“super” oatmeal breakfast cookies

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/105218/index.html?skip_to_post=889408#889408 David likes Trader Joes "I'm a no-cook breakfast guy and have been for 30 years now. Eating hot food just doesn't replace the BTUs lost shivering over a stove waiting for my hot meal (compared to just hiking the trail while I munch on something). My go-to, no-cook breakfast is oatmeal cookies. Homemade if I want to pump up the oil/calorie count, but Trader Joe's frosted, cranberry oatmeal cookies if I'm being lazy. 6-8 for a breakfast and I eat them as I hike the first few miles. No pot (already packed up the night before), no fuel, no time spent shivering in camp. But you've also described another solution – granola in a ziplock with powdered milk. Few foods are as compact, and if you make your granola at home, you can add nuts and oils to increase the caloric density. Shoot-from-the-hip estimate, but I suspect oil-rich granola is more calorie dense, volume-wise, than dry oatmeal (which is almost all carbs). Keep it in zip-lock bags, and you can squeeze it into places that few other things could go."

If you want to try your hand at baking some, here is a recipe from one of my favourite professional bakers, Zoe Francois. To increase the calories/nutrition, I would use only half the raisins (so, 3/4 cup), and add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (don't soak them with the raisins, just add them with the flour). I would also substitute whole wheat flour for about half of the all-purpose flour. You could also subtract 1/4 cup of flour, and substitute that with wheat germ (a nutritional powerhouse). These cookies are moist, chewy, and DDDEEE-licious. It might be difficult not to gobble them all on the first day… Edited to add: I'm an idiot: I *thought* I had included the link, but that's what a bad, bad insomnia night'll do for you — the recipe I love is http://zoebakes.com/2011/07/19/ice-cream-sandwiches-for-a-heatwave-oatmeal-rum-raisin-cookies-with-wildflower-honey-ice-cream-and-many-more/ Sorry about that!

Valerie- they sound great, but didn't see a link for the recipe :) we don't have a Trader's Joe here unfortunately- do they sell online?

No Trader Joe's online that I can find. Another site recommended Kashi https://www.kashi.com/our-foods/cookies/kashi-cookies-oatmeal-raisin-flax

thanks John! those look like they are worth trying, the ingredients look pretty wholesome and decent calorie density as well

Erin Baker's breakfast cookies. Small company. Great cookies. http://erinbakers.com Made with whole grains.

Mike, Here is her site. http://zoebakes.com

Doug- thanks. went to the site, they look good- looks like she has several breakfast cookies to choose from :) John- thanks. I think this might be the recipe Valerie was alluding to: http://zoebakes.com/2014/12/09/gluten-free-maple-oatmeal-cookies/

Mike: I don't think that's the recipe. Valerie seems to be referring to a recipe with 1 1/2 cups of raisins that are soaked in something.

I sent her a pm, hopefully she can point me in the right direction :)

Hope she puts the recipe up for all of us to see.

She edited her post to include a link to the recipe.

here's one I found that looks pretty good too, sounds like within reason you can add almost anything you like to them http://www.nutritiouseats.com/oatmeal-breakfast-cookies/

I'd be careful with the nutritiouseats recipe, because it substitutes banana and apple sauce for most of the fat in the recipe. That brings the calorie count down, makes them go stale very quickly, and also tends to give the cookies an "overly sweet" taste. My thinking is to go for taste/texture FIRST, then adjust a few ingredients to increase the nutrition. That should get you the "best of both worlds".

As John quoted me as saying, I like these: Not moist, though. Dry and keep a long time. The glaze melts a bit in hot water, but could be licked off the ziplock bag.

Really, most any oatmeal cookie recipe base can be used. Fat is good – but think outside the norm. Instead of butter or oil, use the same amount of nut, PB or seed butter. Instead of eggs, use 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp water for each egg. Boost with dried fruit or berries or chocolate chips. Make large cookies, just bake longer as needed. Store in freezer till time to go.

thanks for all the tips! yeah next to good taste, I want calorie count high as feasible-definitely don't need low cal :) like the idea of trying other "butters"- this will probably take a little experimenting

Mike, Do you know how well you metabolize fats when you are at "sustainable max"? On a recent six day Grand Canyon hike I found out that 40% fat was to high for me for hours of steep uphill. Fitness is one factor. Genetics is another. YMMV.

Greg- when I'm running I keep the fat down (and the complex carbs high), probably in the 10-20% range; fastpacking I'm probably in the 30-ish % range overall, some snacks/meals higher, some lower and that seems just about right for me- pretty good energy levels for 14-16 hours/day

If your into baking I believe you will enjoy the recipe below:

Does it have to be a cookie? I make and eat these bars for breakfast (or at least have been doing so for the past 2+ years). I use 6 cups of pecans and 4 cups of rolled oats, and sometimes add in dark chocolate chips. http://www.backpacking.net/recipes/bread-hudson-bay.html

Ken- those sound great- thanks- calorie count looks good too John- nope, bars would be fine too, just trying to get on the trail quicker- thanks!

A "normal" oatmeal cookie recipe should be in the 20-30% range. Just beware of some "healthy" cookie recipes that remove MOST of the fat (they usually use fruit purees instead). Those recipes may be "healthier", but they're not useful for your purposes because you need a sensible range of fat calories for long-term performance. Bon appetit!

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