Banana Oat Cookies (Print Version)
Soft, chewy banana and oat cookies with cinnamon and optional chocolate or nuts; quick, wholesome snack or breakfast.
# What You Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or unsalted butter, melted)
03 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
04 - 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
→ Add-Ins
08 - 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
09 - 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Stir in melted coconut oil and vanilla extract until well blended.
03 - Add rolled oats, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking powder to the banana mixture. Fold together until all dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
04 - Gently fold in chocolate chips and chopped nuts, if using, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
05 - Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Lightly shape and flatten with the back of a spoon.
06 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are set and edges are lightly golden.
07 - Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These cookies come together in one bowl with no mixer required, which means almost zero cleanup.
- The natural sweetness of ripe bananas means you never need added sugar to make them delicious.
- They freeze beautifully, so you can stash a batch and grab one on your way out the door any morning.
02 -
- Underbaked banana oat cookies will fall apart, so err on the side of an extra minute if the centers still look wet and glossy.
- Letting the dough sit for five minutes before scooping helps the oats absorb moisture and makes shaping much easier.
03 -
- If your dough feels too wet to hold shape, refrigerate it for ten minutes and the oats will soak up the excess moisture.
- Certified gluten free oats are essential if you are baking for someone with celiac or a gluten sensitivity, since regular oats are often cross contaminated.