Healthy Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies: Best Lunchbox Treat
These healthy banana oat breakfast cookies are soft, chewy, and naturally sweetened with ripe bananas. Perfect for lunchboxes, they come together in one bowl and under 25 minutes for a wholesome treat kids and adults love.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium ripe bananas (mashed, about 1 to 1.25 cups)
- 2 cups rolled oats (180g)
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (80g)
- 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mix-ins (chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, mash the three ripe bananas with a fork until smooth with just a few tiny lumps.
- Stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup (if using), and vanilla extract until well combined and creamy.
- Add the rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir until the oats are evenly distributed and the dough is thick and slightly sticky.
- Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to allow the oats to absorb moisture.
- Gently fold in the mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit) until evenly distributed.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each scoop slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the tops look set.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For best texture, use very ripe bananas with brown spots. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to hydrate the oats. If using natural peanut butter that’s oily, add an extra tablespoon of oats. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. The flavors improve after a day or two.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 85
- Fat: 4.5
- Saturated Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 3.5
Keywords: banana oat cookies, healthy breakfast cookies, lunchbox cookies, no refined sugar, kid-friendly, easy cookie recipe