Pecan Maple Breakfast "Cookies"

I haven't baked anything in what seems like forever.  First there was Lent.  Then Easter.  Then recovering from Easter indulgence.  Then vacation.  Then recovering from vacation indulgence.  It's a vicious cycle.

While this doesn't qualify as a sweet treat, it definitely requires baking, so I'm counting it!  However, I'll have to come up with my next yummy baked good because apparently the nurses at the hospital have mentioned that I haven't sent anything in in awhile.... Ooops...

For now, this will have to do.

Recipe: (from 100daysofrealfood)
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter, softened but not melted
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a cookie sheet.  Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the applesauce, syrup, butter, egg, and vanilla.

While beating the mixture on low speed, add dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Fold in nuts with a spatula.

Drop onto prepared cookie sheet with a spoon (they don't get much bigger so go ahead and place them close together on baking sheet).  Bake for 8-9 minutes or until just starting to brown.

Original recipe states this will make 20 cookies.  I got 18 cookies out of the dough.

Verdict:
Best smell ever when baking.  Just like a good old-fashioned pancake breakfast!

They are not sweet enough to fool anyone into thinking it's a cookie, so you may want to rename them to avoid upsetting your kids...  But they are just slightly sweet in a way that sort of satisfies a sweet tooth without leaving you just wanting more sugar.

For me, I don't think they would necessarily satisfy as a breakfast, but they do make a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.  In my mind, they could take the place of the ease of grabbing processed granola and other snack bars as they are just as easily portable.  They can be frozen, so you can make a few batches at once since one batch won't last very long (they're small, so if you are at all hungry, you will likely need at least two to feel satisfied) and just defrost a few at a time when desired.

The mix of oats and protein is filling and long-lasting.  I had a few yesterday as a mid-morning snack  along with a piece of pineapple and went about my business for about three hours without feeling a pre-lunch starvation blood sugar crash.  Definitely a recipe that I'll be keeping on hand!