Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies: The Perfect Toddler Breakfast

I love strawberries. I love them in every form—fresh, slathered with cream, as an accompaniment in my breakfast of Greek yogurt and honey, in desserts, and in my baking. 

My 2-year-old loves strawberries as much as I do, but he's not a big fan of breakfast, so I thought it would be genius (and fun) to bake something that incorporates his favorite fruit. 

I chose oats as the base of this breakfast cookie because of the many nutritional benefits: high in protein, fiber, beta-glucans (which is great for their immune system), and it fills you up for a long time. 

This cookie was a big hit with him. (Add to the fact that it's a “cookie”—kids love the idea of eating cookies for breakfast.) It's also suitable for younger children, as it's soft, easy to chew, and very yummy!

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This recipe yields three dozen small cookies.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old-fashioned organic oats
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed strawberries, including their juice, plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup strawberries, diced small

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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking sheets. 
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and oats.
3. Using another larger bowl, whisk together eggs and butter. Add vanilla, mashed strawberries, sugar, and honey, mixing until fully combined.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix.
5. Carefully stir diced strawberries into the mix.
6. Drop tablespoons or small cookie scoops onto a baking sheet.
7. Bake for 18–24  minutes. Let cool on a rack. Store cookies in airtight container in the fridge for one week or freeze them in a plastic bag for up to two months.

Recipe adapted from Foodlets.

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What is your kids' favorite breakfast?