Description

These Banana Oatmeal Cookies are a wholesome and naturally sweet treat made with simple ingredients like overripe bananas, oats, and a touch of honey. Perfectly soft and chewy, they offer a healthy snack option that combines the goodness of whole grains and fruit, enhanced by optional chocolate chips or dried fruit. Ideal for quick baking, these cookies require minimal preparation and no added refined sugars.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

3 overripe bananas (about 1¼ cups mashed)
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1½ cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Mix-ins

½ cup chocolate chips or other mix-ins (e.g., shredded coconut, dried cranberries, raisins)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the overripe bananas using a fork or potato masher until smooth with only a few small lumps remaining.
Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the honey or maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract into the mashed bananas until fully combined.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the quick-cooking oats, ground cinnamon, and sea salt to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Incorporate Mix-ins: Fold in the chocolate chips or your chosen mix-ins evenly throughout the cookie batter.
Form Cookies: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about two inches apart to allow room for spreading.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the cookies are set but still soft to the touch.
Cool: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For a vegan version, substitute the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes).
You can swap quick oats for rolled oats, but the texture will be chewier and baking time may increase slightly.
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
Feel free to customize mix-ins with nuts or seeds for added texture and nutrition.
Ensure bananas are very ripe for natural sweetness and moist texture.