Let Me Tell You About These Cookies…

Okay, full disclosure: I first made these banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips on a rainy Saturday when the bananas on my counter were going a weird shade of brown (you know the ones). That’s when my toddler asked for cookies before lunch—so that was my green light. Honestly, these cookies taste a bit like breakfast snuck its way into dessert, and I’m not mad about it. Also, I may or may not have eaten three straight out of the oven. Is that illegal? Hope not.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe (or At Least Like It)

I pull this recipe out when the banana situation in my kitchen is getting desperate; nobody eats the sad brown ones until, magically, you mash them into cookie dough. My partner swears they’re his favorite snack for hiking (which is a stretch—I’ve literally never seen him take them on a hike). Sometimes the dough is sticky, which used to drive me bonkers, but with oatmeal, it all comes together. Plus, they actually taste good the next day, which is not true of most cookies… Or maybe that’s just my tastebuds talking.

What You’ll Need (But Don’t Panic If You Don’t Have Everything)

2 really ripe bananas (the browner, the sweeter—I’ve sometimes used frozen, thawed ones, and they’re fine in a pinch)
1 cup quick oats (I’ve used old-fashioned oats too; just give them a quick whiz in the blender if you want)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (My gran always insisted on King Arthur, but use whatever’s lurking in your pantry. I even tried whole wheat once—turned out fine, if a bit hearty.)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (or a generous pinch—whatever feels right)
1/2 cup brown sugar (If you only have white sugar, it sort of works, though it’s missing a little depth, in my opinion.)
1/4 cup melted butter (I’ve secretly used coconut oil once when I ran out—works, just changes the flavor a bit.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or leave it out, sometimes I forget and they’re still excellent.)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I get heavy-handed here; the more the merrier—my Aunt Marge said so.)
Optional: a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans (I skip these if I’m feeling lazy, but my uncle won’t eat them without nuts.)

How I Throw Them Together (With a Side of Chaos)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or about 180°C if you’re fancy). Get a baking sheet lined with parchment. If you don’t have parchment, oil the heck out of the tray; that’s what I did in uni.
Grab a big mixing bowl. Peel those bananas (don’t think about the stringy bits—no one can see them later), then mash ‘em up with a fork until mostly smooth. Don’t stress about lumps; it’s not a banana smoothie.
Add your melted butter, brown sugar (or white, if that’s all you’ve got), and vanilla. Stir it around – this is where I might steal a spoonful… just to test, obviously.
Toss in your oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Go gently, or flour will poof everywhere. Combine until just mixed. If it looks too dry, add a splash of milk or water. Too wet? Sprinkle more oats. It’s forgiving.
Fold in the chocolate chips (and nuts, if you’re feeling wild). Don’t overmix, unless you like tough cookies. Actually, I find it works better if you stop mixing about five seconds before you think it’s done.
Spoon out heaping tablespoons on the tray, leaving some space, but they don’t spread much. Form ‘em into messy mounds with your fingers if you like—no need for perfection.
Bake for about 11–13 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft-ish. Don’t worry if they look a bit pale; they firm up as they cool. I check mine after 10 minutes and have, on occasion, left them in for 15 when distracted by life.
Let cool for a few minutes, if you can resist. (Spoiler: I often don’t. Oops.)

Real-Life Notes (Mostly Learned the Hard Way)

If the dough seems way too runny, add more oats—these things are lifesavers for wonky batter.
They taste even better on day two, although I can’t actually prove this because they rarely last that long.
Important: don’t skip the pinch of salt. Ask me how I know… the cookies just taste a bit flat without it.

Kitchen Experiments (Some Worked, Some… Not So Much)

Once I swapped the chocolate chips for dried cranberries—honestly, it wasn’t my favorite, but my mum liked it.
I’ve hidden a spoonful of peanut butter in the dough for a twist. Pretty good, just don’t overdo it or they go a bit dense.
Tried using coconut flour instead of regular—uh, don’t. Crumbled like sandcastles. Fair warning!

Don’t Have the Right Equipment? No Biggie

If you don’t have an electric mixer, honestly, a fork and a bit of elbow grease does the job. For scooping, I just use two big spoons. Once, I used a drinking glass to squash mine flat; worked alright.

How to Store (But…You’ll See What I Mean)

Tuck cooled cookies in an airtight tin or reusable bag, and they’ll be fine for 2-3 days (though honestly, in my house they vanish in about six hours). You can freeze them, too—in theory, anyway.

Serving Them Up (My Two Cents)

We love them warm with coffee mid-afternoon—my kids like dunking them in milk, which gets crumbs everywhere (just the way they like it, apparently). Sometimes, for breakfast, I pretend they’re granola bars. No one argues.

Lessons Learned the Clumsy Way

Once, I rushed the cooling step and ended up with molten chocolate streaks on everything. Let ‘em cool a bit, trust me.
Don’t overbake, or they turn dry and lose their banana charm. I’ve done it. Twice. Not my proudest moment.

Questions I Actually Get Asked (Or Just Imagine I Do)

Can I use regular rolled oats? Yep—just chop them up a bit or blitz in a blender if you like a softer texture. Or leave them whole for a heartier chew (which is honestly nice).
How ripe do the bananas have to be? The browner the better. If yours are more yellow than brown, it’s ok—just mash ‘em extra well.
Can I halve the recipe? Absolutely. Also, I sometimes just wing it with one banana and cut everything else in rough half (“ish” measurements are fine for this one).
Is it okay to skip the chocolate chips? I mean, technically, sure. But why would you?!
Why didn’t my cookies spread? They’re not pancake batter! This dough stays where you plop it. If you want thinner cookies, flatten with a spoon before baking—learned that one when I wanted a cookie sandwich.
Aren’t these kind of breakfast cookies? Well, some people say so. I say: if it has banana and oats, it’s basically health food, right? (Don’t quote me on that.)

And just as a weird aside: did you know you can mash bananas with a potato masher? My gran thinks that’s peak efficiency. Me, I just use a fork and call it a day. Anyhow, hope you enjoy! Let me know how yours turn out—unless you burn them, then blame the oven, not the recipe…

Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips