Vegan Nutella Breakfast Cookies

Although I'm a savory breakfast person, I know a lot of people who really enjoy their waffles and pancakes. While that's all fine and dandy (once in awhile), breakfast is a crucial meal of the day, and it's important you're getting your morning boost of nutrients, including protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Well, guess what? These breakfast cookies contain all of these! And they're made with chocolate. Yum, yum. They're also a great snack to bring with you to work. 

If you don't want to make cookies, but want the Nutella, just stop after the hazelnut butter is mixed with the chocolate syrup, and you'll have some handy, dandy vegan and refined-sugar free Nutella on hand!

Ingredients (makes 12 cookies)

• 1 cup raw hazelnuts
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons Grade B pure maple syrup
• 1 cup oats
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons flax seed meal

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast hazelnuts for 10 minutes. Let cool. Remove skin from the nuts that peel off easily (don't worry about the rest). Blend in a blender for food processor until hazelnuts turn into a butter. This may take 5 minutes or so. Scrap the side of the blender for best results. 

2. In a small saucepan, heat up coconut oil. Add cocoa powder and maple syrup, stirring until a chocolate syrup forms. Add hazelnut butter and mix together. This is your Nutella. You can either use all of it for your batter, or set some aside as a topping for the cookies (or, just for fun later!).

3. Combine Nutella with almond milk and oats. Form into small balls, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool. Top with a spoonful of extra Nutella, if desired.