Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Very ripe bananas hold these oatmeal cookies together and sweeten the dough, while chocolate chips add sweetness and stay visible on top. The cookies bake up thick, soft, and chewy, with distinct oat flakes and lightly golden edges—not thin or crisp. Because banana-oat dough barely spreads, give each portion a cookie shape before it goes into the oven.
Makes about 12 cookies. Allow 15 minutes of active prep, 10 minutes for the dough to rest, 15 to 18 minutes to bake, and about 10 minutes to cool on the sheet.
Ingredients for Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed to about 1 cup (225g)
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (180g), plus more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (about 55g)
Optional: Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Reserve a few of the measured chocolate chips for the cookie tops.
How to Bake Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat the oven: Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas: Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl until mostly smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and optional vanilla.
- Mix and rest: Stir in the rolled oats and most of the chocolate chips. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes so the oats absorb moisture. The rested dough should be moist and cohesive but scoopable, not pourable. If it is still runny, stir in more rolled oats 1 tablespoon at a time until it holds a scoop.
- Shape the cookies: Divide the dough into 12 portions on the lined sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Gently press each into a roughly round, irregular cookie about 3/4 inch thick. Press the reserved chocolate chips onto the tops.
- Bake until set: Bake uncovered for about 15 to 18 minutes, checking at 14 minutes. The tops should look set rather than wet, and the edges should be lightly golden; the centers will remain soft. Rotate the sheet once if your oven browns unevenly.
- Cool before moving: Leave the cookies on the sheet for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack. They firm up enough to hold together as they cool.
Banana Ripeness and Dough Consistency
Choose heavily spotted bananas and measure about 1 cup after mashing. Less-ripe bananas give the cookies less sweetness, while larger bananas can make the dough wetter. Wait until after the 10-minute rest before adding extra oats; the mixture often becomes easier to scoop as it sits.
Quick oats can replace rolled oats by volume, but the cookies will have a finer texture without the prominent oat flakes. Steel-cut oats are not a direct substitute.
Why Shape the Cookies Before Baking?
Banana-oat dough spreads very little. Pressing each portion to about 3/4 inch thick prevents tall, shapeless mounds while keeping the cookies substantial. Leave the edges uneven, and avoid baking until deeply browned, which can dry out their soft centers.
Storage and Freezing
Cool the cookies completely before packing them. Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen cookies before serving; reheating is not necessary.
For another banana snack, try these Peanut Butter Banana Bites. For a richer dessert cookie, see these Pecan Pie Cookies.
Nutrition
Approximate per cookie, based on 12 cookies: 100 calories, 3g protein, 2g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of the unbaked ingredient mixture: 255 calories, 8g protein, 6g fat, and 45g carbohydrates. Values vary with the bananas and chocolate chips used. Baking changes the cookies’ weight, so per-100g values for finished cookies will differ.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed to about 1 cup (225 g)
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (180 g), plus more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (about 55 g), with a few reserved for the tops
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl until mostly smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and optional vanilla.
- Stir in the rolled oats and most of the chocolate chips. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
- Check that the dough is moist and cohesive but scoopable. If it is runny, stir in more oats 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Divide the dough into 12 portions on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Press each portion into an irregular round about 3/4 inch thick, then press the reserved chocolate chips onto the tops.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, checking at 14 minutes, until the tops look set and the edges are lightly golden. Rotate the sheet once if your oven browns unevenly.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack.
Tips
- Use heavily spotted, very ripe bananas for the best sweetness.
- Measure about 1 cup of banana after mashing; larger bananas can make the dough wetter.
- Wait until after the 10-minute rest before adding extra oats.
- Shape the portions before baking because the dough spreads very little.
- Avoid baking until deeply browned to keep the centers soft.
Variations
- Quick-Oat Cookies: Replace the rolled oats with quick oats by volume for a finer texture.
- Vanilla Banana Oat Cookies: Stir 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract into the mashed bananas.