Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Yields: 15 breakfast cookies

These breakfast cookies are supremely soft and chewy, just like regular cookies! They have lots of hearty oats along with plenty of sweet fruit and comforting peanut flavors. They’re great for meal prepping or quick grab-and-go snacks, and they also freeze well! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator—if they last that long!

1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
6 tbsp (93g) mashed banana (see Notes!)
2 tbsp (32g) homemade creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (60mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the banana, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup and milk. Add in the oat mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet. Flatten to the desired thickness and width using a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Notes: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them cakey or dry instead of chewy.

For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.

Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They're smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolls oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.

Use the ripest bananas you can find! Ones that are pure brown or black are ideal. This is because pure brown or black bananas contain more natural sweetness, a stronger flavor, and a better texture than yellow bananas.

This is my favorite homemade creamy peanut butter recipe. You just need 5 minutes and a blender to make it! If using store-bought creamy peanut butter, make sure it only contains peanuts and salt—no other ingredients. It should be liquidy at room temperature. Do not substitute crunchy peanut butter.

For a stronger peanut butter flavor, increase the homemade creamy peanut butter by 1 tablespoon (16g) for a total of 3 tablespoons (48g) of creamy peanut butter.

Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page.

{gluten-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2019/04/07/healthy-peanut-butter-banana-oatmeal-breakfast-cookies/