Breakfast Cookies

The concept of eating cookies for breakfast is probably as good as eating sugared cereal, unless the cookie has healthy ingredients (well, maybe not even then). This recipe was originally designed to duplicate the Baker's Breakfast Cookie popular in the United States, I don't believe we get it up here in Canada. I made some changes, substituting hazelnuts (of course) for the walnuts in the original recipe, currants for raisins, omitting 1-1/2 tsp of cinnamon, and doubling the vanilla. I also added salba seed, also known as white chia, the latest ancient grain health craze, that I've been experimenting with recently. I don't know if this is a duplicate of the commercial product any more, I don't have anything to compare to. I do know that they are quite tasty, with a cakey texture, and, I think, you could eat them any time of the day.

Breakfast Cookies
2 cups demerara sugar
2-1/2 cups rolled oats
2 Tbsp salba seed
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola/sunflower oil
1/2 cup prune puree
2 tablespoons water
5 egg whites
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, oats, salba seed, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, prune puree, water, egg whites and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Stir in the currants, hazelnuts and apricots. Roll into golf ball sized balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Wet your hands and flatten the cookies to 1/2" tall.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.