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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.
Banana bread made as cookie? Wow. I cannot believe how creative you are haha.
Delicious and so easy.
I made these today and they taste awesome. I forgot to press them down so at 9 minutes I pressed them down with a spoon. Of course they were hot sobthe chocolate chips spread over the cookie. Although it didn’t effect the taste it did effect the look. I will remember next time. I am new to baking and trying new gluten free and vegan desserts. I will be enjoying more of your desserts
DELICIOUS AND SUPER EASY!
Kicked them up a notch.
Used chunky peanut butter and added cinnamon
I made these cookies this morning! I had a lot of ripe bananas and didn’t feel like making bread. Wonderful recipe! I didn’t use chocolate chip, instead I put mixed nuts in…Amazing!
So good. I only had one cup of oats so I used one cup of almond flour as well and 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and baking soda each. Baked a little longer. New go-to for ripe bananas.
Hands down the easiest cookies I’ve ever made. So fast too! My husband said we are going to be making these a lot. Delicious! 😋
Excellent
Such a good and healthy cookie recipe!