Name: Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 3 large ripe bananas; 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; ½ cup creamy peanut butter; ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

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Made with just 3 ingredients, these Banana Oatmeal Cookies are quick, easy, and so yummy. They’re a great way to use overripe bananas and do double duty as breakfast and dessert.

3-ingredient Stacked Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These banana oatmeal cookies are a bit of a combination of my banana bread recipe and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, but with fewer ingredients. Since they don’t have any leavening agents, they’re a bit more dense than most oatmeal cookies but still have a soft, chewy texture. The ripe bananas add a natural sweetness while the peanut butter helps hold everything together and adds a bit of extra protein.

The great thing about these is that they’re enjoyable anytime – for breakfast, dessert, or as an afternoon snack. They’d be great to pack on a hike, too!

Why These Banana Oatmeal Cookies Are So Good

Only 3 ingredients. Besides the obvious banana and oatmeal, the only other ingredient needed to make these cookies is some creamy peanut butter. I will occasionally add chocolate chips or nuts as a 4^th ingredient but that’s completely optional.
Breakfast or dessert. These banana oatmeal cookies definitely qualify as an acceptable breakfast, in my opinion. They’re very similar to my banana breakfast cookies and make a great breakfast on the go.
Quick & easy. It takes less than 10 minutes to get these cookies ready to pop in the oven and a little over 10 minutes to bake them. They store really well too, so if you have extra bananas, make yourself a double batch.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make banana oatmeal cookies

Key Ingredients

Here’s a look at the 3 ingredients needed to make these cookies. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Bananas – Be sure to use bananas that are ripe or even overripe. The riper they are, the sweeter (and easier to mash) they will be.
Oats – I like to use old-fashioned rolled oats. If you prefer an even softer texture, you can use quick oats. However, avoid instant oats as they make the cookies too mushy.
Peanut butter – Creamy peanut butter blends easily with the other ingredients to hold it all together.
Chocolate chips – An optional 4^th ingredient if you want to give these cookies a little chocolatey twist.

How To Make Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are ready to bake in less than 10 minutes. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Mashed bananas, oats, and peanut butter in a bowl

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the cookie dough. Mash the bananas until smooth. Stir the mashed bananas in the oats and peanut butter. You can microwave the peanut butter for 15-20 seconds if it’s too thick to mix. Stir in the chocolate chips if desired.
Shape the cookies. Use a cookie scoop to form 12 balls. Place them on the tray and gently press into a cookie shape.
Bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the edges.
Cool. Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

Banana oatmeal cookies on a baking sheet

Easy Variations

Here are a few ways to customize these banana oatmeal cookies to your preferences.

Make them nut-free. For a nut-free version, substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or another nut-free alternative.
Add another mix-in. Add-ins like chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds or pecans), dried fruit (like cranberries or raisins), semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark), cinnamon or shredded coconut can be folded into the dough for extra flavor and texture.
Make them sweeter. If you prefer sweeter cookies, add 1-2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup to the mixture.
Make them gluten-free. These banana oatmeal cookies are already gluten-free – just make sure to use gluten free certified oats if needed, as there can be some cross-contamination.

Three banana oatmeal cookies on parchment paper

Proper Storage

Room temperature: Store banana oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Fridge: For slightly longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freezer: These cookies freeze well. Place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.

3-ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies feature

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