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!
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!
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.
How to Make Breakfast Cookies
These quick and easy treats are the perfect grab-and-go snack!
- Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Place in heaping tablespoons on a large baking sheet and press gently with the back of a fork.
- 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).
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
- Classic Breakfast Sandwich – freezer friendly
- Make-Ahead Egg Muffins – a healthy breakfast or snack
- 10 Minute No-Bake Granola Bars – perfect for a lunch kit
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – so flavorful!
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls – with homemade glaze
Did your family love these Banana Breakfast Cookies? Leave a rating and a comment below!
Banana Breakfast Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 bananas mashed
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- ½ cup chocolate chips optional
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup milk or almond milk
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 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
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Cookies, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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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!
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!
So glad you’re enjoying these cookies! Thank you for sharing Cindy!
Delicious the cake texture in the cookies is a nice a nice change.these disappear
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 recipe
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.
Can you add shredded coconut to the banana breakfast cookies? If so how much?
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.
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!
Not very good. Blah tasting. Needs something else added to brighten flavor
Sorry to hear that, Arlene! These are by far a family favorite. We’ve made them so many times we like to get creative with the mix-ins. You might enjoy shredded sweetened coconut, dark chocolate chips (instead of milk chocolate), or craisins in place of raisins are my personal favorite! We would love to hear what you add to brighten the flavor!
This recipe is a go-to in my house. We have made it so many times that we have started getting creative with it. This week we added shredded coconut! Yum!