breakfast cookies for metabolic health and blood sugar balance
an easy grab-and-go whole food breakfast to keep your energy up and your blood glucose stable
This recipe came about because I wanted to create an easy grab-and-go breakfast that would provide enough protein, fat, and fiber to keep you satiated until lunchtime, keep your energy up, and keep your blood glucose stable. It was important to me that this breakfast cookie be made with whole food ingredients and didn’t rely on protein powder for its protein content.
I spent a lot of time on this recipe, and I hope you love the final result! Batch number 5 is the perfect combination of chunky, sweet, chewy, and flavorful. Each cookie contains 20 grams of protein, so if you aim for closer to 30 grams of protein at breakfast, a scoop of collagen in your morning coffee or tea will get you to 30 grams!
Starting our day with protein, fiber, and healthy fat is the perfect way to set you up for stable mood, stable energy levels, steady blood sugar, and to avoid the mid-morning munchies!
These keto breakfast cookies are packed with 15 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein each, making them the perfect on-the-go meal to fuel your day. Make this recipe into 4 large cookies for a complete meal, or bake in an 8 x 8 pan and cut into bars to use these as whole food protein bars.
If you are not familiar with lupin flour, it is simply ground lupin beans, nothing else. Lupin beans are a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all 9 essential amino acids. Lupin flour, and lupin pasta are terrific sources of complete protein for vegetarians, vegans, or anyone looking to increase their protein intake but keep carbs low.
If you are looking for more healthy breakfast ideas, check out this post with 15 Blood Sugar-Friendly Breakfast Ideas.
If today is the day you decide to upgrade to paid, thank you! Your support means so much to me and helps me to bring more metabolically healthy recipes into the world.
As with all of my recipes, this Keto Breakfast Cookie is gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, low-carb, and blood-sugar-friendly. It has 20 grams of protein per cookie, 15 grams of fiber, and just 8 net carbs. I used maple syrup and achieved a level glucose response. With a keto syrup, the carb count will be less than one net carb per cookie.
Breakfast Cookie
By Beth Bollinger of Nest Wellness
Gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, low-carb, blood sugar friendly
Makes 4 large cookies, or 8 bars
Equipment
Optional: bake in an 8 x 8 pan to make these into bars instead of cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
1 large egg
1/4 cup almond butter
3 tbsp unsweetened milk of choice
1/4 cup monk fruit syrup, allulose syrup or maple syrup
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
3/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup lupin flour
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp hemp hearts
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp salt
Optional add-ins:
1/2 cup sugar-free dark chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cashews, sunflower seeds, pepitas, or your favorite (optional)
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, almond butter, milk, syrup, chia seeds, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine almond flour, flaxseed meal, lupin flour, shredded coconut, hemp hearts, baking powder, spices, and salt.
Mix everything together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until a thick dough forms. If using, fold in the sugar-free chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
Shape the cookies: Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. The dough will be very sticky, so it may be helpful to rub a little coconut oil into your hands. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten it slightly into a cookie shape using the palm of your hand. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. If you have decided to make bars, press the dough into a parchment-lined 8 x 8 baking pan.
Bake: Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you make bars and bake in an 8x8 pan, bake for 18-20 minutes.
Bars: Allow the pan to cool, then lift the bars out using the edges of the parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut them into 8 bars. If you are making these as protein bars for children, you can cut them into 16 squares!
Enjoy! Any leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or frozen for longer storage. Tip: wrap your bars or cookies individually in compostable plastic wrap so they are easy to grab and go!
Substitutions
Egg: to make these egg-free, use ¼ cup mashed banana or ¼ cup pumpkin puree.
Almond butter: use your favorite nut butter.
Milk of choice: use your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk; just make sure they are unsweetened.
Monk fruit syrup, allulose syrup, or maple syrup: any of these will work; nutrition facts calculated for maple syrup, so if you want these to be even lower carb, use monk fruit or allulose syrup.
Chia seeds: swap for basil seeds. Basil seeds soak up more water, so if your batter is dry, add a tablespoon more milk.
Almond flour: use cashew flour, pumpkin seed flour, or sunflower seed flour.
Flaxseed meal: use coconut flour or protein powder.
Lupin flour: use lupin meal, coconut flour, or protein powder.
Unsweetened shredded coconut: leave it out if you don’t like coconut.
Hemp hearts: swap for protein powder.
Chocolate chips: use your favorite dark chocolate or sugar-free chopped chocolate.
Nuts: use your favorites or leave them out! I use ½ sunflower seeds and ½ cashews in my breakfast cookies.
Nutrition Cronometer
Nutrition Per Cookie when made into 4 large, meal-sized cookies
Calories: 450
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 23 g
Fiber: 15g
Net Carbs: 8g
Fat: 35g
Nutrition Per Cookie when made into 8 bars
Calories: 225
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 11.5 g
Fiber: 7.5g
Net Carbs: 4g
Fat: 17.5g
Thank you🧡
I have been sharing blood sugar-friendly, whole-food recipes (gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and mostly dairy-free) without ads on my blog and Instagram for four years now, and I have met so many amazing people along the way. I am excited to share this enhanced user experience (with video!) on this platform, and I am so grateful you have joined me!
P.S.
Do you know someone with pre-diabetes, diabetes, PCOS, metabolic syndrome, or anyone eating for blood sugar balance, low carb, keto, grain-free, gluten-free, or just eating whole food for better health? If you do, will you forward my Substack to them? It would mean the world to me as I try to share the message of eating for good metabolic health.
🧡Beth
It looks like the serving size is 1 cookie correct?
Beth, these look great and I can’t wait to try them!