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These soft and chewy banana bread cookies bake in just 12 minutes and have no flour, butter, or oil in them!
If you love banana bread and want a way to have it for breakfast, banana bread cookies are your answer.
They are a cross between my breakfast cookies and oatmeal breakfast cookies but with more banana flavor and fewer ingredients!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this banana bread cookies recipe
- 3 Ingredients. Oats, bananas, and peanut butter!
- Perfect texture. These cookies are soft, and chewy, and if you use gluten-free old-fashioned oats, and have a texture similar to thick banana bread.
- Quick and easy. With less than two minutes of prep and just 12 minutes in the oven, these take no time to make.
- Gluten-free and vegan. Even if you don’t follow either of these diets, you’ll still adore them.
- Healthy. No refined sugar, butter, oil, or flour.
Ingredients needed
- Mashed banana. I like to use a ripe banana as it makes the cookies sweeter. Choose one with lots of brown spots.
- Rolled Oats (old fashioned oats). Provide the chewy texture, and goes so well with banana and peanut butter. You can use quick oats (instant oats) but they will be softer.
- Peanut Butter. Smooth, creamy, and drippy peanut butter must be used. If you use crunchy or thick peanut butter, you’ll find the cookies to be hard to mix.
Substitution idea
Swap out the peanut butter for almond butter, cashew butter, or tahini.
- Chocolate Chips. Optional, but highly recommended.
How to make banana bread cookies
Making these banana bread cookies is super simple and requires just one bowl.
- Make the dough. Mash your banana then add the oats, and peanut butter. Once mixed, fold through your chocolate chips if using them.
- Shape and bake. Form 12 balls of dough and place it on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Once the cookies go golden around the edges, remove them and let them cool on a cooling rack completely.
Remember, the cookies continue to cook as they cool.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Lightly wet your hands and form the balls of cookie dough instead of a cookie scoop. You’ll find the cookies form much better and spread much less.
- Do not over-bake the cookies. They will not become hard, but gummy if you over-cook them. Remove them when they just begin to go golden brown around the edges (10-12 minutes). They continue to cook as they cool down.
- If you want to substitute the banana for something else, you can use unsweetened applesauce. Start with 1 ¼ cups, but you may need more oats (if the batter is too thin) or more applesauce (if the batter is too thick).
Variations
- Add nuts. Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds will give these cookies a fabulous texture.
- Drizzle with chocolate. Who doesn’t love a slice of chocolate chip banana bread? Drizzle some melted chocolate over the top.
- Make them into bars. Similar to oatmeal bars, you can bake this dough into a square pan instead of shaping the into cookies.
- Add sweetness. These cookies aren’t overly sweet so if you prefer sweeter cookies, add some brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup.
- Frost them. Once the cookies have cooled, pipe some cream cheese frosting on top.
- Add a leavening agent. Baking powder and baking soda aren’t necessary but can add a tiny bit of stability to them.
Storage instructions
As these cookies have no flour, no butter, and no oil in them, they should not be stored at room temperature.
To store: Store the cookies in a sealable container in the refrigerator or on a plate, covered in plastic wrap. Flourless banana bread cookies will keep for 5 days.
To freeze: Wrap the cookies in parchment paper and place them in a ziplock bag or freezer-friendly container. Cookies will keep well frozen for up to 2 months.
Recommended tools to make this recipe
- Baking sheet. To bake the cookies one.
- Mixing bowls. Every kitchen needs a bunch of these bowls.
- Spatula. To mix the cookie dough.
More easy cookie recipes to try
- Flourless Monster Cookies
- No Flour Cookies (6 Flavors)
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Frequently asked questions
Yes, frozen bananas can be used to make this recipe. Thaw them completely before mashing them and adding them to the mixture.
When made with gluten-free oats, these cookies are suitable for celiacs.
Ripe or overripe bananas work best for banana bread cookies as they provide sweetness and moisture. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots.
Banana Bread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas mashed
- 2 cups rolled oats can sub for rolled or quick oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter can sub for any nut or seed butter
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a large baking tray with baking paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, oats, and peanut butter and mix very well. If the batter is too thin, add more oats. Fold through chocolate chips if using them.
- Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form into 12 balls and set them on the lined baking tray. Press each ball into a cookie shape and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly firm on the edges, and remove. Allow to cool on the tray completely.
I substituted almond meal and this still worked great. Thank you for a very tasty cookie recipe
I don’t like cookies. I like kale chips…. 😆 😆 😆
Sorry, I couldn’t resist 😛 Pass me the chocolate chip cookies, pls & thx.
I legit have chocolate chips right next to me- TJ’s semi sweet chunks 😀
sometimes i think you read my mind. Like how i want banana bread but don’t want to make actual bread. so ya, these cookies —> SPOT ON and perfect for snacking
YESSS. Cheers cornbread.
I could visit your site on a full stomach and instantly become hungry again! These look awesome and easy to make. In other words, I’m making them….now. And yes to sweet avocado treats! Cacao + stevia + avocado in blender and I’m set.
Cheers mate! Oh that sounds awesome!
i love this banana bread version of your famous no-bake cookies, banana bread always holds a special place in my heart 🙂 i’ve tried avocado mousse and it was pretty good but i had to use so much chocolate and maple syrup to mask the flavor of the avocado which probably reversed it’s health benefits lol. chocolate chips and pecans are my #1 fav add-in, although i need to get my hands on those salted caramel chips too!
Thanks so much 🙂 I could live in banana bread! haha!
3 ingredients…whattt?! done. it sounds easy enough for me! i love how soft and gooey they look.
Sooo good- They are so easy!
First off, delicious and easy. Second off, a breakfast sandwich without eggs or cheese is unworthy of the name, or your taste buds.
Right? Thank you!
Salted Caramel chips??? I didn’t know such a beautiful thing existed. I will be looking out for those!
They are too good- Better eaten without cookies 😉
OMG! I am definitely making these cookies this weekend. Salted caramel chips!?!? Yum!!
YES! thank you!
umm these look delicious Arman! Let me say, I know the struggle with that avocado pudding and getting it to look pretty :p but I’ve NEVER tried those chips..I MUST.
They are so delicious!
These cookies look amazing!! Plus, with salted caramel chips?? Umm YUM! I am definitely going to try these once my bananas ripen, which hopefully will be soon because these just look too good.
YES! Thank you!
I hope this doesn’t come out too creepy, but I must say – I can’t get enough of your cookies 😉
agreed 🙂
hahahaha creepy? Never. Thanks love!
I have never made an avocado dessert before. Avocados seldom make it beyond guacamole here…we’re talking several times a week…we are ADDICTED! Your cookies sound fabulous as usual and easy which is good. I am sharing my spicy carrot refrigerator pickles in your linkup because apparently a pickle tray is a thing in some areas at Thanksgiving…and its going to be in my house too, starting with this Thanksgiving. I grew up in the wrong part of the country…I LOVE pickles! I am so excited about the idea of a pickle tray! Woo hoo! I may not have room for turkey…
Pickle trays…I’m envious yum!