and on weekends we'll make something special like Cinnamon Rolls or Monkey Bread. No, breakfast on school days needs to be grab and run. I usually have muffins in the freezer for them to grab or granola they can put in a baggie to munch on.

Sometimes you need to change things up a little. And when that change includes a little chocolate? You know it's a change for the better.

Theses cookies are full of good stuff. Oatmeal, pecans, coconut, bittersweet chocolate, peanut butter. Not overly sweet, full of flavor and they're sturdy. They won't crumble up from a little toss in the book bag. Much better than a silly Rice Krispie Treat.

Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped pecans (or other favorite nut)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and peanut butter. Add in butter and beat for 5 minutes. Add in egg, water and vanilla, cream until well combined. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in oats, chopped nuts and coconut. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping tablespoon about 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then remove to racks to cool completely. These freeze well.

I'm sharing at some of these great parties.