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Quick and easy to make, flour and refined sugar free, soft and chewy, these banana and oatmeal cookies made with a few simple ingredients in under 20 minutes. Perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert. Great for parties, post workout or travel snacks.

Banana and oatmeal cookies on white parchment paper

These cookies are easy to make and customize. If you are a fan of oat recipes, you may also like my Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe, Recipes for Overnight Oats or these delicious Chocolate Oat Bran Cookies.

Made with rolled oats (gluten-free or non gluten-free), mashed overripe bananas, nut butter or tahini, cranberries and chocolate chips.

These may not be the prettiest cookies, but I promise you, they taste delicious with calories per cookie.

Make a batch of these breakfast cookies and use them in lunch boxes or simply enjoy throughout the week. They are perfect for meal prep.

How to make cookies with ripe bananas and oats?

I usually have breakfast late , right before lunch and these have turned into my go to breakfast cookies. Here is all you need to make them and how. I’ve mentioned some substitute ideas and reader questions to make this baking experience easy and fun.

Ingredients:
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

  • Ripe bananas
  • Maple syrup ( brown sugar, honey or any other liquid sweetener, optional)
  • Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (optional)
  • Cocoa powder (raw, unsweetened)
  • Chocolate chips, chunks or chopped chocolate. I prefer vegan and sugar-free, but any chocolate chips are going to work.
  • Nut butter – almond or hazelnut. I don’t recommend using peanut butter, because it has lower oil content and may make the cookies too dry and I also don’t like the flavor combination. If you don’t have any nut butter, sesame or sunflower tahini is a great option.
  • Cranberries – this is an optional addition, but I personally find the combination of bananas, chocolate chips, oats and chewy and slightly tart dries cranberries a very good one. Raisins or dried cherries could be added to the recipe.
  • Oats – what oats work best in these banana oatmeal cookies? Your best options here rolled oats or quick cooking oats. They both work fine in the recipe, but they also produce a different final result.
  • Ground cinnamon (optional)
  • Coconut oil (you may skip it, if the dough appears too moist).
A hand holding banana and oatmeal raisin cookie

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combines.

Shape 10-12 balls from the mixture.

Place on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with your palm.

Bake at 350F (180 C) for 12-14 minutes.

Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.

Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for 5 days.

What kind of oats to use in oatmeal cookies?

The popular Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: These oats are steamed and then flattened, so they are ideal for cookies like these. They tend to add a hearty texture, the cookies are still slightly chewy, but firm and hold their texture well. These cookies spread less, than if instant oats are used.

Quick Oats: Simply rolled oats that are cut into much smaller pieces, so they can cook faster. They be used in cookies, and if I don’t have rolled oats, this is what I usually use. The texture will be softer and, cookies are less chewy and a little dry.

Steel-Cut Oats: Not recommended for cookies and I rarely purchase this cut of oats. They are too coarse and won’t soften enough during baking, producing an unpleasant texture.

What about oat bran? You can make the cookies with oat bran, but by just substituting like 1/4 or 1/2 cup of the amount of oats with oat bran. I have an oat bran cookies recipe and these cookies taste awesome, but 100% oat bran doesn’t work in this banana oatmeal cookies recipe. Oat bran cookies are less chewy than oatmeal cookies. These cookies may need a little bit more moisture, so you may have to add and extra 1/4 of banana or 1 tablespoon of tahini or nut butter to the dough.

Rolled oats banana cookies on a baking sheet

Recipe tips/FAQs

  • Texture of the cookie dough – this oatmeal cranberry banana chocolate cookie dough should have a slightly sticky texture, it should not be dry and cookies can be shaped easily into balls, without falling apart. I suggest you use an ice cream scoop and wear gloves to roll and press the cookies.
  • Baking time – baking time may vary, depending on the final result you desire, the size of the cookies, moisture if the batter, type of oven and baking dish used. I personally prefer softer chewy cookies, not dense snd crunchy ones. For 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and sticky and moist dough, the baking time at 350 F (180 C/160C with a fan) is around 12 minutes. The cookies should be golden on the inside and the tops should turn matte, not remain glossy.
  • Are rolled oats gluten-free? Rolled oats are naturally gluten-free, but they can be contaminated in the facility during processing. It’s essential to choose certified gluten-free oats if you need to avoid gluten completely.
Oatmeal raisin and banana cookies on a baking sheet
  • How to store these oatmeal and banana cookies – store in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cookies may become extra sticky or soft, if left uncovered at room temperature.
  • Add-ins, flavor combinations – these cookies are easy to customize. Add white chocolate chips, chopped nuts (almonds, hazelnuts or pecans), shredded coconut for extra flavor and texture. Ground cinnamon, ginger or cloves can be added for extra flavor. You can also drizzle the cookies with tahini, melted chocolate or nut butter after baking. Chia, cacao nibs of hemp seeds can be added to the dough, for extra fiber, flavor and protein.
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Banana and oatmeal cookies on white parchment paper

Oatmeal and Banana Cookies

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 large bananas, mashed
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp vegan chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp almond or hazelnut butter
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, optional
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions 

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combines.
  • Shape 10-12 balls from the mixture.
  • Place on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with your palm.
  • Bake at 350℉ for 12-14 minutes.
  • Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
  • Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for 5 days.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookinglsl or tag #cookinglsl!

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Hi! I'm Mira.

I share simple, mostly low-carb and Keto recipes, that don't take a lot of time to make and use mostly seasonal, easy to find ingredients. I'm a supporter of healthy eating, but you'll also find some indulgent treats too.

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