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!
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.
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. 😉
- 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
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins, optional
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.
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.