Maple-Bacon Breakfast Cookies

Last weekend I opened up the newest Our Iowa Magazine, flipped through, read some articles and came up on the following recipe in the small recipe section that each magazine contains.  This recipe immediately sparked my interest.  It had many things in it that sounded delicious, yet not terribly bad for you.  "A hearty breakfast in the form of a portable snack", as shared by the submitter who happens to be a pediatric surgeon.

I made these on Saturday night so that I could take them to our "after the Especially for You 5K race" brunch at my in-laws.  They were quite tasty and very well received.  The recipe was moved into my favorite recipe's binder!

Maple-Bacon Breakfast Cookies

 (from Our Iowa Magazine Oct/Nov 2011 - Stephanie Kapfer, VA)

Ingredients

1 cup butter (can substitute a 50/50 butter blend such as Smart Balance)

1 ½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

½ cup pure maple syrup

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups quick-cooking oats

½ cup crumbled cooked thick-sliced bacon

½ cup chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add egg and syrup; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in the oats, bacon and pecans until well blended.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto nonstick cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to brown paper or wire racks to cool.  Makes about 5 dozen.

To make about 2 dozen jumbo cookies: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls and bake at 325 degrees for 16-18 minutes.