Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Banana Oatmeal Cookies are soft, naturally sweet, and wonderfully simple to make. With just ripe bananas, hearty oats, and a drizzle of honey, these wholesome cookies come together in minutes and bake into tender, comforting bites that feel like a warm hug in cookie form.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft, chewy, and naturally sweet, these Banana Oatmeal Cookies are a wholesome treat you’ll want to make again and again. Packed with ripe bananas, hearty oats, and cozy flavors, they’re the perfect balance of comforting and satisfying. Simple to prepare and made with everyday ingredients, these cookies come out beautifully golden and delicious, ideal for breakfast bites, afternoon snacks, or anytime cravings.

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Ingredient List

Main Ingredients:

• 3 overripe bananas (about 1¼ cups mashed)
• 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1½ cups quick cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Mix-Ins:

• ½ cup chocolate chips (or shredded coconut, dried cranberries, raisins, cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or chopped nuts)

Why These Ingredients Work

Overripe bananas are the star here—they’re naturally sweet, super moist, and act as both the sweetener AND the binder. Those brown-spotted bananas you thought were past their prime? They’re perfect for this recipe.

Quick cooking oats absorb the banana mixture beautifully and create a chewy, hearty texture. They also make these cookies more filling and add a nice dose of fiber.

Honey adds just a touch of extra sweetness without going overboard. It also helps the cookies brown beautifully and adds a subtle floral note.

Egg binds everything together and gives the cookies structure so they don’t fall apart.

Cinnamon is non-negotiable for me, it brings warmth and makes your kitchen smell like a bakery.

Fine sea salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors. Trust me, don’t skip it!

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Two baking sheets
• Parchment paper (keeps cookies from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze)
• Large mixing bowl
• Potato masher or fork (for mashing bananas)
• 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop
• Wire cooling rack

How To Make Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Don’t skip the parchment—these cookies can be a bit delicate when warm!

Step 2: Mash the Bananas

In a large mixing bowl, mash your bananas until they’re mostly smooth. A few small lumps are totally fine—it adds character! The riper your bananas, the easier this step will be.

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

Add the honey, egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir everything together until well combined. The mixture should look smooth and slightly glossy.

Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients

Add the quick cooking oats, ground cinnamon, and fine sea salt to the bowl. Stir until everything is evenly mixed and the oats are fully coated. The dough will be thick and sticky—that’s exactly what you want!

Step 5: Fold in Mix-Ins

If you’re using chocolate chips or any other mix-ins, fold them in now. Stir gently until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 6: Portion the Dough

Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Place each scoop on your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. These cookies don’t spread much, so you can fit quite a few on each sheet.

Step 7: Bake

Bake in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are just set and the bottoms are very lightly browned. Don’t overbake—you want them soft and chewy, not dry!

Step 8: Cool on the Pan

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This is important! They’re fragile when hot and need time to firm up before moving them.

Step 9: Transfer and Serve

After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Or, you know, eat a few while they’re still warm.

You Must Know

Your bananas MUST be overripe. I’m talking brown spots, soft to the touch, almost too far gone. That’s when they’re sweetest and easiest to mash. If your bananas are still yellow and firm, wait a few more days or throw them in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes to speed up the ripening process.

Personal Secret: I always use a cookie scoop instead of a spoon. It makes perfectly uniform cookies that bake evenly, and honestly, it’s just faster and less messy!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Don’t overmix the dough. Once you add the oats, stir just until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
• Press the dough down slightly before baking. These cookies don’t spread much on their own, so a gentle press with the back of your scoop helps them bake more evenly.
• Want crispier cookies? Bake for an extra 2-3 minutes and let them cool completely on the pan.
• Making them egg-free? Use a flax or chia egg (1 tablespoon ground flax or chia mixed with 2.5 tablespoons warm water, let sit for 5 minutes). The texture will be slightly denser but still delicious.
• Don’t have quick oats? Pulse regular rolled oats in a food processor a few times to break them down a bit. They’ll absorb the moisture better that way.

Flavor Variations / Suggestions

The beauty of these cookies is how versatile they are! Here are some of my favorite ways to switch things up:

• Peanut Butter Banana: Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to the wet ingredients and fold in peanut butter chips
• Tropical Twist: Mix in shredded coconut and dried pineapple
• Berry Bliss: Fold in dried cranberries or freeze-dried strawberries
• Nutty Delight: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Double Chocolate: Use cocoa powder (add 2 tablespoons) and chocolate chips
• Apple Cinnamon: Add ½ cup finely diced dried apples and an extra ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Maple Pecan: Swap honey for maple syrup and add chopped pecans

Make-Ahead Options

These cookies are fantastic for meal prep! Here’s how to plan ahead:

Make the dough ahead: Mix everything together, portion the cookies onto parchment-lined baking sheets, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Bake straight from the fridge—you might need to add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.

Freeze unbaked cookies: Portion the dough, freeze on a baking sheet until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

Freeze baked cookies: Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment paper between layers. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Texture tip: These cookies are meant to be soft and chewy, not crispy. If you prefer a firmer texture, use rolled oats instead of quick oats or bake for 2-3 minutes longer.
• Banana measurement matters: Three medium overripe bananas should give you about 1¼ cups mashed. If you’re short, add a tablespoon or two of applesauce.
• Why quick oats? They break down easier and absorb moisture faster, giving you a better texture. Regular oats can work but might make the cookies a bit chewier and heartier.
• These cookies are naturally gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats!
• Sweetness level: These aren’t super sweet cookies—they’re lightly sweetened and perfect for breakfast or snacking. If you want them sweeter, increase the honey to 3 tablespoons or add a few extra chocolate chips.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving these banana oatmeal cookies:

• With a cold glass of milk (dairy or non-dairy—both are perfect!)
• Alongside your morning coffee as a quick breakfast on the go
• Crumbled over Greek yogurt with fresh berries
• In school lunchboxes—they’re wholesome enough that I feel good about it
• As an after-school snack with apple slices and peanut butter
• Warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert

How to Store Your Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place a piece of bread in the container to keep them extra soft!

Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. They’ll firm up a bit when cold, so let them come to room temperature or warm them slightly before serving.

Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Reheating: Pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven taste!

Allergy Information

Contains: Eggs

Allergen-friendly options:

• Egg-free/Vegan: Use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2.5 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes) or chia egg (same ratio with chia seeds)
• Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats
• Nut-free: Skip any nut mix-ins and use chocolate chips or dried fruit instead
• Dairy-free: These are naturally dairy-free! Just make sure your chocolate chips are dairy-free if using

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use regular rolled oats instead of quick oats?

Yes! The texture will be a bit chewier and heartier. For a texture closer to the original recipe, pulse your rolled oats in a food processor a few times to break them down slightly before using.

My cookies are falling apart, what went wrong?

This usually happens if the bananas weren’t ripe enough or if you didn’t let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for the full 5 minutes. They need that time to set! Also, make sure you’re measuring your oats correctly—too many oats can make them crumbly.

Why are my cookies flat and mushy?

Your bananas might have been too wet or your oats weren’t measured correctly. Make sure you’re using the spoon-and-level method for measuring oats (not packing them down). Also, try baking for an extra 2-3 minutes to help them firm up.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear what mix-ins you used and how they turned out! Tag me on social media so I can see your creations!