Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These healthy banana oatmeal breakfast cookies are made with peanut butter and no flour, but you’d never tell! Rolled oats, banana, and peanut butter are combined to make thick and chewy cookies. No eggs, no sugar and an option to make this without banana! 

3 Ingredient Breakfast Cookies

When it comes to breakfast, I used to always think I was oatmeal, sweet bread, or a pancake kind of guy. 

Not to play favorites, but as long as there was some banana in there too, I’d be a happy camper. No wonder some of my favorite breakfasts were banana pancakes, banana breakfast bread, and even a banana bread mug cake.

Now we can add cookies to the mix.

One of my favorite snacks are my flourless banana bread cookies, but enjoying them for breakfast would be a little bit generous. While delicious, they didn’t have the staying power I needed.

I played around with the original recipe, wanting to see if I could adapt it to be more filling. I also wanted to see if I could keep them for a longer period of time, as I am ALL about prepping breakfasts in advance.

You guys, these oatmeal breakfast cookies have the BEST texture ever- Soft, chewy and

When it comes to taste, it is a mix between banana bread, oatmeal cookies and almost buttery, thanks to the peanut butter. 

Not only are these quick and easy breakfast cookies made with just 3 ingredients, but they are also vegan, gluten-free, dairy free and refined sugar free!

Ingredients needed (and substitutions)

As I mentioned, just 3 simple ingredients are what’s needed. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Rolled oats. AKA ‘old-fashioned oats.’ Make sure to use these and not instant oats, which don’t keep their texture very well after baking. Use gluten-free oats if needed.
• Bananas. Use the brownest, most overripe bananas you have since they’re the sweetest.
• Peanut butter. Smooth, drippy peanut butter, preferably with no added ingredients. I’ve also made this recipe with almond butter and sunflower seed butter, and both times, it turned out great, so use whatever nut or seed butter you prefer.
• Chocolate chips. Optional, but I can never say no to a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Ingredient swap

Not a fan of mashed bananas? I’ve tested this cookie recipe with both unsweetened applesauce and pumpkin. Both worked well, but when I used pumpkin, I found I had to add a little maple syrup to make up for the sweetness. If you only use applesauce, add an extra ¼ cup of rolled oats to make up for the extra moisture. 

How to make oatmeal breakfast cookies

Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Step 2- Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.

Step 3- Shape and bake. Using lightly wet hands or a cookie scoop, form 8 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Press them into a cookie shape. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden on the edges. 

Step 4- Cool. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Recipe tips and variations

• Add more oats. Depending on the size of the bananas, the batter may be too thin, making it hard to scoop and shape. If this happens, add a few tablespoons of oats and mix until you have a cookie dough-like consistency. 
• Don’t overbake. They’ll continue to cook briefly after pulling them out of the oven, so remove them as soon as the edges turn golden brown and lift from the baking sheet.
• Make thicker cookies. If you like your oatmeal cookies on the thicker, chewier side, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
• Adjust the taste. Give the dough a taste, and add maple syrup or honey if needed. After all, there’s no flour or eggs, so it’s basically edible oatmeal cookie dough.

Flavor variations

• Chocolate peanut butter. Fold in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. 
• Carrot cake. Fold in ¼ cup of shredded carrots, 2 tablespoons of raisins, and a few dashes of cinnamon. 
• Superfood. Fold in dried cranberries, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds. 
• Add more protein. Fold in 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite protein powder for a more filling cookie. 
• Enhance the flavor. Stir in some vanilla extract, sea salt, or cinnamon. 

Meal prep idea

These cookies travel well, so I like to work them into my weekly meal prep. I find they pair best with sous vide egg bites and a breakfast smoothie.

Storage instructions

To store: If you plan on enjoying the cookies within 2-3 days, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep them fresher for longer, store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

To freeze: Transfer any leftover cookies to a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, let the cookies thaw overnight. 

Frequently asked questions

More healthy oatmeal cookie recipes to try

• Blueberry oatmeal cookies– Soft, chewy, and full of vibrant blueberry flavor.
• Almond flour oatmeal cookies– We’ve been loving this recipe lately. 
• Cranberry orange cookies– Perfect for sharing, especially over the holidays. 
• Oatmeal raisin cookies– A healthy take on the ultimate classic oatmeal cookie recipe.