These mocha breakfast cookies make the most delicious breakfast! These cookies are deliciously fudgy and have prominent chocolate AND coffee flavors. These cookies are 100% breakfast appropriate; they are filled with whole-grain oats, heart-healthy nut butter, and contain ZERO added sugar!! They are naturally sweetened using chocolate protein powder (although see post for substitution ideas if you don’t have any/prefer to not use protein powder). These mocha breakfast cookies pair perfectly with a cup of coffee for breakfast, or as an afternoon pick-me-up snack! It took me several trials to get these mocha breakfast cookies PERFECT…and I am so happy with the end result!! Can’t wait for you to give these chocolate mocha breakfast cookies a try ?
I’d say it’s high time we have another breakfast cookie recipe around here!!! Specifically, a CHOCOLATE flavored breakfast cookie. I mean, I do love these banana nut breakfast cookies…they taste like banana bread and I love how portable they are! BUT. It’s pretty much a safe thing to say I would almost always prefer a chocolate flavored baked good! I absolutely love these chocolate peanut butter breakfast cookies. Goodness, I can’t believe it’s been two years since I’ve shared that recipe with you!
If you’re not as much of a chocolate lover as me, I have several other breakfast cookie flavors on the blog! We have:
Lemon Poppy seed Breakfast Cookies
Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies
And now these mocha breakfast cookies!!
Here’s what you’ll need to make these mocha breakfast cookies!
Ingredients and Substitution Ideas
Oats
I like using quick oats in my breakfast cookie recipes, but you could try using old-fashioned/rolled oats. They might not stick together quite as well though! I’ve also made my own version of quick oats before by simply blending whole oats in my blender or food processor (here’s what I own!) a couple times!
Chocolate protein powder
These are the protein powders I use and love! I also have been using Orgain plant-based protein a lot recently, and love it! (If you enter code “audra” at checkout on Orgain’s website, you can get 30% off your first order!!). Not sponsored, just simply sharing my fav products! I always use a plant-based protein powder in my breakfast cookies as I find plant-based protein powders often bake better than a whey-based protein powder. Note that all protein powders have a different taste and consistency, so be sure to use one you like! Plant-based protein tends to be thicker, so if you try these with a whey protein powder (which I haven’t tested), you might not need all/some of the milk.
You could also substitute an additional 1/3-1/2 cup oats (or oat flour) in place of the protein powder. While I personally have not tried this, some others have do this successfully! You may want to try ¼ cup brown sugar (or ¼ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup additional oats) in place of the protein powder/extra oats to provide additional sweetness (since the protein powder I use is naturally sweetened).
Flax eggs
Another ingredient that helps bind these cookies is the ground flax! When you mix it with water, it gels and forms a vegan “egg.” Using ground flax also keeps these cookies vegan! I personally have not tried using a regular chicken egg, but if you want to try using that I’d suggest starting with only 1 egg and then adding another if the cookie dough isn’t sticking together.
Dark cocoa powder
Personally, I felt these cookies didn’t have a strong enough chocolate flavor with just the chocolate protein powder, so I added just a touch of dark cocoa powder! You can definitely use regular cocoa powder, but I love using Hershey’s dark cocoa (I find it right next to regular cocoa in the baking aisle of the grocery store) for a deeper, richer, dark chocolate brownie-like flavor.
Espresso powder
If you don’t like coffee (who are you?!) and are just looking for a plain chocolate cookie, feel free to omit the espresso powder. OR, you can substitute 1-2 teaspoons instant coffee instead of the espresso powder (which I also find in the baking aisle).
Salt
Salt is a KEY ingredient in almost any recipe of mine (and recipes in general). It brings the flavors together and actually brings out the sweetness in recipes!
Almond butter
I love using nut butter in my breakfast cookies, and in baked goods in general instead of butter. I am slightly obsessed with nut butters and have SO many jars in my pantry and fridge it’s honestly downright embarrassing. Unlike these chocolate peanut butter breakfast cookies, I wasn’t looking for a peanut butter flavor in this chocolate mocha version, so I opted to use a more mild-tasting nut butter like almond. You can also use cashew butter!
Milk
Any variety of milk will do! I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk, which also keeps these cookies vegan. Use whatever type of milk you have on hand.
Vanilla extract
For flavor!
Espresso chocolate chips
I was so excited to try Nestle’s new espresso chocolate chips in these mocha cookies!! If you can find them, I highly recommend giving them a try in these cookies. It’s a fun change from regular chocolate chips, but of course you can still use regular chocolate chips (I often use mini for more chocolate in every bite!) if you want.
COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST?!
Yes, these cookies really are 100% appropriate for breakfast! They have ZERO added sugar, and are so much more nutritious than typical muffins, doughnuts, pastries, etc. that you might be eating for breakfast! You can pair these chocolate mocha breakfast cookies with some Greek yogurt and fruit, top them with some nut butter, or simply eat them by themselves with a glass of milk! However you eat them, I hope you love them! These cookies are best stored in the fridge for optimal freshness, and they freeze beautifully if you want to make a batch to have on hand!
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 scoop (1/2 cup; 46 grams) chocolate plant-based protein
- 2 tablespoons ground flax + 5 tablespoons water (2 flax eggs)
- 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (or instant coffee)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup almond butter
- 4-5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup espresso (or mini, or regular) chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together ground flax with 3 tablespoons water.
- In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats, chocolate protein powder, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt) until combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together wet ingredients (almond butter, milk, ground flax and water mixture, milk, and vanilla extract).
- Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop into cookies on prepared baking sheet. Note that these cookies don't spread much while baking, so you might want to gently press down into a cookie shape so you don't end up with cookie balls. ?
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes for small cookies (about 16-18 total) or bake for closer to 15-16 minutes if making large cookies (about 8-10 cookies total). Make sure you check the cookies near the end of baking to ensure they are baked perfectly as all ovens will vary, and baking time really depends on how big you make these cookies.
- Store in fridge for optimal freshness. Freezer-friendly.
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Great recipe. I made a half batch and didn’t have milk so used 15 grams powdered milk and 1/4,brewed coffee. Did add 1/4 cup sugar. Used peanut butter not almond butter. I think they are a winner. Love the fact you give the weight of the protein powder.