Banana Breakfast Cookies make a wholesome, yummy breakfast on-the-go…plus they’re naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and perfect for using up ripe bananas!
May I interest you in a COOKIE FOR BREAKFAST?!?!
Oh. Do I have your attention now? Good. Because that’s exactly what I’m sharing today…oatmeal banana cookies studded with chopped nuts, kissed with peanut butter (or your favorite nut/non-nut butter), and sweetened with a touch of honey. They’re easy to make, they’re healthy, and they’re downright addictive. They’re also gluten-free (as long as you make them with certified GF oats) and you can make them vegan (using agave syrup or kosher maple syrup in place of the honey), in case you happen to care about those kinds of things.
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My kids actually don’t care about the pedigree of their breakfast. Their primary concern is that breakfast tastes good…better yet if it’s served under the guise of dessert. So yup…anytime “breakfast” and “cookie” are used in the same breath, my offspring are pretty much guaranteed to be immediate fans.
Now don’t get me wrong…I enjoy a good cookie for breakfast as much as the next (30) 8-year-old. But these Banana Breakfast Cookies are appealing for so many more reasons. First of all, this is a great recipe for your how-am-I-going-to-use-up-all-of-these-ripe-bananas file. I don’t know about you, but I buy extra bananas every time I go the grocery store just so I’ll have overripe bananas to bake with…and then I scramble to use them up before they go bad. What can I say…it’s an illness.
In addition to bananas, these cookies boast additional wholesome ingredients, including oats, nuts, and nut butter. Of course, feel free to add a handful of chocolate chips or raisins if you wish to balance out all of that goodness with a bit of sweet decadence.
Finally, these Banana Breakfast Cookies are an absolute cinch to make. No mixer is required…just mash the ‘nanners, dump all of the ingredients into a bowl, and mix with a wooden spoon. Then plop the resulting (stiff) dough onto a cookie sheet, pop in the oven, and wait patiently for your breakfast of champions to emerge! These treats are not only perfect as a quick breakfast on a busy morning or even for eating on the run, but they’re also excellent tucked into a lunchbox or enjoyed as a snack.
That’s all folks! Easy, tasty, healthy Banana Breakfast Cookies. Now you can have your cookie (for breakfast)…and eat it, too. 😉
Banana Breakfast Cookies make a wholesome, yummy breakfast on-the-go...plus they're naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and perfect for using up ripe bananas!
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large bananas (ripe or slightly overripe), mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (or your favorite nut or non-nut butter, like almond butter or sunflower seed butter)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or your favorite nut)
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins, optional
Instructions
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Measure oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl; whisk to combine. Stir in mashed banana, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, pecans, and chocolate chips. Scoop dough using a scant 1/4-cup measuring cup for form 12 cookies. Flatten the top of each cookie on the baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
For slightly sweeter cookies, you may increase honey to 1/4 cup.
Cookies will not spread, so its shape on the baking sheet is how it will look once it's baked.
For gluten-free cookies, just be sure to use GF certified oats. For vegan cookies, you may substitute agave nectar or kosher maple syrup for the honey.
Adapted from Food Network
More wholesome breakfast ideas…
Healthy Whole Wheat & Honey Banana Muffins
Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars with Coconut Oil
These look pretty tasty! Just in case you were not aware, honey is not vegan–though I am sure agave could be substituted here with similar results. Thanks for the recipe :-).
Oh gosh, Rebecca…you’re right! I totally missed that and I apologize. I’ll correct the recipe now. Thanks so much for pointing out my mistake and hope you enjoy these if you have a chance to try them! 🙂
Made these tonight and they are so good! Sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth but definitely a healthier alternative. Hubby and kids all approved, and they are a tough crowd when it comes to my trials with healthy recipes. Thanks!
The cookies are really delicious! I used chopped almonds and dried morello cherries instead of pecans and raisins – perfect for a tasty and healthy breakfast! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Not to ruin the enjoyment of that scramble to use your bananas, but overripe bananas do freeze beautifully, so you don’t really have to stay within a time constraint on their use. And frozen banana pieces are delicious as “ice cubes” in cocktails or mocktails, too.
Ha, Maggie…I do enjoy the challenge of using up overripe bananas before they’re too far gone! 😉 Seriously, though, thank you for sharing your freezing tip. The last time I tried that, I forgot about the bananas and they got freezer burn, but I’ll have to try it again and keep them visible in the front of the freezer next time! And adding frozen banana pieces to a fruity cocktail is a great idea…yum! Thanks again for sharing and hope you’re having a great week. 🙂
Just made these and they are delicious! I love having something quick, filling, and tasty in the morning. So good!
Just made these and did half GF oats with half almond flour. Added 3T ground flax and 3T ground chia. Also increased cinnamon. I made them a little smaller and got 17 cookies. They were amazing. My husband loves them. Also a big hit at work! Next time I will try all almond flour to make them paleo, which is how I try to eat when possible.
These look yummy! I’m not a huge fan of nuts though…Can I omit the pecans without altering the rest of the recipe?
Yes, Anna…that should be just fine. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
The dough is yummy! They’re baking right now and I can’t wait to have one.
I made these without the pecans – I have a child who doesn’t like pieces of nuts in food. Turned out delicious! It only made 11 cookies, but oh so yummy!