Chewy Banana Oatmeal Cookies (Print View)
Soft, chewy cookies loaded with ripe banana and hearty oats, perfect for breakfast or an anytime snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
02 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
→ Optional Add-ins
12 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped walnuts
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Continue mixing on medium speed until fully combined and smooth.
04 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
06 - Gently fold in the rolled oats and, if desired, the chocolate chips or chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Drop rounded tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
08 - Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers appear just set.
09 - Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These cookies land somewhere between a wholesome breakfast and a guilty pleasure, which means you can eat them at 8am without anyone sideeyeing you.
- The banana flavor is real and warm, not artificial, and the chew from the oats is genuinely satisfying.
02 -
- Overmixing the dough after adding the flour will make the cookies tough and bready instead of soft and chewy.
- Underbaking slightly is the real secret, because the cookies continue cooking on the hot pan after you pull them from the oven.
03 -
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking if you want thicker cookies that spread less in the oven.
- Use bananas that are so speckled and soft they barely hold their shape, because that is where the real sweetness and moisture live.