You will love these healthy and naturally gluten-free, egg-free banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies. They come together in just 1 bowl with only 8 ingredients including oats, mashed bananas, and almond butter. Sweetened with maple syrup with no dough chilling necessary, these are an easy, wholesome, and quick breakfast or anytime treat!
Like my classic breakfast cookies, today’s variation are chewy, dense, and satisfying; and they make a wonderful grab-and-go breakfast or anytime snack you can feel good about. This banana version is even simpler to make, with fewer ingredients.
If you enjoy healthier goodies like these chocolate banana muffins and peanut butter banana chocolate chip oatmeal bars, you’ll love these banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies!
These Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies Are:
- An “anytime” healthier cookie
- Made in just 1 bowl
- Naturally vegan if using dairy-free chocolate chips
- Naturally gluten free (if using certified GF oats)
- An egg-free baking recipe
- Sweetened with maple syrup and bananas
- Hearty, wholesome, & satisfying
- Loved by kids and adults alike
- An excuse to have chocolate chip cookies for breakfast 😉
8 Ingredients & Possible Substitutions
- Oats: Use either type of oats—quick or whole. Over the years I’ve found that there’s no difference in the outcome. If you are gluten intolerant, make sure you are using certified gluten-free oats.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer.
- Cinnamon: A key ingredient in most oatmeal cookies, like chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- Almond Butter: Use the grainy, drippy, natural kind. A test batch with a more processed almond butter was not tasty. Instead of almond butter, try peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a naturally nut-free option. I love using this homemade almond butter.
- Coconut Oil: Just 1/4 cup really improves the texture in these breakfast cookies. Look for one that’s labeled “virgin” or “unrefined.”
- Pure Maple Syrup: Try to use the real stuff, not “breakfast syrup.” You can use honey instead of maple syrup, keeping in mind these cookies would no longer be vegan. Or try date syrup.
- Bananas: Bananas add sweetness, so make sure they’re super ripe. See below about using frozen bananas.
- Chocolate Chips: To keep these cookies vegan, make sure you use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips. I like semisweet or dark chocolate chips in these, but you could swap the chips for chocolate chunks, raisins, dried cranberries or blueberries, or a mix! If you’d like to get a little nutty, stir in some chopped pecans or walnuts.
Mix Together in 1 Bowl & Bake
There are hardly any instructions to give you—just throw everything together in a bowl and mix. It’s that easy. I use an electric mixer, which is how I typically mash bananas for banana bread, but feel free to use good ol’ fashioned arm muscle instead. Expect a thick and sticky dough.
Scoop 1/4 cup of dough per cookie. Arrange on 2 lined baking sheets. This recipe yields 12 large cookies, so place 6 mounds of dough on each.
Slightly flatten the tops of each cookie. Using the back of a spoon, slightly flatten the tops to make large discs instead of tall mounds. The cookies won’t spread, so this helps give them some shape. I give these flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies a little encouragement to spread using the same method. Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned.
The cooled cookies should be refrigerated, for best taste and texture. I actually love them straight out of the fridge—they almost taste a bit fudgy!
FAQ: Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Yes, frozen and thawed bananas work in this recipe and you can read more about How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking if you’d like.
Two important things to remember:
- The riper the banana, the better. When you bake with bananas, you want to use brown, spotty, super-ripe ones.
- Strain off excess liquid. As bananas thaw, they let out a lot of liquid, which can throw off the wet ingredients in any baking recipe. I always recommend draining off most or all of that excess liquid before mashing and measuring them for your recipe.
FAQ: Can I Freeze These Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies?
While called breakfast cookies, they’re great all day, every day. I love them as an afternoon snack, for breakfast on the go, or as a healthier dessert. Each batch yields about 12 cookies, and sometimes I make a double batch to keep extras in the freezer for quick homemade snack options. They will be especially appreciated if you are looking for back to school recipe ideas.
Healthy Baking Recipes
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- How to Make Granola Clusters
- Greek Yogurt Lemon Bars
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Tart
- Easy Frittata Recipe
Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These are banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies made with wholesome, healthy ingredients. Use certified gluten-free oats to make them gluten free, and/or use dairy-free chocolate chips to make them vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230g) mashed bananas (about 3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas)
- 2 and 1/2 cups (213g) quick oats or old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (56g) coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup (185g) natural-style almond butter*
- 1/4 cup (82g) pure maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/2 cup (80g) dairy-free chocolate chips (or use regular semi-sweet)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl. (I usually mash the bananas in a large bowl, and then add the remaining ingredients.) Stir everything together until fully combined, or use a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat. The dough is thick and heavy.
- Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, portion 1/4-cup mounds of cookie dough (about 70g each) onto prepared cookie sheet. Use the back of a spoon to slightly flatten out into a cookie shape. (The cookies will not spread in the oven.)
- Bake for 17–20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cover leftover cookies and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Cookies get extra soft in storage, and taste best right out of the refrigerator.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cooled cookies can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature or warm in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Stand Mixer or Handheld) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Sheets
- Frozen Bananas: You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe. Thawed bananas are extra wet, so drain off as much of the excess liquid as you can before mashing. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- 2023 Update: This recipe used to call for 1 cup (250g) almond butter and no coconut oil. They were very dense, very heavy, and there was almost too much sticky almond butter. Replace 1/4 cup of it with coconut oil, and you’ll have a much better texture. The recipe above reflects this slight change.
- Coconut Oil: If you do not have coconut oil, you can replace it with the same amount of applesauce or melted butter.
- Almond Butter: Use the grainy, drippy, natural kind. A test batch with a more processed almond butter was dense, heavy, and hard to chew. Instead of almond butter, try natural peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a naturally nut-free option.
- Double Batch: The recipe can easily be doubled to make a bigger batch.
- Gluten Free & Vegan: Use certified gluten-free oats to make them gluten free, and/or use dairy-free chocolate chips to make them vegan.
Keywords: banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies
I have always used my ripe bananas to make banana bread. Saw this recipe this morning and knowing how good all of your recipes come out, decided to try it. It was of course delicious. I’m so happy to have a seemingly healthier recipe for my over ripe bananas. I did not have almond butter so I subbed peanut butter, but I am buying almond butter today so I can try it that way. I’m sure it will take it to next level. Thank you for all your recipe suggestions. I always stop and check them out on social media
★★★★★
Where is the nutritional information?
Hi Teri, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
What would you use in lieu of coconut oil? Would it be a 1 to 1 swap for any other oil? Or butter?
These look amazing, but I don’t typically have coconut oil on hand.
Hi Alex, thank you! If you do not have coconut oil, you can replace it with the same amount of applesauce or melted butter.
Hi! Can I use old fashioned whole grain oats instead? It’s all I have handy! Thanks!
Hi Claudia, you definitely can. Old fashioned whole grain oats are the same thing as regular rolled oats.
Can you recommend some brands for the grainy, drippy kind of almond butter please? I want to be sure not to pick up the more processed kind at the store, but am not familiar with brands.
Hi Liddy, brands vary greatly around the world, but the processed kind we tested that didn’t turn out well had added oil and sugar listed in the ingredients. Just check the label and make sure it contains only almonds (and possibly salt) listed in the ingredients, no extra oil or sugar. Hope this helps!
I made these for the first time and was so excited. I used Trader Joe’s Natural PB, which is on the thin side, so once I got all 2 1/2 cups of oats in there, they still seemed runny. I added a few tablespoons of oat flour and 1/4 cup flaxmeal and that seemed like the right texture compared to other breakfast cookies I have made before. Well, now that I have baked them, I think I added too much extra stuff to firm up the dough b/c they are on the drier side now. I have put them in the freezer overnight and I will see how they taste tomorrow. Could someone please post a pic of what your batter looks like- that would have been so helpful and might have made me avoid possibly messing up the final result. Thanks!
★★★★
Perfect for a post-workout snack or afternoon fix. The cookies are delicious and satisfying, our family loves them. Plan to make often
★★★★★
I was just thinking what to do with my two ripe bananas and I’m swept by how beautiful this oatmeal cookies turned out! The flavour, chewiness and softness is just unbeatable. A lot of times oatmeal cookies are too crunchy or too dry but this one is just perfect! The best thing is it caters for those who have peanut allergy. Big thanks to you Sally!
★★★★★
Hi! Your notes say to use quick oats but the recipe says whole oats. Which one should I use? If it’s quick oats then do I change the amount in the recipe?
Hi Randi, you’re right, that’s a mistake in there! Thanks for catching that! You can use either quick oats or whole oats, and you don’t need to change the amount.
Hi Sally ! Fan from Japan 🙂
We don’t have any almond butter, nor the other options like cashew, sunflower seed butter here…
I know it’ll throw us off the whole point of trying to stay healthy but was normal butter an alternative option as well?
Hi Rosie! Butter wouldn’t be a good replacement for a nut butter here. You can always make your own almond butter in a pinch!
for those who want it! I made it exactly to recipe, with almonds.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 162
Total Carbohydrate 24.8g
Dietary Fiber 3.1g
Total Sugars 9.9g
Protein 4g
★★★★★
Such a fun breakfast to make with the kids! This recipe was delicious!
★★★★★
Thank you, thank you, thank you~! My husband is a dairy farmer and gets up before dawn to start chores and morning milking. He grabs a couple of breakfast cookies on his way to the barn and they are able to keep him energized until breakfast. I am so glad that he has a healthy (and delicious!) snack to start the day. After all, someone has to keep the bakers of the world supplied with butter ;)!
★★★★★
These turned out great and my family loved them. Thanks Sally!
★★★★★
These are delicious! I’ve been craving more healthier snacks recently & these just hit the spot! I always thought I hated banana-based cookies (after a bad experience before) but after giving these a try, I’ve quickly changed my mind! Thanks for sharing Sally 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing the link to the nutritional analyzer. I’ll be using that regularly!
A friend of mine brought these on a ladies kayak trip and we all loved them. I made these when I got home, and they’re so easy and declicious. This is a general question for all of your recipes. Can you start including nutritional and calorie content? Thank you.
Hi Kat, we’re so glad you enjoyed these breakfast cookies! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I liked them cooked a bit more for my tastes but I knew to start my search for banana cookies here first. Perfect for lunches and healthy.
★★★★★
This recipe was a great way to use up ripe bananas! I doubled the recipe with no issues.
★★★★★
Finally, somthing gluten free that actually tastes good! My husband had 4 right off the bat, ( I made them slightly smaller with 2TB of dough. Added chocolate chips, walnuts and vanilla) And I’ve had more than my share already. Being pregnant, I’m constantly hungry, these have been great!
I am allergic to bananas, is there a substitution? Liz T
Hi Liz, you might like our Good Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookies instead — you can replace the blueberries with chocolate chips and see recipe notes there for swapping out the banana.
I eat something along these lines every morning with some plain yogurt and berries. I usually add a third banana and 1/4 applesauce and ditch the sweetener. They are still plenty sweet and perfect for the morning!!
★★★★★
My whole family loves these; I’ve been making them for years. So great for a post-hike snack for the kids. I’m wondering if I can substitute pureed pumpkin for the banana? Bananas hurt my stomach so I can’t really enjoy these as they are. If so, how much do you think? Thanks, Sally!
★★★★★
It should work just fine!
I love how quick this is!! I made it with rolled oats that I didn’t process because I just didn’t read the directions close enough. But it’s still a hit with the kids! And I love using up bananas quickly and without having to have anything come to room temp! I will enjoy sneaking in some flax and chia in the next batch, and I might experiment with some oat bran. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Hi sally, I tried your recipe and I accidentally added too much salt to the cookies. What should I do? And can I substitute this for anything else
I have made these cookies…oh probably 100 times – not including many, many double and triple batches.
This recipe is, hands down, my favorite, go-to, for-anything cookie recipe. Yes to the breakfast and GF of course, but I’ve also made this as a postpartum cookie with the addition of some protein powder, a lactation cookie (added some ground flaxseed), teething cookie (without the chocolate). I’ve eaten this cookie straight out of the oven, cooled and frozen (I like them frozen the best). I have made this cookie vegan, nut-free, and a combo GF/vegan/nut-free. I’ve even made this with frozen bananas (defrost, drain and add slightly more oat flour).
I have brought it into work and watched them be devoured. I have recommended this recipe to countless people. The only person who didn’t like it (ONLY), doesn’t like bananas in general.
If I could leave 10 stars, I would.
It’s a total winner.
★★★★★
I had some very ripe bananas and these were the perfect use. I took a bite when it had cooled and it was delicious! Can’t wait to have one with my breakfast in the morning!
★★★★★
Froze these after they cooled and serve them straight out of the freezer to my teething toddler (minus the choc chips).
★★★★★
What a great idea, Kerry!
I made these this morning with store bought crunchy peanut butter, maple syrup, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and the optional sliced almonds. They were easy to make, and the flavor was good (and I don’t love bananas!). The only reason I rated 4 stars instead of 5 is that the cookies were softer and mushier than I would have preferred. Are they supposed to be this way? I weighed ingredients so am fairly sure measuring wasn’t the issue. Unless I used a bit too much mashed banana? I only baked the cookies for 15 minutes because I didn’t want to overbake them per the instructions. Overall, these are a nice change for breakfast. Thanks!
★★★★
Hi Is there a substitute for maple syrup ? Can I use regular sugar ?
Honey is a great substitute for the maple syrup. Or try brown sugar.
I have made this recipe 20xs over in the last 5 years – it’s by far my favorite Sally recipe. My husband travels a ton and these have gotten him through so many times as meal replacements when he is on the road. I use peanut butter instead of almond butter, cut back on the maple syrup, and add some flax seed and raisins to each recipe. I always make a triple recipe each time to freeze, so we always have them on hand. “Breakfast cookies” have become fan favorites among the musicians he travels with! :o) Thanks, Sally!!
★★★★★