Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Posted Mar 19, 2021, Updated Mar 02, 2024
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These banana oatmeal cookies are easy to make with a few simple ingredients in 20 minutes. Banana oat cookies are a delicious breakfast, snack or healthy dessert – add chocolate chip or your favorite mix-ins to make them extra-special!
These banana oatmeal cookies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast! Made with a handful of nutritious ingredients in a mere 20 minutes – enjoy these banana oat cookies as a delicious breakfast, snack or healthy dessert (also, try these breakfast cookies)! Add chocolate chip or your favorite mix-ins to make them extra-special!
My kids love it when I make these banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies – because they think they’re eating dessert when really they’re enjoying a healthy and nutritious treat! I like making a batch and tossing them in the freezer to always have on hand for busy mornings or as a quick snack. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free and easy to make vegan too.
Banana Oatmeal Cookies: Ingredients & Substituions
Let’s chat about the ingredients in these banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, as well as possible substitutions!
- Overripe bananas. Make sure your bananas are ripe and sweet. If using bananas that have been previously frozen, thaw them in the microwave or at room temperature before using in this recipe.
- Honey/Maple Syrup. Both liquid sweeteners work well in these banana oatmeal cookies. Agave or brown rice syrup can also be used.
- Egg. you can use a flax egg or egg replacer to make these vegan/egg-free.
- Quick-cooking oats. Rolled/old fashioned oats can be used, however the texture will be different.
- Cinnamon. Don’t leave it out! The cinnamon makes these the absolute best banana oatmeal cookies ever.
- Sea salt. If using iodized salt, reduce the amount by half.
- Chocolate chips. Regular-sized or mini chips work great in this recipe. We’ll chat later about a variety of possible mix-ins other than chocolate chips.
How to Make Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Follow the step-by-step photos to learn how to make these healthy banana oat cookies, and don’t forget to watch the video!
To begin, mash the bananas together in a large mixing bowl. Then, add honey, egg and vanilla and stir to combine.
Next, add oats, cinnamon and sea salt and stir until combined.
Add Mix-ins
Once the batter is homogenous (uniform throughout), gently stir in mix-ins, if desired. I prefer to make these banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and add some semi-sweet chocolate chips (regular or mini). However, there are some other add-in ideas:
- Cinnamon Chips (yum)!
- White chocolate chips
- Coconut
- Dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, etc).
- Peanut butter chips
- Chopped nuts
Bake & Cool
Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to measure portions of the banana oatmeal cookie dough, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper spaced about 2” apart.
Bake the banana oat cookies in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are just set and the bottoms are very lightly browned. Then, let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Serve
Serve these healthy banana oatmeal cookies slightly warm or at room temperature.
Store/Freeze
Once completely cooled, store these banana and oat cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Banana Oatmeal Cookies FAQs
This recipe lasts for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, and 2 months in the freezer.
Yes, you can use an egg replacer, chia egg or flax egg (1 TBS chia/flax mixed with 2.5 TBS warm water).
Yes! This recipe is made with fruit, oats, and naturally sweetened. They’re a great, healthy, low-calorie snack or treat.
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Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 bananas overripe (about 1 ¼ cups mashed banana)
- 2 Tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup quick cooking oats
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips or other add ins like shredded coconut, dried cranberries, raisins, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas.
- Add honey, egg and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add oats, cinnamon and sea salt and stir until combined.
- If desired, add mix-ins and stir until evenly distributed.
- Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or a 1 ½ TBS cookie scoop to measure portions of the dough, and place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2” apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are just set and the bottoms are very lightly browned.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Overripe bananas. Make sure your bananas are ripe and sweet. If using bananas that have been previously frozen, thaw them in the microwave or at room temperature before using in this recipe.
- Honey/Maple Syrup. Both liquid sweeteners work well. Agave or brown rice syrup can also be used.
- Egg. you can use a flax egg or egg replacer to make these vegan/egg-free.
- Quick-cooking oats. Rolled/old fashioned oats can be used, however the texture will be different.
- Cinnamon. Don’t leave it out! The cinnamon makes these the absolute best banana oatmeal cookies ever.
- Sea salt. If using iodized salt, reduce the amount by half.
- Chocolate chips. Regular-sized or mini chips work great in this recipe. Other possibilities include: cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, coconut, dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, etc), peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These banana oatmeal cookies were easy and quick to make and totally delicious!
Thank you so much Gail!!!
These are SO easy and delicious, and require only pantry staples! They’ve been my go-to anytime I let my bananas get overripe- MUCH quicker and simpler than a banana bread, and just as delicious! Thank you!
Amen! I love how easy they are too, Hayden! I’m so glad you love them!
I substitute chocolate chips for finely chopped apples and my daughter loves it. Has anyone tried adding protein powder? I am curious how much and how that would taste?
Yummy, but not cookies! The texture is more of a squishy pancake with some crunchy (from the oats). The sweetness is perfect. I had to add extra oats bc my bananas were larger. Extra points for being gluten and dairy free!
They are more of a cakey cookie – but I’d still call them cookies! To each their own though! I’m glad you liked the sweetness!!
I made these cookies this morning.
So very good and very easy to make.
And so very tasty!! 5 stars!
Thank you, Laura!
these are absolutely delicious!
wanted to make something healthy with my leftover ripped bananas and this is it!
my husband and I cannot stop eating them!
I added semi sweet chocolate chips and walnuts, they were tasry but cookies are too soft for my liking.
I haven’t baked them yet – I used whole oats and the recipe was very wet, so I am letting it sit for a while to allow the oats to soak up the liquid. I have several other recipes to make so these will go in the oven last. Smells like it will taste fantastic.
I baked these today & they are delicious! Turned out better than I expected. If you like bananas, you will like these. I added Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. Soooo good! The cookies are sweet but not overly sweet, even without the chocolate chips. I buy bananas but forget to eat them & they start to soften. Now I know what to do with them!🙂
Tried these, they were delicious!! I used less honey than it called for and fewer chocolate chips to make it less sweet. They were amazing!!