Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies

I had a hankering to bake the other day and I thumbed through one of my favorite cookie books and came across this recipe. It looked pretty good, for the most part, but I made a couple of modifications to make them a little healthier and more delicious. The original recipe called for sweetened coconut and raisins. I nixed the coconut altogether, switched the raisins to craisins, and we were in business!




I liked this recipe because I thought it looked like a very healthy sort of cookie. Obviously it still has the flour, sugar, and butter components of a cookie but it's also full of grated apple, carrots, craisins, and walnuts. The raw dough was so delicious I didn't know how many cookies I would end up with! They didn't turn out overly sweet so they truly taste more like a breakfast food, and go GREAT with coffee. When I make these again I want to use whole wheat flour to get these as healthy as possible. I have a health nut for a roommate so I want to make things that she will eat, too!

Once I get the recipe I usually defer to Alton Brown's creaming methodology instead of following the recipe exactly. He's a genius, that man. I'm Just Here for More Food is my baking bible.

Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies
adapted from: Big Fat Cookies

2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup peeled and finely grated carrots (I used 2 carrots)
1 cup peeled and grated apples (one medium granny smith apple for me)
1 cup craisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside. (Ideally, this should be done in a food processor or sifter. However, as we have already established, I have no food processor, and an old roommate put my sifter in the dishwasher and turned it into a rusty mess. So, I whisk. But in an ideal world: food processor. Sorry, Alton.)

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract together.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the butter for about 30 seconds. Slowly add the sugar and beat until creamy. (This is a tricky term if you're not used to it. The key is to WATCH the butter/sugar, and it eventually gets to a point where it noticeably changes in consistency. It lightens in color and color and gets almost fluffy-looking. You can't SEE the granules of sugar anymore, but you can feel them.)

Lower the mixer speed and add the egg mixture, half at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the orange peel, carrot, and apples.

Work in the flour mixture in three installments. Add nuts.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches of space in between each scoop. (Hey, the book is called Big Fat Cookies. They mean that literally.) Bake one sheet at a time, for about 20 minutes, until the bottoms are browned, the tops are pale but firm, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.


Trust me on the craisins. Pure genius. Raisins are so passe.