One of my earliest recipes - first written around this time 4 years ago was for these banana oat cookies. They’re such a great way to use up those leftover spotty bananas. What’s more, they’re pretty healthy too - I’ve got no qualms about letting the kids eat them for breakfast (I’m counting the chocolate chips as being good for the soul!). Six ingredients, no resting time, no flour, no eggs or butter (you could even make them vegan if you swap the chocolate chips for raisins or carob chips). They’re super simple to make too. In fact, I went ahead a let Gracey lose in the kitchen for these ones. I love cooking with my kids and getting them in the kitchen.
She’s appeared in a few of my recipes vids, but this time she took centre stage and made them herself. You can check out her video in my recipe card below. So proud of her! Lewis has also been busy in the kitchen recently. He made a delicious orange trifle for our family get together the other week, and a meatball and rice recipe last week - with just a little help from daddy. I love their little faces when we’re sat around the table eating their food (and it’s by far the easiest way to get them to eat vegetables!). When I have a stack of spotty bananas, I often love to make banana muffins or chocolate banana bread, but the kids were getting a little too used to cake in their lunch box! These cookies are a great alternative. Healthier, but with a little chocolate chip kick so it still feels like you’re being a bit naughty. For this Banana Oat Cookies recipe, you simply need to mash a banana:
Then mix with oats and a little honey and coconut oil:
Then leave the mixture for 10 minutes so the oats can soften and soak up the flavours. Then throw in the chocolate chips and a pinch of salt and you’re ready to roll the mixture into balls. Flatten them out (they don’t spread in the oven, so no worries about cookies melding together or ending up like discs!) and put them in the oven:
The result is a cookie that is golden and a little crispy on the outside, whilst being soft and chewy on the inside:
I like to add a few more chocolate chips on top of the warm cookie once they’re out of the oven too: That’s breakfast sorted for tomorrow!
Can I make them gluten free?
Yes - use gluten free certified oats (regular oats are often processed in facilities that process wheat) Check the chocolate chips you’re using are gluten free too.
Can I swap the chocolate?
Yes, swap for raisins, cranberries, carob pieces, banana chips, nuts or a mixture!
How long do they last?
They last for about a two to three days wrapped in foil or baking parchment in an air-tight container at room temperature. After that they start getting softer. This recipes makes a batch of 7-8, so you shouldn’t be left with lots of cookies.
What’s the texture like?
They’re firm on the outside and soft and chewy in the centre. The texture comes from the chewiness of the oats - so it’s not like caramel chewy. You can bake them a little longer if you want them more crisp, but they won’t go fully crispy. This is because the recipe only uses a little honey, rather that sugar - which makes for a crisper cookie.
The Banana Oat Cookies Recipe:
This recipe was first published in October 2014. Updated in September 2018 with step-by-step photos, additional tips and recipe video. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
