Most Saturday mornings in October and November while in high school, my alarm rang well before the sun rose and the birds started chirping. As a part-time chaperone, Mom often woke up that early too, and together we headed over to my high school for that week’s band review.
Mom and I arrived earlier than most, and as the other kids arrived, they looked like ants trudging into the band room from the parking lot, emerging shortly after carrying their instruments to the front of the school where five large charter buses sat waiting. After loading the instruments into the luggage space underneath each bus, we climbed aboard and collapsed into the plush seats, ready to head out onto the freeway and drive to that day’s band review host school.
Once on board, one of the chaperones usually popped in an old VHS movie for us to watch on the small TV monitors hanging from the overhead bins. Almost half of the kids fell asleep as we drove, and the rest of us stared glassy-eyed out the window or at the Disney film playing in the background.
Those of us who couldn’t nap usually pulled out some sort of breakfast food to nibble on during the trip. Some students brought freezer waffles or bits of toast, carefully wrapped in paper towels, while others munched on muffins or donuts. I usually packed granola bars, like Quaker or Nutri-Grain or Nature Valley…
But I definitely would’ve preferred these Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies instead! They’re soft and chewy, just like traditional cookies (and my favorite granola bars!), but they contain no butter, eggs, refined flour or sugar… Yet plenty of chocolate and only 78 calories!
Basically a dream come true, for any chocoholic with a sweet tooth as big as mine!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY BANANA OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES
This recipe is the next installment of my healthy oatmeal cookie series. ← Have you tried any of those others yet? Or my other healthy oatmeal breakfast cookie recipes? They’re some of the most popular recipes on my blog because they taste just like traditional cookies, even with no butter, refined flour or sugar! I guess I’m not the only Cookie Monster out there… 😉
So for my fellow Cookie Monsters, you’ll need whole wheat flour (or gluten-free — see the Notes section for my recommendations!) and instant oats to start! Instant oats are also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats, and they’re sold in canisters right next to the regular old-fashioned oats at the grocery store. They’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned oats, but they have the same flavor and health benefits!
It’s extremely important that you measure the oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. The oats act like little sponges and soak up moisture from your cookie dough, so if you add too many, your cookies will taste cakey or dry. As a chewy cookie lover, that gets a big thumbs down from me!
For this reason, I highly recommend a kitchen scale. ← That’s the one I own, and it has been the best $20 I’ve ever spent! I use it to make every recipe that I share here with you because it ensures my treats turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time. (And by using it, I usually end up with fewer dishes to wash too—YAY!)
The mashed banana replaces the eggs, adds fruity flavor (totally obvious, I know…), and provides natural sweetness. Use the ripest, most speckled bananas you have! I prefer ones with more brown color than yellow. Those contain more natural sweetness, so you’ll only need to add 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup (like this!) to your cookie dough.
Because these are breakfast cookies, not dessert cookies, they only have half the natural sweetener as compared to my regular oatmeal cookie recipes… Which gives them a similar sweetness level to muffins. To make sure these cookies still turn out soft and chewy, you’ll add milk to the cookie dough as well. And of course, don’t forget the mini chocolate chips—the best part! These are my go-to kind!
How does that look for a healthy breakfast option?? If you said, “Pure bliss!” then you read my mind! 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy chocolate chip banana oatmeal breakfast cookies!
Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup (63g) mashed banana (about 1 rather small banana – see Notes!)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- 5 tbsp (75mL) nonfat milk, room temperature
- 2 ½ tbsp (35g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, mashed banana, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup and milk. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in 2 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips. Let the cookie dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to between ¼" to ½" thick using a spatula. Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ Healthy Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Egg-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
I used to have Nature Valley and Nutri-grain bars at breaktimes throughout primary school, and I remember being envious of my friends who were allowed chocolate bars and those Rice Krispies Squares bars! But I certainly wouldn’t have been envious of anyone else if I’d had these cookies – they look scrumptious! x
Thanks so much Katie! I’m glad I wasn’t the only one eating those granola bars for breakfast! Although I can’t imagine having Rice Krispie treats for breakfast… That’s a little too much sugar for me now, although I probably would’ve enjoyed them back then! 😉
Could I use honey instead of maple syrup?
I’ve actually answered that already on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page! It’s linked to in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies Randee!
Just about to make these recipe now! They look so delicious!
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies! 🙂
i made \
these last night (new years eve) ….they were a hit!! I used an egg replacement instead of the banana , they turned out too good. I can’t stay out of them, had some for breakfast too. I’m on my way back to the kitchen to make some more….lol really way too good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these breakfast cookies Bobbi! That means a lot to me that you already plan on making more! 🙂 Happy New Year!
I made these last night and had a couple for breakfast this morning. Delicious! I felt so naughty having cookies for a meal, I love it! I am definitely adding this recipe to my breakfast rotation.
I’m so glad you loved these cookies Tina! That means so much to me that you plan on adding my recipe to your breakfast rotation — I’m honored! Thank you! 🙂
My husband pronounced these the best cookies I’ve ever made…and we’ve been married over 40 years! High praise, indeed. He gave away a portion to an elderly neighbor, so I guess I will have to make another batch. 🙂 We have another ripe banana right now, so off to the kitchen I go.
Oh my goodness Mary — that means SO much to me! I’m truly honored!! Thank you for sharing that with me. 🙂 I hope you both enjoy the second batch just as much!
Can I freeze these?
Yes! They freeze really well. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them Josie!
They look sooo yummy!
I am banana lover ! And wonder how can i add extra banana in the mixture.
Thanks! If you’d like to add more banana, then you can thinly slice a banana into rounds/coins and gently press one into the top of each cookie before baking. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try them!
Thank you for sharing this recipe Amy. I will try this at home
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these breakfast cookies Syuhada!
My kids (who are 5 and 9) loved eating these cookies for breakfast! They are a snap to make, and I’m glad to read that they freeze well. It will help those busy school mornings. Thank you for providing this recipe.
I’m so glad you kids loved these breakfast cookies Mary! That means a lot to me! 🙂
How to make it more crispier? Does baking it longer dry it out?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Jeen! 🙂 I’m not entirely sure whether this recipe will ever turn out perfectly crunchy. It’s possible to make them less chewy by flattening the cookie dough a little more before baking and baking the cookies longer. As a chewy cookie lover, I haven’t tried that personally and don’t know how much longer you’ll need to bake them — but I’d love to hear whether you try that and how it turns out!