Easy 3-Ingredient Banana Cookies
Looking for an easy and healthy cookie recipe that kids and adults love? Then these 3-Ingredient Banana Cookies are it! All you need are 3 ingredients- bananas, oats, and chocolate chips and you will have a yummy breakfast, snack, or dessert for the entire family!
Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
3-Ingredient Banana Cookies
Having an easy recipe that requires only 3 ingredients is a must-have for any busy parent. That is why my 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes and 3-Ingredient Cereal Bars are so popular!
Well, look out old recipe favorites, there is a new easy recipe in town – 3-Ingredient Banana Cookies!
Made with just 3 simple ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen and no added sugar, these are actually even easier to whip up than your favorite loaf of banana bread (if you can believe that!).
These easy 3 ingredient banana cookies can be made gluten and dairy free, are endlessly customizable, and come together using just one bowl. Plus, they can double as either an addition to breakfast or a healthy snack.
3-Ingredient Banana Cookie Video
Watch this video to see how easy these Banana Cookies are to make!
Looking for more easy recipes? Then be sure to check out my best-selling cookbook, Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.
Reasons to Love These Cookies
- Simple ingredients
- Great source of fiber and potassium
- No added sugar!
- Allergen friendly – can be made gluten or dairy free
- Made in one bowl
- Comes together in less than 25 minutes
- A kid-friendly recipe for toddlers or kids who want to help in the kitchen
- Customizable with favorite add-ins
- Perfect breakfast addition or snack for toddlers and kids
- Freezer friendly
Ingredients
- Oats: quick or instant oats work best
- Bananas: ripe with lots of brown spots
- Chocolate Chips: I prefer mini in these, but regular will work
- Ground Flax Seeds: optional – are great for a little added nutrition
- Cinnamon or Vanilla Extract: optional – just a pinch will add a more complex flavor profile
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray or line a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, add the bananas and mash with a fork until very smooth.
- Add in the oats, ground flax seeds (if using), and chocolate chips, and gently stir together until incorporated.
- Scoop one tablespoon of batter out of the bowl and form them into a flat cookie shape. These cookies will not flatten while cooking. Place on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until set and golden brown on the bottom. Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Variations
These easy 3 ingredient banana cookies taste fantastic on their own – but if you are looking to get creative, here are several of our favorite variations to consider. You can sub any of these variations for part of the 1/3 cup of chocolate chips or add 1-2 tablespoons in addition to the chocolate chips, but keep in mind that using more add-ins than that may start to change the texture.
- chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds
- white chocolate chips
- peanut butter chips
- raisins or dried cranberries
- sprinkles
- toasted shredded coconut
- chia or hemp seeds
- a sprinkle of cinnamon
- a splash of vanilla extract
How to Store
Store these banana cookies in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Cooking with Kids
The simplicity of these banana cookies makes them a great “starter recipe” if you’ve felt a little overwhelmed by the thought of cooking with your kids. Getting your kids involved in the kitchen has numerous benefits, including building language and math skills, working on problem-solving and planning, increasing confidence, and setting the stage for healthy eating habits.
Toddlers
Depending on the age of your toddler, they can help with finding ingredients in the pantry, gathering kitchen supplies, mashing the bananas, measuring and pouring the oats and chocolate chips, and stirring together the ingredients.
Kids
Older kids can help with all of the above tasks, as well as helping with reading and following the recipe, scooping and rolling the batter, and turning on the oven. Always use supervision when working around an oven, even with older kids.
Recipe Tips
- The riper your bananas are, the sweeter your cookies will be, so keep that in mind if you need to adjust the sweetness factor.
- Use a cookie scoop for perfectly even sized cookies.
- These cookies won’t change shape much during baking, so form them into the shape you want, but don’t flatten them too much.
- While you can try using a combination of quick and rolled oats in this recipe, we don’t recommend using steel cut oats, as they are harder and will not soften enough during baking.
- Use certified gluten-free oats if you have a gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease.
Storage
You can store these in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months
Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup instant oats
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray or line a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, add the bananas and mash with a fork until very smooth.
- Add in the oats, flax seeds (if using), and chocolate chips, and gently stir together until incorporated.
- Scoop one tablespoon of batter out of the bowl and form them into a flat cookie shape. These cookies will not flatten while cooking. Place on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until set and golden brown on the bottom. Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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2 Comments on “Easy 3-Ingredient Banana Cookies”
My 2.5 year old picky toddler loved these! I don’t always feel like making banana bread, or have the time to, and this was a very quick and easy way to use up ripe bananas!
Thank you for the review! I am so happy to hear that your little one is loving these cookies! My kids take them to school all the time and think they are such a great ‘treat’!