These wholesome yet delicious banana oatmeal breakfast cookies are gluten-free, vegan, soft and full of spiced banana flavor. An easy cookie recipe to throw together on a Sunday for breakfast all week!
NOTE: This recipe was originally published in March 2017. I’ve since made the recipe dozens of times myself and have heard from many of you that it’s a favorite. As of March 2020, I’ve updated the photos and the method, as I now prefer to make smaller cookies rather than the larger, 1/4 cup sized ones the recipe originally called for. I’ve kept the instructions for both the smaller and larger options so you can choose your own adventure, and have updated this post to make it more helpful. I hope these breakfast cookies bring you joy and comfort.
I’ve chosen to leave most of the original text of this post alone as a moment in time, because it’s interesting to read my own words back and see whether they still ring true. If nothing else it shows that we’re always growing and changing whether we realize it or not.
I’ve also left one of the original photos at the end of the post, if you’re interested in seeing the difference 3 years of practice makes. I took Foodtography School (affiliate link) and highly recommend it for anyone interested in improving their food photography skills and learning more about the business of food photography and blogging!
So, I am back to working full time as an attorney (in-house), and re-adjusting to that world means I have sadly neglected you a little bit. But don’t worry, it’s only temporary. I’ll settle into the rhythm and things will fall back into place around here.
Creating and photographing recipes just requires energy – a wonderful, exhilarating, creative energy, but energy nonetheless. And if you’ve started a new job recently, or if you can remember what it was like to start a new job, you know the first couple weeks are tough. You don’t know how to work the copier or log into your email or find the bathroom. You don’t know what coffee shop you’ll frequent on your way into the office, or what time your meetings are or even what meetings you’ll have on any given day. You don’t know what’s going to be thrown at you next, and everything just feels…foreign.
It takes some adjusting, but this too, as my grandma would say, shall pass. Eventually all of these things feel as natural as if you always did them, and you can spare mental energy for other pursuits.
Right now, however, I’m still in that consuming early stage. I’m still collapsing on my couch every night and on weekends, and reaching for the remote instead of my computer. During this time, I have needed any sort of breakfast that makes my life easier, and better.
One of the things that easily falls by the wayside on weekday mornings, when you’re running out the door and are likely to leave your keys and your lunch sitting on the counter behind you, is a good breakfast. I’m not talking about the sugary cereal that was marketed as “part of a balanced breakfast” to us as children – I’m talking about real, stick to your ribs, full until noon breakfast.
The problem with that kind of breakfast is it usually takes a while to prepare, and to eat, and time is a precious commodity on these mornings. So, the best meal of the day is often reduced to hastily microwaved oatmeal, prepackaged granola bars, or — dare I say it — nothing at all. Intermittent fasting aside, if we choose to eat breakfast, we deserve better than this.
Here’s how we rectify this situation: do a little prep on Sunday so a good breakfast (or snack) is easy, no thought required. I’ve already talked about the wonders of baked oatmeal a little bit on here, which I would prep on Sunday afternoons to have breakfast ready and waiting every morning during my long law firm days. So if you haven’t already checked out this maple & brown sugar baked oatmeal, and you’re a warm bowl of oatmeal kind of breakfast person, go do that.
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
If you’re a grab and go kind of breakfast person, however, stick around. We can accommodate you too. These banana oatmeal breakfast COOKIES are just as hearty and satisfying as a bowl of oatmeal, but infinitely more portable and exciting because – seriously, who doesn’t want to eat cookies for breakfast?
No one, that’s who. And listen, you don’t need to feel guilty about eating cookies for breakfast now, because here is the ENTIRE list of ingredients:
Ingredients:
- oats
- banana
- olive or coconut oil
- maple syrup
- cinnamon
- salt
- baking soda
- chopped dark chocolate, because I don’t know what chocolate can’t improve — but it’s definitely optional. You can also add nuts or berries if you prefer.
I mean, does it get any more wholesome than this? You may be tempted to stop here, thinking that with this basic list of ingredients, the breakfast cookies can’t be very good…but you’d be wrong.
These cookies are chewy, soft, spiced, slightly sweet, accidentally gluten-free and vegan (who am I?) – and they deliver on flavor.
Recipe Steps:
The other great part about this recipe is it only requires half an hour, one bowl, and a blender for making oat flour out of rolled oats. If you’ve never made your own oat flour before, it’s ridiculously easy. Dump oats in a blender and turn it on. That’s it. Nothing to see here.
This recipe is as simple as:
- Grabbing a big bowl and mashing the bananas;
- Mixing them with the oil and maple syrup and spices;
- Blending up the oats (1 cup oats blended into a fine flour, and 1 cup into roughly chopped oats), and;
- Mixing them into the banana mixture.
- Then: add whatever mix-ins you’re feeling that day. I often switch it up between chocolate vs blueberries or nuts.
- Just scoop and bake!
When I originally published this recipe in 2017, I liked to scoop big, thick cookies with this batter, so I’d get about 8 large ones from this recipe using a 1/4 cup scoop. You can definitely do that if you like.
Now, however, I prefer to use a normal tablespoon-size cookie scoop to make the cookies, which yields about 20 cookies (and means more cookies for me…math!). I’ve included instructions for both versions below so you can choose your own adventure.
You can use a food processor to grind them, or you can use 1 cup of commercial oat flour and 1 cup of quick oats in the recipe instead!
To store these banana oatmeal breakfast cookies, just keep them on the counter in an airtight container for 2-3 days or in the fridge for a week. You can also freeze them individually, well-wrapped in plastic wrap, and reheat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave whenever you have a breakfast cookie craving.
Because breakfast cookie cravings are most definitely a real thing.
I made these tonight, Sunday, at about 10pm, and I can’t wait to have them in the morning. Brian didn’t wait…so we’re down two. Looks like I’ll have to make them again before the week is out. Darn.
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup mashed banana)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml or 50g) olive oil (or melted coconut oil or butter)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml or 78g) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (192g) old-fashioned (rolled) oats, divided (see below)*
- 1/2 cup (85g) chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (optional – or an equal amount of nuts or berries)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until relatively smooth. Add the oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and whisk together with the fork until completely combined and smooth.
- Place 1 cup of the rolled oats in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend on high until the oats become a flour-like consistency (you now have oat flour). Pour into the bowl with the banana mixture. Take the other 1 cup of rolled oats and place in the same food processor or blender, and pulse or blend on low speed until the oats are in small pieces – about 30 seconds. Do not grind them into a flour. Place in the same bowl with the banana mixture and oat flour.
- Stir the oat flour and oat pieces into the banana mixture until everything is well-blended. Fold in the chopped chocolate or other add-ins gently with a spatula, if using.
- Scoop batter using a tablespoon cookie scoop (for regular size cookies) or a 1/4 cup measure (for larger size cookies) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 14-15 minutes for regular size cookies, 20 minutes for larger size cookies, or until edges are golden.
Notes
Like this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @katiebirdbakes, and sign up for my email list to receive my recipes straight to your inbox every time I post!
Below is one of the old photos from this post in 2017, which I left for reference so you can see how far my photography has come 3 years’ time. Photography is a constant work in progress, more of a journey than a destination, but I was helped along greatly by enrolling in Foodtography School (affiliate link) in 2018. They offer courses for beginners up through advanced food photographers, with courses in iPhone photography and restaurant photography as well. It was totally worth the investment for me — in fact, I just signed up for the advanced course to continue working on my skills. I hope it’s a valuable resource for you as well!
Oh my flipping god. This is EXACTLY the recipe I was looking for. For any San Diego natives, taste exactly like parakeet cafe’s oatmeal cookies and they’re to die for. I love that you made it with olive oil too. THANK YOU!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
My 6 year old son and I just made these so we’d have some breakfast treats we could freeze, but they are so delicious I don’t know they’ll make it that far! Great recipe, thank you 😊
I love that!! They never make it to my freezer either 😉
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Hi Katie! I don’t normally leave reviews on anything, but these cookies were A M A Z I N G and I’ve made hundreds of different batches before. I added a 1/4c of flour since my batter was a little thin. These were so soft, fluffy and cookies of course! So so so impressed they were vegan without the added chocolate I used. Saving this recipe for a lifetime. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Vam!! I am so glad you loved these!
These cookies are so delicious, love the banana flavor and they’re so easy to make and pretty healthy! I’ve been heating them in the microwave and eating them for breakfast and it’s amazing. I also appreciate that they’re vegan! Will definitely make them again 🙂
Awesome! Thank you so much, Anya!
These turned out great! So delicious and a great option as I have lots of dietary restrictions, but absolutely love to bake 🙂 I used coconut oil and will try adding coconut flakes and flax seed next time. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Love this Lisa! Those add-ins sound like a great idea.
Wow! These cookies were so easy and so luxurious. This recipe has forever killed banana bread for me. Simply ingredients and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
Amazing! Thank you Bessie!
Perfect treat for my kiddos and me! Thanks for sharing!
Amazing! Thank you!
Well Explained recipe. Pics are looking Delicious. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! Hope you enjoy!
LOVE these cookies!!! They taste like banana bread in cookie form. I used regular AP flour and they turned out perfectly. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thank you Ruthie! So great to know the AP flour works too!
I’ve made these twice now and they are SUPER easy and SUPER tasty. I sprinkle in a little flax and chia seed too!
My one thing: both times I’ve made them I have had to double the baking time. Admittedly, my oven can be a bit wonky, but I think baking time can also vary depending on the size of your bananas. The larger the banana the more moisture in the batter.
So glad you enjoy these Lisa! They definitely are a very soft cookie, almost muffin-like in texture, so that may be why you felt you had to bake them longer.
Jump to Recipe Notes – Also a good handheld breakfast option. Toddlers – a super easy recipe to make with young kids and with no raw egg, they can taste .
Great! Thank you for the review.
These cookies looking so delicious. I would surely try.
Thank you! I hope you love them!
The very best banana oatmeal recipe ! Just a little too sweet for me, but it can be arranged 🙂
thank you a second time
So glad to hear it! Thanks Emilie!
I’ve been consciously cutting down on sugar, which for me includes maple syrup, honey, agave, etc….you get the idea. Ive been substituting monk fruit sweetener in recipes that call for sugar. With a recipe like this that calls for a syrup, I worry that subbing in a dry ingredient (monk fruit sweetener, which looks like regular sugar) for a wet ingredient (maple syrup) would mess up the moisture balance. I know you can’t hi e me a definitive answer, but what are your thoughts?
By the way, I just discovered your blog via Imperfect Foods, which I subscribe to because I care about reducing food waste, and I’m loving exploring your recipes! So many of them look delicious! My hat is off to you in holding down a demanding job as an attorney and still consistently maintaining a food blog!
Hi Linda – thanks so much for the thoughtful and kind comment! There is actually a liquid monk fruit sweetener (the Lakanto brand) that replicates maple syrup, so I think that would be the best substitute. Otherwise, I would use maybe 1/4 cup dry sweetener and then add enough almond milk or other milk to form a wet dough. Let me know if you try it!
Can you use applesauce instead of oil ? And would it be 1/3 c apple sauce instead of oil?
Yes I think that would work – but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out!
Hi
Could you substitute the banana with an egg? Made them with your recipe and loved them, but I’ve no bananas today and can’t get to shops.
Hi Louise – I would use applesauce or pumpkin in place of the banana, not an egg. Egg is completely different and the cookies will not turn out well!
Where is the recipe for the blueberry banana oatmeal breakfast cookies?
Hi Erin – this is the same recipe! It hasn’t changed – I just included instructions for either larger or smaller cookies. The original version was just the larger cookies, but the instructions are still there. Thanks!
These are delicious! I just made them for my family and I’m sure they will love it. I added blueberries and dark chocolate chunks and it is absolutely amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!
Great!! Thank you so much Christine 🙂
Really great cookies ! I try to make my own banana cookies and the last time I made some they looked like yours ! But yours are nice, chewy in the middle, sweet enough and a little crunchy on the edges… I added some hazelnuts and leaved the blueberries out (it keeps longer I think). So, thank you for the recipe, I really enjoy your cooking blog and Instagram account. Now I know what I have for snack 😉 .
There were amazing. I made these with homemade jam and they were awesome for my two year. I think teh blueberries are what help bring out the subtle sweetness. I did use 1/2 agave and 1/2 maple syrup from what the recipe calls for but these were quick. I also loved you banana whole wheat waffles. I have made large batches to freeze so they are a quick grab and cook for our daughter int eh morning. I cook those alone side with other. This past week was your cooked. Thank you again.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Adriana! So glad you are enjoying them with your little one 🙂
yup making them again right now..only i forgot to semi crush the second half of the oatmeal but ti think my daughter will be fine with it in jam as well if…not mom gets to enjoy them to her self 🙂
How did she like them?? Mom having them all to herself doesn’t sound like a bad problem to me 😉
old replay…my daughter liked them when she was younger…a few months later she got picky with food but i am going to try them a again today (a few months later lol)
I hope she liked them again!!
Loved these!! Such a simple recipe. I made them with coconut syrup instead of maple (it’s what was in the house), but they still turned out lovely. I love having them in the morning with strawberry jam or as an afternoon snack (better than a granola bar!). Thank you! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed them, Maddy! Using coconut syrup is such a great idea. I love eating them as a snack with nut butter too – they keep me full for hours! Thanks for being here 🙂