Description
Deliciously soft and naturally sweetened banana oatmeal cookies made with overripe bananas, oats, and a touch of honey, perfect for a healthy snack or breakfast treat. These cookies are versatile with optional mix-ins such as chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or shredded coconut, baked to perfection with a warm cinnamon aroma.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 bananas overripe (about 1 ¼ cups mashed banana)
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups quick cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips or other add-ins like shredded coconut, dried cranberries, raisins, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside to prevent the cookies from sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mash the overripe bananas until smooth, creating a natural sweet base for the cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the honey (or maple syrup), the egg, and the vanilla extract into the mashed bananas until fully combined, ensuring even sweetness and binding.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the quick cooking oats, ground cinnamon, and sea salt to the wet mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well combined into a consistent dough.
- Add Mix-ins: If desired, fold in chocolate chips or other preferred add-ins such as shredded coconut, dried cranberries, or raisins, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Portion Cookies: Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon or a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Place each portion onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are just set and the bottoms are lightly browned, indicating they are perfectly cooked through.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to prevent over-baking and to set the texture.
- Serve: Enjoy the cookies slightly warm or at room temperature as a wholesome snack or breakfast option.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Quick cooking oats work best for a softer cookie texture; old-fashioned oats can be used but may yield a chewier cookie.
- You can substitute honey with maple syrup for a vegan option, but omit the egg or replace it with a flax egg to make the recipe vegan-friendly.
- Feel free to experiment with add-ins like nuts, dried fruits, or seeds to customize flavors and textures.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
