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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Thought this turned out well at high altitude. Skipped applesauce bc it seemed really moist and that was a good move. Customized a little with different add-ins based on what I had. Cinnamon was a great idea. I made it a bar cookie style bc at altitude, cookies tend to spread. Thank you, Holly, for a delicious breakfast treat using over-ripe bananas and oatmeal.
Can you add something else besides bananas??
I have only tried this as written but you could try pumpkin. I can’t say for sure if it would work.
Need new ideas
Would Love to have the recipe for banana breakfast cookies!
You’re in the right place Terry! These banana breakfast cookies are fantastic!
Awesome recipes!!!
Will these last if left out in an airtight container instead of refrigerated?
They will last a day or two. Since they’re so moist they can mold quickly.
I don’t think they will mold
Is there a cup/gram measurement for the bananas? Bananas vary in size, and when recipes call simply for a ‘banana’ I don’t know what size to use.
Thanks
Hi Terry, for this recipe we just used 3 average-sized bananas. You can try adding your mashed banana a little at a time, the dough should hold together fairly well and hold its shape to the point that you need to push it with a fork to flatten the cookie.
Id like to substitute the raisins for dates, how many dates should i chop up? As well, i cant have walnuts but would like to add pumpkin seeds, how much would i add? Thank you in advance.
I would chop about 2-3 tablespoons of dates, they’re a bit sweeter than raisins. As for pumpkin seeds, I haven’t tried adding extra so maybe start with a tablespoon and add more as needed.
Just baked these cookies. I was hoping they would be like our local bakeries “survival cookies”
They are even better! I used whole organic oats, added 1/4 C of fine unsweetened coconut, 1 tblsp organic maple syrup, and finely grated orange zest (only because I read they were tasteless). I used chocolate chips (because I am chocoholic) walnuts and Trader Joes mixed raisins.
I made a double batch because I knew somehow they were going to be amazing!
Thank you for the recipe!
My family loves these cookies. Anytime we have bananas that over ripen it is a hard choice between this recipe and your banana bread! Both are perfect breakfast or snacks on the go!
I would live more if these kinds of easy fast ideas! Thanks
This is the most delicious recipe! I didn’t have raisins so I used some tart dried cherries and added a little maple syrup. I didn’t have the quick oats so I used old fashioned rolled oats and they still came out AMAZING!!! My family couldn’t stop eating them when they came out of the oven. Thank you!!!
These look YUMMY! Can you use old fashioned oats?
Hi Jennifer, we have only made this recipe as listed, but other readers have made it with old fashioned oats and they have turned out.
Just can’t wait to try al these great recipes !!
Thanks so much Monique! I hope you love them all!
I haven’t made them yet, so no rating. You don’t include this in the information, so I will ask if there is any reason these couldn’t be frozen, also?
OOps, just saw the answer, sorry for not reading through first. :-\
No worries Jbear! Have fun baking.
Could I use regular milk instead of the almond milk?
Definitely Debbie!
Super easy, super yummy! Picky kid eater approved. I used regular milk and dried tart cherries.
So happy everyone loved it Sherry!
Our batch made 24 cookies. So one serving is based off of one of our cookies. Hope that helps Lola!
Just made the Banana Breakfast Cookies and they are delicious!
I will definitely make them again. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed them Mary! This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Would using 1 cup flour and 1 cup oats help give it more of a regular cookie texture?
I have only made the recipe as written. Let us know if you try it Amber!
Can the cookies be frozen?
Yes, these will freeze well!