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!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium bananas mashed
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
- ⅓ 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
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.
I’m allergic to walnuts. How does this turn out if you don’t use the walnuts? Thanks!
You can leave out the walnuts or substitute another type of nut or even coconut.
Love them!!! I can’t stop eating them!!
So glad you loved them!
Have you tried freezing these?
I haven’t but I think it would work just fine!
I made your banana breakfast cookies and decided to add some vanilla protein powder… Amazing! My husband and 2 boys love them. And, I feel good about us all eating cookies for breakfast. Thank you so much for the recipe!
So glad your family enjoyed these!
Good morning! Cookies are in the oven. I substituted the oats with equal cooked quinoa PLUS 1 cup of raw steel cut oats. I also doubled the raisins. The consistency was a bit loose, but thick enough to use a cookie scoop, then use a fork to mash down. Cooked for 20 minutes. This was an interesting twist on the recipe, but the hubby is eating them… Fresh and warm, right out of the oven!
Thank you for sharing, I love quinoa but haven’t used it in baking before!
Made these this morning – delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Question (maybe I missed it) but how many cookies does one batch make? Just want to make sure I am making them the right size.
Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed them. This recipe makes 24 cookies.
Iam allergic to nuts do i have to.put them in.
You can leave the nuts out.
Hi, I just made these. They taste yummy but are still quite moist inside. Not too sure what i did wrong- maybe i made the heaps to big? I converted the temp to degrees centigrade to 180. Maybe that could have been a problem?
This recipe should make 24 cookies (if you made less they may have been a little bit larger and required more time). Did you press them down with a fork? They will be a little bit soft and moist but not ‘wet’.
180C should be about right for temperature.
Do the bananas have to be ripe? I just bought 3 fresh bananas to use but not sure if I’ve to wait for them to be ripe.
They’re better if they’re ripe as they have more sugars and are softer. If your bananas are not ripe you can place them in a paper bag to speed the process or ripen them in the oven at 300 degrees until the skins are black and shiny. Our grocery store often sells overripe bananas at a discount towards the back of the store so you can always check there or ask the produce guy if they have any!
What can be used instead of the apple sauce ?
I have only made this recipe as written.
Hi!! Can you tell me how to do the apple sauce??
I purchase a no sugar added applesauce.
What is sugar content and Calorieshe? Looks amazing
I have added the nutritional information to the post above, enjoy!
Can I substitute Granola for the oats?
I have only tried this as written. I’m not sure if the granola would work the same way as the oats do soak up some of the moisture from the bananas. If you do try it, I’d love to hear how it works out for you!
Hi, love the cookies. Do u know how many calories are in one cookie, even approximately??
I have added the nutritional information to the post above, enjoy!
Does the banana flavour come out strong?
Yes, these do have a strong banana flavor.
What could I use instead of apple sauce? Is this just to sweeten or does it make a difference with the texture as well?
I have only made this recipe as written so I can’t say for sure.
Do you use unsweetened applesauce?
Yes, I use unsweetened applesauce.
How many calories would these cookies contain? And what would be the nutritional information? Can you use Almond Milk instead?
I have added the nutritional information to the post above, enjoy!
Do you have nutritional info available for these? They look terrific!
I have added the nutritional information to the post above, enjoy!
In the similar recipe made into muffins – why not use Truvia instead of sugar? The sugar content would spike her insulin response.