Cookies?!! For breakfast?!! On a week where we're trying to eat especially healthily?!! Has she fallen under the spell of some sugar-deprived mania? Well maybe, but as far as cookies go these are full of stuff that's really good for you and entirely allowable on a portion-controlled basis. It's all about balance--see, I promised you it'd be a fun week!

When I was a little kid they came out with that chocolate-chip cookie cereal (you know the one that I mean) and my sisters and I went on an all-out campaign to convince my mom to let us buy it. Health conscious as she was, we finally wore her down and got to indulge in "cookies for breakfast" and you know what? We HATED it! It tasted awful! So disappointing--nothing like cookies are supposed to taste, nothing like these chewy, bumpy, slightly lemony, delightful treats.

Yes, there's some sugar and butter in here but there's also rolled oats, shredded wheat cereal, whole wheat flour and unsweetened coconut so you can indulge without too much of a guilty conscience. Keep telling yourself it's like eating a granola bar and you'll be just fine.

These come together easily, last for about a week and will make you a hero in your house. Imagine the stunned little faces when you willingly offer them cookies for breakfast!!

I can't wait until tomorrow morning!!

Breakfast Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

Prep Time:  12 minutes; Bake Time:  15-17 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
• 1 cup plain shredded wheat cereal, finely crushed
• 1/2 cup stone-ground whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar (you can make your own by processing granulated sugar in the food processor)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into small cubes, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature

The Recipe

1.  Divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350ºF. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  Place the white flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk together. Add in the oats, shredded wheat, whole wheat flour and coconut and mix well, using your hands to ensure everything is evenly combined. Place the superfine and brown sugar into a small separate bowl, add in the vanilla and lemon zest and again use your fingertips to rub the vanilla and zest into the sugars until well combined.

3.  Use an electric mixer and beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, until it's smooth. Slowly add in the sugar mixture and continue to beat at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula, until the batter is smooth. One at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Lower the speed and gradually add in the flour mixture, beating only until there are no traces of flour visible. 

4.  Use a rounded tablespoonful or a 1 1/2 inch ice-cream scoop to place the cookies on the prepared pans, about 1 1/2-inches apart. Once the tray is ready, place a clean sheet of parchment over the cookies and an empty cookie sheet on top of the paper. Press down on the cookie sheet to flatten the cookies to about 1/3-inch thick. Remove the pan and the paper and repeat with the other tray. (alternatively you can just use a glass to press down on the paper on each cookie--the sheet just makes it go faster).

5.  Bake the cookies for about 15-17 minutes, reversing the trays top to bottom and front to back once during the baking process. Cookies are done when they appear light golden brown and are firm to the touch. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. Cookies last for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Sarabeth's Good Morning Cookbook by Sarabeth Levine. I left out the nutmeg because none of like that spice but otherwise these are pretty true to the original.