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These healthy oatmeal banana cookies are a delicious, quick snack or back-to-school treat that leaves you satisfied without the guilt! Made with just a handful of ingredients and no added sugar, these healthy cookies are everything you’ve been looking for.
These banana oatmeal breakfast cookies are perfect in the morning when you need a quick bite to go as you walk out the door. They’re packed with oats and nut butter to keep you energized, and they also make a healthy dessert you’ll be happy to finish your evening with, right alongside my healthy no bake cheesecake cups. For more ideas, browse all my healthy desserts.
Plus, if you’ve been looking for back-to-school treats for your littles, this recipe is something you can feel good about giving them!
Why This Recipe Works
- No added sugar. Ripe bananas do all the sweetening.
- Simple ingredients. Bananas, oats, and nut butter are the base, and you can find everything at any grocery store.
- Any time of day. They work as breakfast, a mid-day snack, or dessert after dinner.
- Diet-friendly. They’re naturally vegan, and gluten-free when you use certified gluten-free oats.
- Easy to customize. Add whatever mix-ins you like!
Key Ingredients
- Ripe bananas: Overripe bananas are even better since they’re sweeter and mash more easily. Extra-spotty ones are also perfect for my brown butter banana bread.
- Rolled oats: They give these cookies their hearty, chewy texture. Quick oats work, but the texture won’t be the same. If you want a classic buttery oatmeal cookie instead, try my Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe.
- Almond butter: Or any nut butter. It binds the dough the same way it does in my 3-ingredient almond butter cookies.
- Chocolate chips: Optional, for a sweet touch.
- Cinnamon: Optional as well. Cinnamon and chocolate chips are what I prefer, but you can make the base recipe and add whatever mix-ins you like!
A splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt round it out. Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dried fruit: Dates, raisins, or other dried berries add flavor and a chewy texture.
- Peanut butter dip: Melt peanut butter and dip the tops of the cookies for peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies.
- Seeds and nuts: Chia seeds, flax seeds, or sunflower seeds give them a healthy boost.
- Sweeter cookies: Add a tablespoon or two of honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar.
- No oven: Prefer no-bake? My healthy no bake cookies use oats and peanut butter too.
- Single serve: Only have one banana? Make my banana bread mug cake instead.
How to Make Healthy Oatmeal Banana Cookies
- Mash and mix. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then mash the bananas in a large bowl and stir in the almond butter until smooth.
- Add the oats. Stir in the rolled oats and cinnamon until the oats are fully coated in the banana mixture.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Add them now if you’re using them.
- Scoop the dough. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat non-stick silicone mat.
- Flatten slightly. These cookies don’t spread, so press each one down a little and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, then let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Expert Tips
- Use spotty bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter your cookies, since there’s no added sugar.
- Mash until smooth. Big banana chunks leave wet pockets in the cookies.
- Flatten before baking. They hold their shape in the oven, so press them to the thickness you want.
- Let them cool on the pan. They’re soft straight out of the oven and firm up as they cool.
- Use a runny nut butter. Drippy, well-stirred almond or peanut butter mixes in much more evenly than a thick, dry one.
Healthy Oatmeal Banana Cookies FAQs
Healthy oatmeal banana cookies are easy to customize. Try dried fruit like dates or raisins, a peanut butter dip on top, extra seeds like chia or flax, or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you want them sweeter. Chocolate chips are optional, but banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are incredible!
Store healthy oatmeal banana cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
Absolutely! Protein powder will change the texture of healthy oatmeal banana cookies, so add extra moisture to balance it out. For 1 scoop of protein powder, add a tablespoon of coconut oil or whole milk. Protein powder works in my high protein air fryer baked oats too, though there you need a whole banana instead of half to keep the texture from going dry.
Yes. Healthy oatmeal banana cookies are naturally vegan as long as you use dairy-free chocolate chips. They’re gluten-free too when you use certified gluten-free oats.
You can, but healthy oatmeal banana cookies made with quick oats come out softer and less chewy. Old-fashioned rolled oats give the best hearty texture.
More Healthy Banana and Oat Treats
If you baked these Healthy Oatmeal Banana Cookies, tell me which mix-ins you used! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below. I love hearing from you!
Super Easy Back-to-School Oatmeal Banana Cookies 🍪
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup almond butter or any nut butter
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips optional for a sweet touch
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Stir in the almond butter until well combined.
- Add the rolled oats and cinnamon, mixing until the oats are fully coated with the banana mixture.
- Fold in the chocolate chips if using.
- Scoop out tablespoons of dough and place them on a Silpat non-stick silicone mat, pressing each cookie down slightly to flatten.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Let them cool on the Silpat mat for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were such a hit! They’re incredibly easy to throw together, and the banana and almond butter make them soft and naturally sweet. I added the chocolate chips and loved the little extra bit of sweetness!