These Banana Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy cookies made with oats, mashed banana, cinnamon and honey. I love to add chocolate chips for a little extra sweetness. Chopped nuts are a delicious optional mix-in, too!
One of my favorite afternoon treats is a cookie and a cup of tea. Lately I’ve been enjoying these banana oatmeal cookies, and I think you’ll love them too. The dough for this easy recipe is mixed up by hand, no electric mixer needed. It’s the perfect recipe to bake with kids in the kitchen, and mine often ask to help. They’re great at scooping, pouring the ingredients and mixing the dough!
I love that these healthy cookies are made with wholesome ingredients, including rolled oats, flaxseed and whole wheat flour instead of white flour. They’re sweetened with mashed banana and honey, instead of refined sugars. I’ve even been known to eat a couple of these banana oatmeal cookies for breakfast. They’re just sweet enough and the chewy texture is irresistible.
The baked cookies freeze wonderfully, and they’re perfect for adding to school lunchboxes. My kids gobble them up, and having a stash of these in my freezer makes school lunch packing just a bit easier. They can go straight from freezer to lunchbox, and they’ll defrost by snack or lunch time.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Old-Fashioned Oats: I love the chewy texture that old fashioned oats give to these cookies. You can substitute quick oats, they’ll just change the texture of the cookies a bit.
- Whole Wheat Flour: You can substitute all-purpose flour if that’s all you have on hand.
- Ground Flaxseed: Flaxseed adds fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to use ground flaxseed (sometimes called flaxseed meal), not whole flaxseed.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Vanilla: These complement the banana flavor.
- Baking Soda and Salt: Baking soda makes the cookies puff up a bit as they bake, and salt enhances all of the flavors.
- Banana: The banana adds natural sweetness and moisture.
- Honey: To sweeten the cookie dough. Maple syrup works well as a substitute.
- Butter: For moisture and flavor. You can substitute melted coconut oil for dairy-free cookies.
- Egg: Helps the dough hold together and provides moisture.
- Chocolate Chips: For little bursts of sweetness throughout the cookies. I love to use dark chocolate chips. Mini chocolate chips would also work well here.
- Chopped Walnuts, if you want! I prefer these with the nuts, but the rest of my family likes them without.
TIP: USE VERY RIPE BANANAS
The secret to making the best banana cookies is to use very ripe bananas. Ripe, brown-spotted bananas are extra sweet, and this sweet banana flavor will come through in the baked cookies. Looking for more ripe banana recipes? Try my Healthy Banana Muffins or Healthy Banana Bread.
HOW TO MAKE BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES
Here is an overview of how to make this recipe. Find the full printable recipe with ingredient measurements below.
Stir together the dry ingredients in one mixing bowl, and the wet ingredients in another. Then combine them together.
Add the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
Scoop the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
RECIPE TIPS
- The dough will be fairly moist. Use a spoon to scoop heaping tablespoon sized portions onto the baking sheet and then use your fingers to gently shape the cookies.
- Use your hand to flatten the cookies slightly before baking. They won’t flatten on their own in the oven.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
- Nuts: Add chopped walnuts or pecans, or leave them out – it’s up to you! I like to toast the nuts in a skillet before adding them to the cookie dough.
- Raisins: Use them in place of the chocolate chips, or add both!
- Coconut: Try adding coconut flakes to the cookie dough. You can toast the coconut in a skillet to bring out its nutty flavor.
- For gluten-free cookies, substitute oat flour for the whole wheat flour and use certified gluten-free oats. You can make your own oat flour by processing oats in a food processor until finely ground. I’ve made these cookies using homemade oat flour and they turn out great.
HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. These banana oatmeal cookies freeze wonderfully. Once cool, freeze them in an airtight container, such as a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out, for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or using the defrost setting of a microwave.