These Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are the perfect healthy start to your morning, offering a wholesome alternative to traditional sugary cereals. They are naturally sweet, packed with fiber, and feel like eating a treat for breakfast while providing the sustained energy you need to power through your day.
Soft, chewy, and loaded with dark chocolate chips and nutty hemp seeds, these cookies are a nutritious win for busy families and meal-prep enthusiasts alike.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Naturally sweet from overripe bananas, with creamy peanut butter undertones and a warm hint of cinnamon.
- Textures: Soft, moist, and tender with a bit of texture from the oats, shredded coconut, and hemp seeds.
- Total Time: Approximately 25 minutes.
- Difficulty Level: Easy. A simple one-bowl mixing method that is perfect for involving the kids in the kitchen.
What You’ll Need
This recipe transforms common pantry staples into a nutritious breakfast. You will need overripe bananas for the base, combined with natural peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla. The dry ingredients include old fashioned oats, shredded unsweetened coconut, chocolate chips, and optional hemp seeds for an extra nutritional boost.
Ingredient Notes
- Mashed overripe banana – The riper the banana, the sweeter your cookies will be. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots.
- Natural peanut butter – Provides healthy fats and protein to keep you full longer.
- Eggs – Act as the binder to hold the soft batter together. You can substitute with flax eggs if you prefer a plant-based option.
- Old fashioned oats – These provide the best chewy texture; use certified gluten free oats if you have a gluten sensitivity.
- Baking soda – Gives the cookies a slight lift so they stay soft rather than dense.
- Cinnamon and Kosher salt – Essential for balancing the sweetness and adding warmth.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut – Adds a subtle tropical flavor and a nice chewy texture without extra sugar.
- Chocolate chips – Makes these feel like a special treat; use dark chocolate for a richer flavor.
- Hemp seeds – These are optional but add a wonderful nutty flavor and a boost of omega-3 fatty acids.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Dried Fruit – If you prefer to skip the chocolate, you can substitute the chocolate chips with raisins or dried cranberries.
- Nuts – Add a 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for an extra crunch.
- Protein – For an even heartier cookie, you can stir in a tablespoon of chia seeds along with the hemp seeds.
- Nut-Free – If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter.
How to Make Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Prepare the oven and pans: Preheat your oven to 350F. Line an extra large sheet pan (or two half sheet pans) with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash your overripe bananas. Ensure you measure out exactly 1 cup of mashed banana; a bit heaping is fine, but too much will make the cookies overly moist. Add the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla, then whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, coconut, chocolate chips, and hemp seeds to the bowl. Whisk until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Scoop the batter: Use a spoon to drop mounds of the batter onto your prepared baking sheet. Note that the batter will be significantly wetter than traditional cookie dough. Do not be tempted to add more oats, as this will result in a dry cookie. This recipe makes exactly 20 cookies.
- Bake: Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and set. if you are using two sheet pans, bake them one at a time for the most even results.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to finish setting before serving.
Pro Tip: Accurate measurement of the mashed banana is crucial for this recipe. Because the batter is naturally wet, having a true 1-cup measurement ensures the cookies set up perfectly in the oven without becoming mushy.
Recipe Tips
- Parchment is Key – Because these cookies are moist and contain no refined flour, they can be sticky. Parchment paper is highly recommended over just greasing the pan.
- Wet Batter – Do not panic when you see the consistency of the batter. It is meant to be much thinner than a standard chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Spacing – These cookies do not spread much during baking, so you can place them relatively close together, but leave at least 1 inch of space for airflow.
- One Sheet at a Time – To ensure the bottoms don’t burn while the tops remain soft, baking one tray at a time on the center rack provides the most consistent heat.
FAQs
Can I use quick oats instead of old fashioned oats? While you can, the texture will be much softer and less chewy. Old fashioned oats are highly recommended for the best “breakfast cookie” experience.
How do I know when the cookies are done? The cookies should feel set to the touch on the edges and have a light golden-brown color. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the hot pan.
Can I make these vegan? Yes, simply replace the two eggs with two flax eggs (2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons of water, let sit for 5 minutes).
Serving Suggestions
- Greek Yogurt – Serve a couple of cookies alongside a bowl of plain Greek yogurt for a high-protein breakfast.
- Fresh Fruit – Pair with a side of fresh berries or a sliced apple.
- On-the-Go – These are sturdy enough to be tucked into a lunchbox or grabbed on your way out the door for a quick snack.
Make This Recipe in Advance
These cookies are ideal for batch cooking on the weekend to provide snacks and breakfasts throughout the week.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully. Once completely cooled, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes or microwave for 15 seconds for a warm treat.
Print
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies 1x
Description
These Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are the perfect healthy start to your morning, offering a wholesome alternative to traditional sugary cereals. Naturally sweet and packed with fiber, they provide sustained energy to power through your day. Soft, chewy, and loaded with dark chocolate chips and nutty hemp seeds, these nutritious cookies are a win for busy families and meal-prep enthusiasts looking for a quick, on-the-go breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an extra-large sheet pan (or two half sheet pans) with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Whisk the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, mash exactly 1 cup of overripe bananas. Add the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla, then whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Step 3: Incorporate Dry Ingredients
Add the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, coconut, chocolate chips, and hemp seeds to the bowl. Whisk until all ingredients are well combined.
Step 4: Scoop the Batter
Use a spoon to drop mounds of the batter onto your prepared baking sheet. Note that the batter will be significantly wetter than traditional cookie dough; this makes exactly 20 cookies.
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and set. Bake one sheet pan at a time for the most even results.
Step 6: Cool
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to finish setting before serving.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. These also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
The Ripeness Rule: For the best flavor, use bananas with plenty of brown spots. The riper the banana, the sweeter the cookie, reducing the need for added sugars.
Texture Variation: If you prefer a nut-free option, you can substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter. For extra crunch, add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 115
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 125mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
Keywords: banana oatmeal breakfast cookies, healthy breakfast cookies, meal prep breakfast, gluten free oatmeal cookies, banana peanut butter cookies
