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
- No-Bake 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)Â 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 (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Sheets | Cooling Rack
- 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.
These sound yummy but the “no added sugar” claim confuses me as maple syrup and honey are both sources of sugar. I will be making these this weekend with a bit less honey than recommended to keep them healthy. Thanks for the recipe!
The cookies do have “no added sugar” as honey and maple syrup contain natural unrefined sugar in them, which are good for you, and you are not adding any extra sugar, such as white sugar etc. The sugar is inside the honey and the maple syrup, so you aren’t adding any sugar as it is already contained within those ingredients. You do not need to cut down on the honey and maple syrup as they contain unrefined sugar, like of which is found in fruit, therefore they are healthy cookies.Â
I am allergic to nuts, so can’t use almond or peanut butter. Any suggestions for something healthy that I can use instead? Thanks!
How about sunflower seed butter?
I usually don’t leave comments but I MUST thank you for this delicious recipe! It has become a family favourite. My one year old absolute loves these cookies, along with my sweetheart, he just can’t get enough!
Used soy milk instead of maple syrup, and the cookies were still sweet enough for me, – in case someone wonders if the sweetener can be left out. Great recipe, will be making these again. Thanks, Sally!
I finally made these today and WOW! They are delicious! My kids loved them too. And so filling. This recipe will definitely become a regular around here!
These are fantastic! I’ve made them two times- the first following the recipe exactly and they turned out excellent. The second time, I didn’t have any bananas so I substituted sweet potato (baked and peeled) and used blueberries instead of chocolate chips, and added a touch of nutmeg. It turned out great again. Thank you for such a versatile recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe! These cookies are delicious. Approved by me, my husband and our 2-year old! 🙂 I added chia seeds as well. And I made them small, so I had 21 cookies in total.
I am in love with all your recipies but I love this one especially. I will say though I wasn’t able to get any almond butter where I live but hazelnut spread works really good. I also added some nutmeg and it smells so wonderful and tastes really good too. Thank you for all your wonderful recipies. I really enjoy them.
All I can say is that I’m glad I tripled my batch. These are delicious, toothsome and toddler approved.
Thank you so much for creating and sharing this recipe! I’m always looking for helthy cookie ideas for my little ones. They love that they’re getting a cookie and I love that they are a healthy snack! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes:)
Loved these cookies, im Making my second batch right now. I tweeked it a bit, I used coconut oil instead of almond butter, added hemp hearts, chia seeds, cranberries, and peanut butter chips, so yummy!
I just made these cookies and absolutely loved them! I would love to see more breakfast cookies if you have other ideas!
I made these for my kids today. They LOVED them. Success! Thank you. 🙂
These cookies are excellent! I’m having them right now with my tea for breakfast 🙂
This looks sooo healthy and delicious!!!! Would love to try baking this. Wondering if it’s okay to use this recipe in an oven toaster? Thanks so much! Will appreciate your response!
These were delish although I did make a few changes…I substituted 1/2 pint of blueberries for the chocolate chips and used pecans instead of almonds. I also made them into muffins instead of cookies. Thank you for sharing…pure, simple goodness is the truth!
Hi Sally, thank you so much for posting such lovely and healthy recipes. These turned out really well! 🙂 Can’t wait for more of such exciting recipes to try!
I just made these but used 1/4 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup almond milk, omitted the almonds, and reduced the oats to 2 cups. Delicious!! Made 15 cookies at about 100 calories each. It’s the perfect treat for all the sweet tooths we have in our house. Thanks for the recipe!
I made these last night but made a few adjustments and they are sooooo good! I added a can of pumpkin, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, a bag of pecans, the whole bag of dark chocolate chips, more cinamon and some nutmeg. I cooked them in sprayed muffin tins at 315 degrees for 20 minutes (until the top of the middle of the muffin was no longer moist). It made about 26 muffins. Mmmmmmm! Thank you for the recipe!
I just made these, using dark chocolate chips and SUPER ripe bananas and they turned out soooooo good! They don’t taste like a regular chocolate Chip cookie but I didn’t expect them to. They’re a great healthier breakfast choice and I’m going to enjoy eating a couple for breakfast all through this week with yogurt 🙂
I finally made these last night and they were so delicious! I added 3 scoops of vanilla protein powder to make them even more of a satisfying snack. I think it actually helped the cookie stabilize better as well. These are perfect because I hate buying processed, sugar-filled protein bars!
I never worry about trying one of your recipes. I know it will turn out well. I just made these mostly for my nephew. He is such a high energy kid with an insatiable appetite. I’m hoping these will fill him up. He ate one and asked for a 2nd. He couldn’t finish the 2nd one. They are absolutely delicious. Thanks so much!
These were so great! I made them a while back and forgot to comment. I was worried they wouldn’t set properly with the absence of flour but I was so happy when they turned out perfectly! I had 1 for breakfast just the morning actually with some poached eggs 🙂
Just made these and had a taste of the still-warm delicious gooey chocolate chip banana cookie! It is absolutely perfect! I substituted the almond butter for peanut butter and added in some chopped up pitted dates (1/3 cup) as well. Forgot to put nuts in this time but definitely won’t forget next time! Great way to use up overripe bananas. Thank you!
Finally got around to making these and WOW! My only regret is I didn’t make them sooner!! I was actually super shocked how great the taste! I sub’ed about 1/4 c of the almond butter for 1/4 c of PB because I ran out of almond and the light touch of peanut was Devine!! I’ve had two already today and can’t wait till bedtime so I can wake up and have one with a hard boiled egg! Yummy!!
I just made these and I AM OBSESSED! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I made these last night for today’s breakfast. Very good. I did use traditional oats and seemed to work fine. Also subbed, peanut butter for almond butter, sorghum for maple syrup, and chopped my own salted almonds and then did not add any extra salt. We were all pleased with the outcome even my twin baby girls! And, yes, they are quite filling!
Hi Sally,
This may be too late an answer for you, but my nephew has severe nut allergies, as well as gluten & a bunch of other allergies. They use Western Family brand quick oats, which I believe are from a dollar store- Family Dollar, I think.
Did you have a good substitute idea for the nut butter in the recipe? I was looking at this recipe for my nephew but didn’t know what could be substituted.
How about sunflower seed butter?
I was in search of homemade cookies to replace some banana oatmeal chocolate store bought cookies I enjoy, and am glad to say I have found the replacement. I just finished making these cookies and they are delicious. I couldn’t stop eating the batter either. They are just wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. I will definately be making this again and trying some of your other recipes 🙂
Happy baking everyone 🙂
These have become a staple in my house. My kids love them. Thank you for the recipe.