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.
Hi Holly, I’m thinking of making the recipe of banana breakfast cookies tomorrow. I have a question; how many cookies per serving? is it one or two?
Thank you
The nutritional information provided is per single cookie.
DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Should you refrigerate the dough before forming into cookies and baking? Making these now and it seems a little soft I’m afraid they’d all run together?
Because these don’t have oil/butter, they don’t tend to spread very much.
I thought they were a little bland, so added some raw honey and also some chia seeds. Are they supposed to be soft inside?
Yes, they are soft inside.
Hey I just made these and they taste great!! They look much darker than your pics but they’re not burnt and they have a texture like banana bread, kinda spongy. Is that right? Haha and I followed the recipe but no nut/chips and added 1/4 dried cranberries w/ the raisins and used regular milk
They are very soft, more like banana bread.
I want to use pumpkin and pumpkin spice but not sure how much and if I need to omit anything else. Suggestions would be great. Thanks
Not sure if anyone has posted something similar, but last night I made these and replaced the three bananas with 1.5 cups of pumpkin puree and 1/4 cup brown sugar (no raisins, added nutmeg and cinnamon) and they are DELICIOUS! A nice autumn version of an awesome recipe!
Your version sounds great too! I don’t think anyone here will mind substituting pumpkin flavor into our dessert recipes. Yum!
Is there a way to add sweet potatoes (baked from dinner out) or pumpkin puree? If so, how much and would I then add more liquid or apple sauce and THM on plan sweetener. I have no clue to how much to add. I do know this is my sister and my favorite breakfast except we back in a small rectangular baking pan.
I have only made the recipe as written so I can’t say for sure how it would work. You might like to try replacing some of the banana.
They were really good and I put some coconut in and cranberries instead of chocolate chips
Looks delicious! I am breakfast and lunch cook in an elder care facility. My residents will love these!
Hi, these sound amazing. Only problem is I am gluten intolerant and can’t use the oats. Do you have any idea what would work in place of the oats? Thanks, Anne
I’m sorry, I have only made these as written. I am not sure what would be the best sub for the oats. Possibly coconut, more nuts, or maybe quinoa?
Bobs Red Mill sells gluten free Quick Oats.
Hi Holly, I just tried the cookies out.i substituted the milk with Greek yoghurt , I used almonds instead of walnuts and I left out the choc chip and added two tablespoons of honey.. it is absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing.. I hope they would be a little less in calories now that I’ve substituted three ingredients… as I can’t stop eating them. I also added a bit of desiccated coconut and cranberries
Just made them & I used rolled oats & golden raisins and dark choco chips and it turns really good. Hubby loves it! Definitely make them again. Thank you
Yummy! Dark chocolate would be delicious in this too. Thank you for sharing!
I made these but tweeked them quite a bit. I made them vegan to start, using a flax egg instead of a regular, I substituted pumpkin puree in place of the apple sauce, I used a dried fruit medely in place of the raisins, I only had an 1/8th cup walnuts so I added coconut to make up the difference, and I added clove and nutmeg for spicier flavor. They turned out great!
I wanted to make these nut free so they would be school safe. I used regular milk, pumpkin seeds instead of nuts and added chopped dried apricots. Batter seemed a little wet so I added about 1/4 cup more of oats.
Great for those early morning hockey practices!
Thanks for this recipe can’t wait to try it
Is it possible to leave the milk or almond milk out? Or could something else be substituted? Thanks
You could certainly try it without or add a little bit of water/juice to get the recipe to the right consistency.
These look good what can I use instead of egg to make these Vegan?
I don’t follow a vegan lifestyle so I am not sure what you can use instead.
I just made them for my vegan daughter and left out the egg and chocolate chips. They worked out fine and held together well.
I don’t have applesauce. What can I use instead??
You can try another fruit puree such as pumpkin puree.
these look so YUMMY, I am sooo have to make , I think my kids will love them and there heathy.
Hi there. Just wondering if anyone has tried making these with steel cut quick oats?
I would love a steel cut oat recipe as well. They are most preferred in my household!