Let your creativity run wild with these easy and Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies! Mix and match add-in ingredients for endless variations of chewy and delicious oatmeal cookies. With no added sugar or flour, you’ll love making this healthy cookie recipe for a quick snack or on-the-go breakfast!
Healthy cookies? Cookies for breakfast? Say what!
Ok, stay with me, here. I know that “healthy” isn’t a word often associated with cookies, but these banana oatmeal cookies have changed the game. I make these easy cookies with natural ingredients, zero flour, and no added sugar, and the results are just so hearty and delicious. Enjoy these healthy cookies for breakfast or, let’s be honest, at any time of the day!
You can make these cookies your own when it comes to variations. Mix and match add-in ingredients like dried fruit, chocolate chips, chopped nuts and more for your perfect, chewy oatmeal cookie!
What You’ll Need
Under 10 ingredients are needed to make these easy, flourless oatmeal cookies.
- Bananas: Ripe or overripe bananas are best, since you’ll be mashing them.
- Coconut Oil: Brought to its liquid state (usually around room temperature or slightly above). Coconut oil is my healthier answer to vegetable oil for these breakfast cookies!
- Old-Fashioned Oats: Old fashioned or rolled oats are the best for baking. Other kinds like instant oats tend to cook too quickly!
- Vanilla: For the purest and most natural flavor, use Vanilla Extract.
- Craisins: Coarsely chopped. You can also use raisins or another dried fruit.
- Shredded Coconut: I love coconut in these cookies, but it’s definitely optional. You can omit it or swap it out with any ingredients you prefer (same goes for the craisins). See my suggestions for other cookie add-ins below!
- Kosher Salt
This is possibly the easiest cookie recipe ever! Easy to make, easy to bake, and perfect for delicious and nutritious cookies in a hurry. Here are the steps:
Mash the Bananas: To start, mash up three ripe bananas. These will act as the “binder” for your healthy oatmeal cookies.
Chop Up the Add-Ins: In this case, craisins. Use a good knife and chop them up into smaller bits.
Combine the Ingredients: Mix the mashed bananas and other cookie ingredients together in a bowl.
Scoop the Cookies: Scoop and drop the cookie mixture into even sized balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. These cookies won’t expand or change shape while baking, so whatever shape they go into the oven is the shape they come out! I like to gently press my cookies down so they’re a bit flatter in shape, but you can also leave them in scoops.
Bake: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven until they are golden. I bake mine to be a little crunchy on the edges, to get the added coconut all crispy and delicious!
The cookies will stay soft, and actually get softer a day after you make them. So don’t be afraid to let them get nice and golden! Enjoy these hearty cookies with coffee, or as a grab-and-go breakfast during a busy workweek.
Can I Make the Dough in Advance?
You can prepare the oatmeal cookie mixture in advance and then keep the scoops refrigerated for up to two days until you’re ready to bake them. You can also freeze them for up to two months! See my tips for freezing later in this post.
Tips for Success
- Use Ripe Bananas: This is a golden opportunity to use up those bananas that have been browning on your counter! Ripe bananas will give these cookies the best chewy and sweet texture and flavor.
- Use Room Temperature Coconut Oil: Liquid coconut oil will combine evenly with the other ingredients.
- Use a Quality Kitchen Knife for Chopping: I chopped up the craisins for this recipe using my G-Fusion Santoku Chef Knife from New West Knifeworks. I am obsessed. It has a stunning fiberglass handle and steel blade that’s super durable. I own 2 of these knives and use them daily, and can’t say enough about them!
Add-In Ideas
Here’s where you can get creative with this cookie recipe! I added craisins and coconut to mine, but you can mix things up with raisins or dates instead, or walnuts and pecans. Throw in some chocolate chips, I won’t tell. The limit does not exist!
Some suggestions for add-in ideas:
- Chopped walnuts, macadamias, almonds, or pecans
- Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg
- Mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
- Peanut butter in place of coconut oil
- Chopped dried apricots, peaches, or other dried fruit
Storage Instructions
These banana oatmeal cookies stay freshest when stored airtight in the fridge. If stored properly, they’ll keep for up to 7 days!
Your healthy oatmeal cookies can be frozen before or after they are baked for up to 2 months. This makes them perfect for a make-ahead breakfast that’s ready to eat in no time!
- Freeze Unbaked Cookies: Pre-freeze the scooped and shaped cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until they’re solid, then transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Thaw the cookie scoops overnight and then bake as directed.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Again, pre-freeze the baked cookies on a baking sheet and then transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw the cookies and enjoy!
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- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These easy Banana Oatmeal Cookies are made with no added sugar or flour, for a delicious, chewy cookie. Make these your own and mix and match add-in ingredients. You’ll love making this healthy cookie recipe for a quick snack or breakfast!
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, in its liquid state
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup coarsely chopped craisins
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all the ingredients evenly. Using a medium (2 tablespoon) cookie scoop drop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the cookies out if you prefer a flatter cookie. The shape of the mixture won’t change as they are baked.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes until lightly golden.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Feel free to omit the coconut.
Optional add-in ideas:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, or any kind of nut
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
sub any dried fruit for craisins
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
sub peanut butter for coconut oil
sub any other light oil for coconut oil
Store airtight refrigerated up to 7 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 96
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 54.4 mg
- Fat: 3.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.3 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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This cookies are fantastic as is but can they be air fried? If yes, how?
Absolutely amazing!! I do not have the calories information. Do you have that information?
Loved this recipe-ended up adding some chopped almonds and choc chips and they are delicious!
What a great addition!!
Can I sub coconut oil for sunflower oil or canola oil? Can I add raisins? Thanks
sure!
Can I leave them out in an air tight container instead of the fridge?
yes sure!
Yogart?
There is no yogart in the list of ingredients.
This looks like a great alternate to cookies Shen u get that sweet tooth!!
I will try and add bit of protein powder!
Hi, I am not sure I understand…there is no yogurt in this recipe 🙂
Can you use quick cooking oats instead of the old fashioned kind? If so, would there be a difference in the baking time?
Yes, you can and no, no difference in bake time 🙂
Thank you! I’m baking them tonight!
I am going to try these. These look great, although I don’t know if you can really say “no added sugar” since Craisins and (sweetened) coconut both have sugar/sweetener added to them.
Yes, they absolutely do. That’s why I tried to clarify saying, “no additional sugar added”.
Yogurt isn’t healthy. I’ll take a cookie or cake for a treat instead, because that’s just as unhealthy but tastes way better.