Healthy Banana Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and full of banana flavor! The familiar cozy spices and plump raisins make these even more irresistible. They’ll keep for at least four days (if not closer to one week!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator — if they last that long!
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
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup (63g) mashed banana (see Notes!)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (40g) raisins (see Notes!)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil, mashed banana, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the raisins. Let the cookie dough rest for 10 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, and flatten to ⅜"-thick using a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: 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!) Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them cakey, bready, or dry, instead of soft and chewy.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The residual heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.
IMPORTANT BANANA NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For the best results, use the ripest, darkest, most spottiest bananas you have! (See my photo in the blog post above for reference.) The ones that are purely brown are ideal. They have a stronger and sweeter banana flavor than purely yellow bananas. They also yield a softer and moister texture in your oatmeal cookies.
You'll need about one tiny banana or half of one medium banana. However, measure the bananas by cups or grams, not by “one tiny banana.” Not all “tiny” bananas are the same size!
OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as “quick cooking” and “one-minute” oats. They often come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned rolled oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.
In a pinch, 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.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free if needed) may also be substituted, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours!
CINNAMON NOTE: I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon. It has a slightly stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor compared to “regular” cinnamon. This is the one that I use, and it's really affordable. (It's basically the only kind I use in my baking now!)
COCONUT OIL + BUTTER ALTERNATIVES: Melted stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one) or stick-style margarine may be substituted for the coconut oil or unsalted butter.
PURE MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Regardless of which you use, make sure it’s at room temperature. If chilled, it will re-solidify the melted butter or coconut oil.
I generally don't recommend substituting sugar-free maple syrup. It's often water-based, which makes your oatmeal cookies turn out more cakey or bready.
RAISINS NOTE: I highly recommend hydrating your raisins first. It makes them really soft, plump, and juicy! To do so, add the raisins to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them with water, and cover the top of the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Let the raisins sit for 10-15 minutes (or while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients). Thoroughly drain the excess liquid before folding them into the batter.
DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use the coconut oil option, or substitute stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one).
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will also work, if measured like this.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week or more!). Once baked and fully cooled, these oatmeal cookies also freeze really well!
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page.
{gluten-free, clean eating, vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, low fat}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.