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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
Not necessarily. Oatmeal cookies can be healthier than regular cookies, but they can also be equally as sugary and packed with unhealthy ingredients, which is why I always prefer to bake them from scratch.
If you’d rather skip the oats, you can use quinoa flakes or buckwheat flakes instead.
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.
3 Ingredient Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free rolled oats Can sub for quinoa flakes or buckwheat flakes
- 3 large overripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter can sub for any nut or seed butter
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips of choice Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix very well, until fully combined. If using chocolate chips, stir them in with a spatula.
- Lightly wet your hands and form 8 balls with the cookies. Place each ball on the lined mat, and press each ball into a cookie shape. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven.
- Allow cooling on the mat for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
LOVE these breakfast cookies so much!
Only had 1.5 ripe bananas, so I adjusted measurements to make 4 cookies. They were delicious! Hearty & chewy! I did add to mine a little chopped nuts, craisins & one packet of Truvia for ensured sweetness. Will be making these again and wondering if they would freeze well for a quick bfast on the go?
Husband works construction and doesn’t have time for a sit down breakfast. Watching carbs and these are a hit!!!
Did mini chocolate chips, pecans and Craisins.
How much applesauce or pumpkin would you substitute for banana?
At least 2 cups- start with that and add more as needed 🙂
Love this recipe!! Just made for the first time. I made them low sugar by using sugar free Lily chocolate chips and no sugar added natural peanut butter. Then made them high protein by using lupini “oats” which have 1 net carbs per serving and 12 g protein. I think I’ll drizzle some melted peanut butter over the top for a snazzy look!
They are in the oven. How can they be made without bananas? Do you need a liquid sub?
Applesauce or pumpkin 🙂
Thank you so much for all your recipes- I made this cookies all the time.
Thanks, Jan!
Quick, easy and Tasty!! Thank You
So welcome, Dan!
I made these with enjoy life white and dark chocolate chips, yellow raisins, pecans and cacao nibs. This is now my favorite way to eat oatmeal! Thanks for taking the time to share this recipe 💜 I can’t wait to try more of your recipe 😊
I love this recipe and it is so easy to make. I made some with chocolate and the rest with white chocolate and both were delicious. 😋
These are excellent. I used pumpkin (375g) instead of banana and added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 30g Swerve brown sugar substitute.
These turned out amazing! Thank you so much for your recipes
How can I incorporate protein powder into the recipe to boost protein intake?
Add 1/4 cup of protein powder 🙂
The best breakfast cookies that I can feel good about eating!!
Howdy!
These cookies are for sure delicious, but you may wanna double check the macros listed.
I make these about twice a week! So good. I make about 20 from a batch, not 8 large.
I found the following information on a very helpful ingredient weight chart on kingarthur.com –
2 cups old fashioned oats = 178 g
1/2 cup peanut butter = 135 g
1/4 cup chocolate chips = 42.5 g
How many cups of pumpkin puree should I replace the bananas with? I don’t have any fresh or frozen bananas. Thanks in advance!
2 cups should work.
I love the breakfast cookies. Not many ingredients and keeps my sugar level stable. Thanks for the variety.
My husband and I love these cookies. I use Almond Butter because I have an intolerance to peanut butter. I also add some cranraisins and raisins to my cookies. Thank you for a great recipe!!!!
Delicious cookies.
I only had about 1.5 cups of rolled oats and used quick-cook steel cut for the rest – worked great! Hope that’s helpful.
hey!all of your recepies are looking so delicious .KEEP It on .
WOW… first time I made these, but not the last!!! These cookies are incredibly tasty‼️ Great texture & filling too! I added cinnamon, split the mixture in half, then added 2 different types of nut butters & made 4 different types of cookies in total from my add-ins of vegan dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut & raspberry jam for some seriously yummy thumbprints!!!
These are perfectly delicious and healthy cookies. I followed the exact recipe. This recipe will be my go to when I have over ripe bananas. There was a lot of batter so I was able to make 12 cookies rather than 8. I guess I can eat 2 for breakfast?!?
Just made these this afternoon – although I used supermarket porridge oats and a crushed up cadburys chocolate bar, they still came out great. This will become a breakfast staple in our house!
Do these have a strong banana flavor?
They are definitely evident 🙂
These are delicious. I tripled to make a huge batch. They freeze well also.
This was an excellent recipe. Instead of the sugar free choc chips, I used a couple of tsp of organic cacao powder and it was delish 🙂 ♥
This will definitely be one of my go to cookies.
I am going to try this! But I cannot eat the choclate chips— could I substitute walnuts or butterscotch chips instead?
Yes you can!
These are delicious
I used espresso chips vs chocolate chips….yum! Thanks for great recipes.
Can I used pre frozen bananas?
As long as you thaw them first 🙂
just made these and they were sooooo good! make these if you want to try healthy recipes!
These are delicious! I used one cup of Bob’s Red Mill gluten free quick cooking rolled oats and one cup of quinoa flakes. I also used Sunbutter ans Pascha unsweetened chocolate chips. Between the sweetness of the SunButter and the unsweetened chips, the balance is perfect for breakfast! I was able to get 16 cookies using a large-ish ice cream scooper. Thank you for the easy and delicious recipe!!
Thank you, Miki!
I went with all oatmeal. Delicious recipe. Thanks! 🙂
Can I use 1 cup of rolled oats and 1 cup of quinoa flakes or should I stick with the 2 cups of the same? Also, what would I use the applesauce for, a banana replacement? Can’t wait to try these. Thanks.
I don’t see why not! Yes, that replaces banana.
I made these breakfast cookies today add added some walnuts, a bit of maple syrup and cinnamon. They turned out great!! As well, I substituted with applesauce and pumpkin for have of the banana. Awesome and very nutritious treat!!
Thanks for the recipe! I added the chocolate chips plus a little honey, a dash of cinnamon, a dash of salt and 1/2 tsp of vanilla. Great treat to help start the new year right!
Do you use natural peanut butter in this or grocery shelf version — like Jiff or Peter Pan?
either can work, as long as it is smooth and drippy
I added Lily’s chocolate chips, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp flax/chia seed. These cookies are big, filling and delicious!
Love that! 🙂
These are so good!!! How can something so simple be so great? Will make again!! Ps, the batter is delicious before going in the oven too… for the impatient ones out there 😂
Hahaha I can attest to that!
So easy and tasty. One is not enough! Will be making again soon!
😀 love it!
My child has egg, dairy and nut allergy. What can I substitute for peanut butter?
Sunflower seed butter or tahini
This reciepe is a game-changer for my 4-year-old’s morning routine! She hasn’t asked for junk food since we first made them! She gets excited to try new combos, too! Thanks so much for sharing!
Aw that means so much- You are so welcome, Sarah!
I used this recipe except cut the recipe in half because I only had one and a half banana. I added 1 tbls of honey, 1 tbls of peanut butter , a dash of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon. I realize this is not following the recipe but if it weren’t for the 3 base ingredients that you provided, I am sure I would not have thought of this recipe on my own… so thank you for the recipe
These are awesome!! I added cinnamon, brown flaxseed meal, and blueberries instead of chocolate chips in mine.
😀 sounds delicious!
Hi, I tried 2 times but no clue why its soft but not crispy? I’ve added many oats to make the batter thicker though.. Appreciate your help!
Hi Linda- These cookies aren’t crispy, they are soft and chewy.
Does the nutritional information provided account for the choc chips added?
Not included 🙂 Feel free to adjust the nutritional information if you add it
Easy delicious cookies. I add raisins and chopped nuts and occasionally orange peel. yummy!
Fabulous additions 🙂
Hello! I am new to baking. Like to find out how long to pre-heat the oven for please. Thanks!
Hi! 10 minutes should be fine!
I ❤️ these easy cookies and all the possible substitutes that are possible to match your dietary restrictions, needs, and preferences! Here is a tip…..I sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of each cookie before sending them into the oven 😋
That sounds fantastic! 🙂
These are so good!!!!
Hi, can you use steel cut oats instead?
I haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see!
What about using steel cut oats?
I haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see!
Thanks for the recipes. They look great.W be giving them a go tomorrow.
One thing though. Would you mind adding the quantities in grams? It’s only north America and Sri Lanka that use non metric now. Thanks!
Hi we are slowly adding it to all new recipes!
They are really really good!! I set them as thinly as I could so that they were crispy and it worked! the peanut butter flavor is not overpowering at all, very subtle, and the sweetness is perfect. I added some nuts too.
Sounds like fantastic additions!
These were really good. I used a combination of almond and cashew butter instead of peanut and topped half with raw cocoa nibs and the other half with coconut flakes. Delicious!
😀 sounds great!
Is there a way to find out grams instead of cups please?
Hi Nicola, we are updating older recipes slowly- only newer ones have grams included.
I only had 2 bananas so added 1/2 of apple butter and used almond butter instead of peanut butter, worked well!
Fabulous, thanks for the feedback!
Thanks Arman for the recipe! It was really delicious my little one loved it, I was able to make 12 big cookies with the recipe. My baby loved these Ive already made it twice this week (He had it without chocolate chips whereas my batch was with extra chocolate chips)
Ahh I love that! Hope you are staying safe, Amy!
Great no added sugar recipe! I made these this morning and my kids loved them! I used previously frozen bananas and added ground flax, black sesame seed powder and protein powder to help boost our nutritional value.
Love it! thanks for the feedback, Hannah!
I would like to add ground flax seed. What would be the amount without ruining the nice recipe?
No idea- only tried this recipe as written. Maybe experiment and 2 tablespoons and go from there.
Beautiful morning cookie. I did bake my cookies for 12 minutes because high elevation and made into cookie bars. Shapewise. And the taste was delicious. Gonna freeze a few. Th
My husband loves peanut butter, I made these for him and he LOOOOVED them! They are just perfect and what we both looked for. Just 3 ingredients too! Thank you so much
Thanks for the feedback, Carmen!
Could you substitute the oats for almond flour?
I’ve only tried the recipe as written. You could try this recipe instead- https://thebigmansworld.com/paleo-breakfast-cookies/
what degrees do you bake at?
180C/350F.
I just made these. Sooo yummy! I used tahini, dark chocolate chips and sprinkled some ground flax in the mix. Very awesome and so easy. 🙂
So glad to hear it, Lisa!
Delicious! My little ones loved them too! We ground the oats first, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly – Thank you 🙂
😀 Yum! Glad to hear the little one enjoyed it! 🙂
So… I’m using applesauce, but in what measurement??
Start with 1 cup, adjust as needed!
Hi do you use regular or quick oats for these? Thanks.
You can!
Awesome makeover for the blog, Arman! Not to mention–these breakfast cookies look stellar! I love a perfectly easy recipe. I usually see a recipe like this, except there’s no peanut butter. Otherwise, their recipes aren’t as tasty. Peanut butter elevates ANYTHING!
I love these cookies! Definitely my favorite breakfast. I make them frequently.