3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Banana Oatmeal Cookies with chocolate chips are made with just 3 simple ingredients and make healthy, wholesome oatmeal breakfast cookies or snack everyone will love!
This is one of the simplest baked recipes ever! It’s labeled a cookie, but I think of it more as a banana bread bites because they are soft, moist and chewy like banana bread.
Why We Love This Recipe!
- Simple and delicious! Healthy 3 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies start with banana and oats with chocolate chips mixed in for a little something extra. For being so simple, they taste delicious and are easy to customize with optional add-ins.
- Healthy! There is no need for sugar here as the ripened bananas will sweeten it just fine. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be. With no flour, butter or oil, these vegan banana oatmeal cookies are a wonderful addition to the recipe collection.
- Gobble them up anytime! Enjoy these for a quick breakfast, for an afternoon snack, or after-dinner snack as well. Pretty much any time of day is good with these healthy cookies. They are best served straight from the oven but will hold well for a day or two – if they last that long!
If you like these oatmeal-style cookies, you’ll love these Chunky Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies with only 4 ingredients. They are wholesome and delicious!
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this easy recipe, oat, banana, and chocolate chips are mixed and baked into wholesome cookies free of dairy and eggs. These banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are kid tested and mother-approved!
Here is everything you will need:
- Oats – Use old-fashioned or quick oats; even a combo is good
- Banana – opt for ripe to overripe bananas
- Chocolate Chips (or cacao nibs) – my favorite are these vegan Enjoy Life mini chips
Optional Add-ins
Change up the cookies by adding one or more of these add-ins for flavor or texture:
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- shredded coconut
- chopped nuts
- dried fruit
How To Make 3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Here you’ll find a look at the process of making Banana Oatmeal Cookies. You can find the full printable recipe at the bottom of the post.
- Mix: In a medium size bowl, mash bananas to a fairly smooth consistency (a few small chunks is ok). Add oats and mix well (shown above). Add in chocolate chips, mix again. If the mixture is really wet, add a few tablespoons of oats (shown below).
- Scoop: Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or trigger scooper, scoop up mixture and place on cookie sheet 1 to 2 inches apart. I left mine in a dome shape, you could flatten it out a bit with your fingers to make a flatter shape. You should get anywhere from 12 – 16, depending on the size you scoop out.
- Bake: Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. If you made the scoops on the larger side, bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes before eating.
And now you are ready to enjoy!
Soft, moist and chewy, just like a bite of banana bread!
These are perfect for breakfast, snacking, or anytime you are craving a healthy cookie with simple ingredients!
Top Tips
- Add-ins: Change it up with optional add-ins such as cinnamon, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, etc. Alternatively, don’t use any add-ins for a 2 ingredient cookie.
- Recipe can easily be doubled!
How To Store
- Counter: Banana Oatmeal Cookies are best eaten right away, but can be stored loosely covered on the counter for 2 – 3 days.
- Refrigerator: You can keep them in the refrigerator for up to 6 – 7 days.
- Freezer: Banana Oatmeal Cookies are freezer friendly for up to 2 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer safe containers. Let thaw in the refrigerator or loosely covered on the counter.
Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions
- Refined sugar-free: Use cacao nibs in place of chocolate chips.
- Gluten-Free: For gluten-free oatmeal, make sure the oats are labeled gluten-free, meaning they are processed in a facility that does not also process foods containing gluten.
More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes!
- Chunky Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- 1 Bowl Apple Baked Oatmeal
- DIY Muesli
- Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes
- Healthy Oatmeal (Customizable + Easy)
If you try this banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies recipe or have questions, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintBANANA OATMEAL COOKIES (3 INGREDIENTS)
With only 3 ingredients, these Banana Oatmeal Cookies with chocolate chips are little mounds of healthy goodness! Perfect for the morning time, a grab and go snack or anytime you feel like having a healthy treat.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Makes 12 – 16 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe bananas (about 3/4 – 1 cup), mashed
- 1 cup oats, rolled or quick (I used GF)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life mini chips)
Optional add-ins:
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (our favorite)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts
- 1/4 cup dried fruit
- 2 tablespoons nut butter (homemade Almond Butter)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, silicone mat, or lightly grease with oil.
Mix: In a medium size bowl, mash bananas to a fairly smooth consistency (a few small chunks is ok). Add oats and mix well. Add in chocolate chips, mix again. If the mixture is really wet, add a few tablespoons of oats (see notes).
Scoop: Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or trigger scooper, scoop heaping scoops of mixture and place on cookie sheet. Leave in a dome shape or flatten it out a bit with your fingers to make a flatter shape. Depending on the size you scoop, you should get anywhere from 12 – 16 cookies.
Bake: Place in oven, on the center rack, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. If you make your scoops dome shaped and on the larger side, bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes before eating.
Makes about 12 – 16
Store: Leftovers can be kept loosely covered and eat within a 1 – 2 days (if they last that long!).
Notes
Looking to make this refined sugar free, use cacao nibs in place of chocolate chips.
The riper the banana, the sweeter your end result will be. I’ve used rolled oats (like you see here) and quick oats, both with great success. Also, I’ve had batches come out looking lighter than what you see here, usually when using quick oats, so your coloring may vary. They may also darken a bit overnight due to the banana.
I’ve made this recipe many times since sharing. I find that each time my mixture might be a little different. It’s never been too dry but sometimes seems too wet. This may be that my bananas were large, or extra ripe and soft. If you happen to think the mixture is too wet, add more oats.
You can play around with adding more bananas and oats making a larger batch as well. Since these don’t spread on the baking sheet. I’ve made 24 on an average baking sheet.
Try using this DIY Muesli Mix in place of plain oats. It delicious and makes it more of a trail cookie!
Updated: 3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies was originally published in September 2013. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in September 2020.
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So easy and what a great additional way to use up every last banana when they begin to age. I have made this recipe several times and will likely make it at least once per week.
I have used a few different items for that third ingredient: Dark chocolate, diced medjool dates, walnuts & cinnamon, and most recently dried cranberries.
The tartness of the cranberries made a delicious variety of these wholesome delicious treats. I can’t wait to try other ideas for that third ingredient.
Thank you!
SO GOOD!!! I didn’t have chocolate chips on hand so I added peanut butter and they are still so amazing!
I’ve been making these for the last four weeks now! Using the basic recipe, I add coconut, walnuts and vanilla and then bake them in the air fryer on the bake setting for 5 minutes! They’re perfect.
Great recipe; tried a few variations and didn’t have much chocolate handy, so I mixed in equal amount of chopped dates and a little cocoa powder – verdict from my schoolkid judging panel was that it was even better!
P.S. you know your bananas 🍌 are ‘very ripe’ when they squeeze out of their skin like caramel coloured paste – mashing not required.
Can fresh fruit like blueberries (cut in half) be used instead of choc chips?
Great question, Robin! Yes, you can use chopped fresh fruit. If the blueberries are on the small side, you can use them whole. Enjoy your cookies!
Hi just wondering are these 69 calories each or is that for the 12?
Hi Christine, it’s for 1 cookie only.
Can you use bananas that were frozen?
Great question, Mandy! Although I haven’t tried it yet myself, I don’t see why not. Enjoy!
Hi Mandy, Yes I just made these with ripe frozen bananas and they turned out great.
Yes. I just made these with ripe bananas that were in the freezer. They turned out great.
Seriously? Where have these been all my life. 88 year old mom wants sweets. All the time. Yay ! Something that will satisfy her sweet tooth with nutrition. I on the other hand will have to double the recipe because I eat a pan myself.
Is it possible to freeze these? :)
Great question, Candice! Yes, you can freeze these once baked.
I added a teaspoon of honey, a dash of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon