This recipe for breakfast cookies is packed with nutrition and easy to make!

Bananas, oats, applesauce, raisins, nuts, and bonus chocolate chips make these filling and nutritious.

Cookies for breakfast? Kids and grown-ups alike will love them!  Banana breakfast cookies are an energizing, grab-and-go snack for everyone at any time of day!

stack of Banana Breakfast Cookies

What are Breakfast Cookies?

This recipe came from my friend Erin years and years ago. It’s one I used to make for my kids to grab and go on the school bus (since they never wanted to eat breakfast!).

  • Breakfast cookies are a healthy breakfast alternative to sugary cereals and processed granola bars.
  • Soft and chewy breakfast cookies are the perfect recipe to take on family road trips and camping, too!
  • Healthy breakfast cookies can be baked in advance for all week guilt-free snacking! Make a batch or two and watch them disappear!
  • One bowl and 3 steps! Banana breakfast cookies are not only portable, but they’re an energizing way to refuel kids’ mid-morning, after school, or after practice!

ingredients to make Banana Breakfast Cookies with labels

What’s in Banana Breakfast Cookies?

Oatmeal breakfast cookies are chock full of healthy ingredients.

BANANAS: Bananas (especially the older, browner ones) have lots of flavor, sweetness and moisture that keep breakfast cookies soft and chewy.  We add unsweetened applesauce but sweetened works just fine.

OATS: Quick-cooking oats replace flour and make breakfast cookies gluten-free (make sure to use certified gluten-free oats).  The quick cooking variety is finer and the oats are thinner so they mix better in this recipe.

MIX-INS: Aside from the raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips, breakfast cookies taste great with flaked coconut, chopped dried fruit like cranberries and mangoes, shredded carrots, flaxseed, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds.

Banana Breakfast Cookies before baking

How to Make Breakfast Cookies

These quick and easy treats are the perfect grab-and-go snack!

  1. Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Place in heaping tablespoons on a large baking sheet and press gently with the back of a fork.
  3. Bake until lightly browned. Cool before serving.

Serve with a tasty healthy breakfast smoothie and supercharge the day!

Holly’s Tips

  • Mash the banana right in the large bowl before adding the other ingredients, one less dish to wash!
  • Use a cookie scoop to keep the cookies even.
  • Line the pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • These do not spread like butter filled cookie dough, gently press them with a fork before baking.
  • They’re extra soft and moist with a cake like texture. Because of the moisture, these should be stored in the fridge (and not on the counter).

Banana Breakfast Cookies with a glass of milk

Variations & Swaps

  • Reduce the applesauce to 1/4 cup and stir in one tablespoon of almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter in place of some of the applesauce.
  • Swap out walnuts for pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, or shredded coconut.
  • We find them sweet enough but add a spoonful of maple syrup or honey if you’d like.

Best Way to Store Cookies

Keep leftover breakfast banana cookies in a zippered bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 4 months.

More Grab ‘n Go Breakfasts

Did your family love these Banana Breakfast Cookies? Leave a rating and a comment below! 

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stack of Banana Breakfast Cookies
4.93 from 99 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Banana Breakfast Cookies

Easy banana cookies are loaded with bananas, oats, and nuts. These delicious and healthy cookies are perfect for breakfast, an after-school snack, or a post work-out!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • 3 medium bananas mashed
  • 2 cups quick cooking oats
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
  • cup applesauce
  • ¼ cup milk or almond milk
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined adding 1/8 teaspoons salt if desired.
  • Place heaping tablespoons on a parchment lined pan and gently press with a fork.
  • Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

  • Mash the banana right in the large bowl before adding the other ingredients, one less dish to wash!
  • Use a cookie scoop to keep the cookies even.
  • Line the pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • These do not spread like butter filled cookie dough, gently press them with a fork before baking.
  • They're extra soft and moist with a cake like texture. Because of the moisture, these should be stored in the fridge (and not on the counter).
Nutrition information is per cookie and does not include optional items.
4.93 from 99 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 82 | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Breakfast, Cookies, Snack
Cuisine American
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pile of Banana Breakfast Cookies with writing
close up of Banana Breakfast Cookies
baked Banana Breakfast Cookies on a sheet pan and in a stack with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. I see that the nutrition info for the banana breakfast cookies says they have 1 gram of Trans fat per serving. What is in the recipe that has Trans fat?
    The recipe sounds delicious!

    1. Hi Jane, you will want to check the ingredients that you are using to determine if there are trans fats. They can occasionally be found in certain brands.

  2. I had high hopes for these. Easy to make, uses ingredients I already have in the house that we like individually–bananas! oats! raisins! apple sauce! chocolate chips! nuts!–,not loaded with sugar, good reviews–sounded like a winner, Unfortunately, no one in my house will eat them, and after us each having tried one, the rest got pitched. We disliked them too much to inflict them on anyone else, and because of the chocolate chips and raisins, I couldn’t give them to the dog.1 star

  3. Wonderful cookies! I used organic whole oats and added shredded coconut and dried cranberries to the mixture. The recipe worked perfect with a flax egg. Perfect with my morning coffee. I had 12 larger cookies and ate 2 for breakfast with a smoothie and coffee. It kept me going for many hours.
    Thank you
    Susan5 stars

  4. I use this recipe ALL the time!.

    I do add 1/4 of flour (sometimes buckwheat flour), just to change the texture a bit with the egg in there.

    I use this recipe mainly for breakfast meal prep! But also to clean out the nuts/seeds/dried fruit in my pantry.

    I love putting sunflower seeds and craisins in it. I always have unsweetened apple sauce cups on hand just for this recipe!5 stars

  5. Great basic recipe! We’re trying to incorporate more veggies in our diet, so this is a welcome and delicious way to do just that. I only had two bananas so added a touch more applesauce (unsweetened). I used organic rolled oats, dark chocolate chips, a touch more cinnamon, and added a touch of maple syrup to half of the batch. I think the ones without syrup were just as good as the ones without! Thank you for these lovelies!5 stars

      1. You’re not missing anything, Chris! There are no veggies in this recipe, but shredded carrots would be a great addition.

  6. I made these and they are delicious, I made them quite big because they are just for me! I swapped a couple of things because I didn’t have them in, but wow, thanks for the recipe5 stars

  7. Oh my goodness! These are delicious! Perfect for an out-the-door, grab and go breakfast! Made as directed, with the choc chips. Next batch I’ll sub with the peanut butter. Another A+ keeper recipe! Thanks, Holly.5 stars

    1. Hi Becky, I love adding shredded coconut to this recipe. I would add about ¼ cup. If your bananas weren’t very large you can replace some of the walnuts, chocolate chips, or raisins to still equal about 1 ¼ cup of mix-ins.

  8. These cookies are a family favorite! Every time I make them they go so fast with my husband and my toddler gobbling them up. I feel good about giving them to my toddler because they are full of good ingredients. I often add chia seeds or flax seeds to health boost them and like to switch up the flavor addins from coconut to milk chocolate chips! SWP Employee5 stars