Chocolate Prune Breakfast Cookies [baby + toddler friendly]
These soft chocolate prune cookies are naturally sweetened with prunes and banana, giving them a rich sweetness while also providing fibre to support healthy digestion. They're soft, satisfying, and perfect for breakfast or snack time. If your little one loves chocolate but could use a little digestive support, these cookies are going to be your new bff.
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"Made these today with my 3 year old using the puffed wheat substitution because it's what we had on hand - huge hit! They turned out great, thanks for the recipe 🙂" - Heather
Peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, prunes and chocolate. Yup - this combination is so perfectly matched that we're convinced it's worthy to be listed among such classics!
Seriously, though -if you haven't tried it - prunes and chocolate are ah-mazing!
But also, cookies for breakfast- need we say more?? I don't know about your kids but mine always get excited when they see cookies at the breakfast table, even if they don't have any added sugar! They felt the same way when we served up these double chocolate zucchini muffins too!
Also, we ran some numbers for these cookies because we're nutrition nerdy like that, and we were happy to discover that each cookie has:
- some calcium, magnesium, and a bunch of potassium
- 1 mg of iron (1/7th of the recommended daily amount for a toddler)
- 4 g fibre (recommended for toddlers aged 1-3 to get 19g, aged 4-8 to get 25g) which is impressive to do in a cookie
Why this recipe works
🕒 25 minute prep time
🍪 A cookie, with no added sugars
👍🏾 High in fibre for babies, toddlers and adults too
🙌 Uses prunes, which is great for digestion in a really fun and creative way
👶 Baby friendly from 10ish months+
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Key ingredients
Banana: Overripe bananas not only add a subtle sweetness but also make these breakfast cookies soft without the need for added sugar.
If you have more ripe bananas to use? You could also try our other banana-based breakfast ideas like baby banana custard or a refreshing papaya banana smoothie for babies.
Puffed quinoa: for this recipe we're using puffed quinoa, but you can also swap this for puffed wheat which is also a great option for babies.
Prunes: use any dried prunes you have access to! If you have really dried up prunes you may need to moisten in a warm water soak for a few minutes and then drain the water.
Cocoa powder: the cocoa powder is what's going to give you the chocolate factor! Look for unsweetened varieties, especially if you're offering this to a baby.
Butter: babies and toddlers need fat! Use unsalted butter but if you only have the salted version, don't worry, use it.
Eggs: we're going to need two eggs for these prune cookies, meaning extra egg nutrition for your little one.
Oats: our preference is to use rolled oats, but you can also use quick oats if that's what you have at home.
Allergen information & substitutions
This recipe contains a few of the top priority allergens according to Health Canada including: eggs and dairy. If your baby has an egg allergy, you can use a flax egg instead. Our readers have tested this for us, and tell us it works great.
If your child has a cow's milk protein allergy, swap the butter for your favorite dairy free alternative.
For the most recent step-by-step recommendations for introducing food allergens to infants, visit our video lesson in Start Solids Confidently, your go-to resource for feeding babies.
How to make this recipe
The full recipe is below, but here are a few key steps to visualize the process.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas, using a fork.
2. Mash in the eggs, softened butter, and vanilla
3. Stir in the puffed wheat or quinoa, rolled oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, and dash of salt.
4. Fold in the chopped prunes and chocolate chips, if using
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the batter onto the parchment paper. Bake.
6. Once baked, it's time to eat!
How to serve this chocolate prune breakfast cookie at each baby & toddler stage
9 - 12 months: You can offer this prune breakfast cookie to your baby starting at around 9 months, just skip the chocolate chips since babies don't need added sugar. The texture is quite soft and we suggest slicing it into bite size pieces. By this time, your baby is also likely going to be working on their pincer grasp, so slicing it is great!
Of course, every baby is going to be unique so we encourage you to assess your own baby's skills. You can serve the cookie alongside other iron containing foods, since that's a priority nutrient for babies.
12 months+ : By this stage, your baby should be tolerating soft, mushy, and slightly chunky textures. You can serve the cookies sliced or whole, encouraging them to take small bites at a time.
For the rest of the family: Follow the recipe exactly as suggested. You're welcome to add chocolate chips galore!
Recipe FAQ
It's actually free of added sugars. But, with the addition of chocolate chips, each cookie contains about 2.6 grams of added sugar. Technically, added sugar isn't recommended until age two but we feel this is a modest amount alongside wholesome ingredients for child older than 12 months.
If you want to approach sugar a bit more conservatively, feel free to skip the chocolate chips!
If you're familiar with puffed wheat (or sugar crisp cereal), the texture of puffed quinoa is much the same but the overall size of the puff is smaller. In Canada we're able to pick some up at Bulk Barn but you can also find it at many online retailers or in specialty "health" stores.
Yup, puffed wheat will work beautifully!
First of all, constipation can be really common in babies and toddlers. When it comes to keeping children regular, prunes are our unsung heroes!
Prunes are loaded with fibre, which adds bulk to stool and helps keep things moving along. Plus, they contain sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol that acts as a gentle laxative, softening stools and making them easier to pass. If you have a baby that is majorly teething, we even have a teething biscuit that includes prunes!
We'd recommend pairing these chocolate prune breakfast cookies with a glass of milk and some fresh fruit for a balanced breakfast!
These cookies also make a great "on-the-go" meal if you need to pack a breakfast or snack to send to childcare.
Since these cookies have a high moisture content, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them in an airtight container, ideally lined with plastic food wrap, for up to two months. Ensure the cookies are completely cooled before freezing.
When you are ready to serve them again, thaw at room temperature - it should only take about 15 - 20 minutes!
With fibre, healthy fats, and wholesome ingredients - why not serve up these prune cookies? Balance it out with other foods, and voila!
Play + books that match this recipe
Food play is a powerful first step when introducing something new - it helps children feel safe, curious, and more willing to taste. Here are a few ways to try it:
Other recommended healthy baking recipes
If you tried these chocolate prune breakfast cookies or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Chocolate Prune Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium sized ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup butter, softened *can substitute coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups puffed quinoa *can substitute puffed wheat
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Dash of salt
- ¾ cup prunes chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas, using a fork.
- Mash in the eggs, softened butter, and vanilla.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the puffed quinoa, rolled oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, and dash of salt.
- Fold in the chopped prunes and chocolate chips, if using.
- At this point if your batter looks a bit runny, allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a scoop, scoop the batter onto the parchment paper, leaving an inch of room in between each cookie.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 18 minutes.
- Store in the fridge.
Doesn’t cocoa powder have caffeine? Is it safe to give toddlers? Thanks!!
It has a very small amount of caffeine - we wouldn't be concerned about the amount for toddlers!
Made these today with my 3 year old using the puffed wheat substitution because it’s what we had on hand - huge hit! They turned out great, thanks for the recipe 🙂
They were a nice change from the normal healthy muffin or cookie. They came out a little dense and dry for me though and had a lot of expensive ingredients. I felt 1/4 cup scooped cookies were too big. I can’t imagine 1/2 cup size. I also cut down on the baking time to compensate for making them smaller than suggested.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your review. I'm sorry they turned out a bit on the dry side for you! Please feel free to email us if you'd like to troubleshoot why this may have happened 🙂
great recipe - just the right amount of sweetness, it worked great with the puffed wheat
I've never made anything like these before and they are a huge hit! Could these hold up in the freezer to freeze the extras for later use?
I've never made anything like these before and they are a huge hit!
Yay! It can be fun to experiment with some unique recipes. We're honoured you trusted us and took the chance on something new!
We've tried this recipe a few times, I prefer it with puffed wheat and it's one of the few ways my kids will actually eat prunes. Thank you!
Who knew prunes would be absolutely perfect in a cookie!!
Puffed quinoa is tough to find, so used puffed wheat and it was great. I found it helpful for my own fibre goals as a parent!
Love this recipe for the whole family. What kid doesn't love having cookies for breakfast!
Right? We're here for the cookies!
Worked great with a chia seed egg replacement!
Wahoo! We're here for even more fibre goodness. Thanks for looping in with this tip for kiddos who are egg free!
Have you tried this using dates instead of prunes? I’m going to try it regardless, but if anyone already has and it’s been successful that would be nice to know!
We haven't tried it! If you do, let us know how it goes.