Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies Recipe

Of all the recipes that have become staples in our home, these Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies hold a special place in my heart and our weekly routine. The morning chaos is a familiar symphony in our house—the rush to get ready, the search for matching socks, and the constant refrain of “What’s for breakfast?” I used to dread it, often resorting to sugary cereals or plain toast just to get something into everyone’s bellies before we scattered for the day. That all changed when I stumbled upon the concept of a “breakfast cookie.” A cookie for breakfast? My kids’ eyes lit up. My sensible side was skeptical. But after perfecting this recipe, I can tell you it’s a game-changer. These aren’t your typical dessert cookies; they are wholesome, hearty, and packed with goodness. The natural sweetness from overripe bananas combined with the chewy texture of rolled oats creates something truly satisfying. The first time I baked a batch, the warm, comforting scent of cinnamon and banana filled the entire kitchen, and a plate of these vanished in minutes. Now, they are our go-to for busy weekday mornings, a healthy after-school snack, and even a guilt-free treat to pack for hikes. They are endlessly customizable, incredibly simple to make, and loved by every single member of my family.

The Ultimate Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies Recipe

This recipe is the foundation for your perfect breakfast cookie. It’s designed to be delicious on its own but also serves as a perfect canvas for your favorite mix-ins and flavor combinations. The magic lies in its simplicity and the wholesome ingredients that power you through your morning.

Ingredients

• Wet Ingredients:
  • 3 large, very ripe bananas (the more brown spots, the better!)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or light olive oil, or melted butter)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Dry Ingredients:
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if needed)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour (or whole wheat flour for a denser cookie)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Optional Mix-Ins (Choose up to 1 cup total):
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup raisins or chopped dates
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flaxseed for an extra nutritional boost

Step-by-Step Baking Instructions

Follow these detailed instructions to ensure your breakfast cookies come out perfectly soft, chewy, and delicious every single time. The process is straightforward and forgiving, making it a great recipe for bakers of all skill levels.

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This is a crucial step that prevents the cookies from sticking and ensures easy cleanup. A sticky cookie dough like this one will adhere to an unlined pan.

Step 2: Mash the Bananas
In a large mixing bowl, place your three very ripe bananas. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash them thoroughly until they form a wet, relatively smooth puree. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and add to the final texture, but you want to break down the main structure of the bananas to release their moisture and sweetness.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
To the bowl with the mashed bananas, add the melted coconut oil and pure vanilla extract. Stir everything together with a spatula or wooden spoon until well combined. The mixture should look like a smooth, fragrant banana sauce.

Step 4: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: the rolled oats, almond flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, ground nutmeg, and sea salt. Use a whisk to mix them together thoroughly. This step is important because it ensures the baking soda, salt, and spices are evenly distributed throughout the oats, which leads to a consistent flavor and rise in every single cookie.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry
Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Use your spatula to gently fold everything together. Be careful not to overmix! Mix only until the oat mixture is just moistened and there are no dry pockets of flour or oats remaining. The “dough” will be very wet and sticky, more like a thick oatmeal than a traditional cookie dough. This is exactly how it should be.

Step 6: Add Your Mix-Ins
If you are using any optional mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit, now is the time to add them. Gently fold them into the batter until they are evenly distributed. Again, avoid overmixing.

Step 7: Scoop and Shape the Cookies
Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) or two spoons, drop mounds of dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Space them about 2 inches apart. This recipe should yield approximately 15-18 cookies. Important Tip: These cookies will not spread much while baking. If you want a more traditional, flatter cookie shape, use the back of a wet spoon or slightly damp fingers to gently press down each mound of dough to your desired thickness.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 13-16 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are set (they will no longer look wet). They will still be very soft when they come out of the oven.

Step 9: Cool Completely
Let the breakfast cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes. This allows them to firm up enough to be moved. After this initial cooling period, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This final step is essential for the best texture. They will firm up considerably as they cool.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings: 16 cookies
• Calories per serving (1 cookie): Approximately 110-140 kcal

Please note that the exact nutritional information will vary based on the size of your bananas and the specific optional mix-ins you choose to include. This estimate is for a cookie with a moderate amount of chocolate chips and walnuts. These cookies are a great source of dietary fiber from the oats, potassium from the bananas, and healthy fats from the coconut oil and nuts.

Preparation Time

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes

This recipe is a true testament to how quickly you can whip up a healthy and delicious breakfast or snack for the entire week with minimal effort and time commitment.

How to Serve Your Breakfast Cookies

While these cookies are fantastic on their own as a quick grab-and-go meal, there are many creative and delicious ways to serve them to elevate your breakfast experience.

• The Classic Grab-and-Go:
  • Enjoy one or two cookies with your morning coffee or tea for a perfectly balanced and effortless start to your day.
  • Pack them in a container for a commute-friendly breakfast.
• The Breakfast “Sandwich”:
  • Take two cookies and spread a thin layer of your favorite nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew) or seed butter between them.
  • For a protein-packed version, spread a layer of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt between two cookies.
• The Yogurt Parfait Topper:
  • Crumble one cookie over a bowl of Greek yogurt.
  • Layer with fresh berries, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, and the crumbled cookie for a beautiful and satisfying parfait.
• Warmed Up with a Drizzle:
  • Gently warm a cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it’s soft and the chocolate chips (if using) are slightly melted.
  • Drizzle with a small amount of maple syrup, honey, or melted nut butter for a truly decadent-tasting treat.
• With a Glass of Milk:
  • Serve alongside a cold glass of dairy milk or your favorite plant-based milk (almond, oat, or soy) for a classic cookie experience that’s healthy enough for breakfast.

Additional Tips for Breakfast Cookie Perfection

These five tips will help you master this recipe and adapt it to your specific tastes and dietary needs, ensuring a perfect batch every time.

1. The Banana Ripeness Scale is Key
The success of these cookies hinges on the ripeness of your bananas. Green or yellow bananas will not work well; they lack the necessary sweetness and moisture. You are looking for bananas that are heavily speckled with brown or even mostly black. These overripe bananas are significantly sweeter, which means you don’t need to add any refined sugar, and they are much easier to mash into a smooth puree, providing the perfect binder for the cookies. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, you can speed up the process by placing them in a paper bag for a day or two, or by baking them in their peels at 300°F (150°C) for 15-20 minutes until the peels turn black.

2. Master Your Oat Choice
For the best texture, old-fashioned rolled oats are the superior choice. They provide a wonderful chewiness and structure that holds up well during baking. Quick-cooking oats can be used in a pinch, but they will absorb more moisture and result in a softer, more cake-like cookie. Do not use steel-cut oats, as they will not soften enough during the short baking time and will result in a hard, unpleasantly crunchy cookie. For a gluten-free version, simply ensure you are using certified gluten-free rolled oats, which are processed in a facility that avoids cross-contamination with wheat.

3. Don’t Crowd the Pan
While these cookies don’t spread like traditional butter-and-sugar cookies, it’s still important to give them enough space on the baking sheet. Spacing them about two inches apart allows for proper air circulation around each cookie. This ensures they bake evenly from the edges to the center, preventing the dreaded raw middle or burnt bottom. Using two baking sheets is better than trying to cram them all onto one.

4. The Cooling Process is Non-Negotiable
Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to these cookies. They are very soft and fragile when they first come out of the oven. Letting them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes allows them to set and gain structural integrity. Transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely is the final, crucial step. This allows air to circulate underneath the cookies, preventing them from becoming soggy on the bottom and helping them achieve that perfect, firm-yet-chewy texture.

5. Embrace Meal Prep and Your Freezer
These cookies are a meal-prepper’s dream. You can bake a double batch on a Sunday and have breakfast and snacks ready for the entire week. Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully. Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1-2 hours. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep for up to 3 months. You can thaw them at room temperature or pop a frozen cookie in the microwave for 30-45 seconds for a quick, warm breakfast.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about making these banana oat breakfast cookies.

1. Can I use frozen bananas for this recipe?
Yes, you absolutely can! Frozen ripe bananas are fantastic for this recipe. Simply thaw them completely at room temperature or in the microwave before using them. They will release a lot of liquid as they thaw—do not discard this liquid! It’s full of banana flavor and sweetness. Mash the thawed bananas along with their liquid and proceed with the recipe as written. Using frozen bananas is a great way to save those overripe bananas before they go bad.

2. My cookies came out mushy and didn’t hold their shape. What went wrong?
There are a few potential culprits for mushy cookies. The most common reason is that the banana-to-oat ratio was off. If you used extra-large bananas or your bananas were particularly watery, you may need to add a few more tablespoons of rolled oats or almond flour to absorb the excess moisture. Another reason could be that they were underbaked. Ensure the centers look set and not wet before removing them from the oven. Finally, not allowing them to cool completely can also result in a mushy texture, as they firm up significantly during the cooling process.

3. How can I make these cookies sweeter without adding refined sugar?
The ripeness of your bananas is the number one factor for sweetness. Using a very spotted, almost black banana will yield the sweetest results. If you still desire more sweetness, you can incorporate naturally sweet mix-ins like chopped dates, raisins, or dried cranberries. A tablespoon or two of pure maple syrup or honey can also be added with the wet ingredients, but be aware this will make the dough a bit wetter, so you might need to compensate with a little extra almond flour.

4. Can I make this recipe completely vegan and/or gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is very easy to adapt.

• For a Vegan Version: The base recipe as written is nearly vegan. Simply ensure you use melted coconut oil or another plant-based oil instead of butter. Also, check that your chocolate chips (if using) are dairy-free.
• For a Gluten-Free Version: The key is to use certified gluten-free rolled oats. This ensures they haven’t been cross-contaminated with wheat. The use of almond flour instead of all-purpose flour already makes the recipe friendly for a gluten-free diet. As always, double-check that all your individual ingredients, like baking soda and vanilla, are certified gluten-free if you are baking for someone with celiac disease.

5. Can I add protein powder to this recipe for an extra boost?
Yes, you can, but it requires a slight adjustment. You can replace up to 1/4 cup of the almond flour with your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder. However, protein powder is very absorbent, so you may need to add a splash of milk (dairy or plant-based) or a little extra mashed banana to the batter to prevent the cookies from becoming too dry. Start with one tablespoon of extra liquid and add more only if the dough seems overly thick and stiff. This is a great way to increase the protein content and make these cookies an even more powerful post-workout snack or a more satiating breakfast.

Print