Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies
These healthy peanut butter oatmeal banana cookies are everything I want in an indulgent but wholesome homemade treat. I use rolled oats, ripe banana, and natural peanut butter to make soft, chunky cookies with lightly crisp edges. The best thing is, I can make them in just over 20 minutes, which is great for those sudden cravings.
Servings: 16
Calories: 148kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter , see note
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana , about 1 small banana
- ¼ cup maple syrup (can sub with 1/2 cup date paste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup rolled oats , gluten-free if needed
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup dairy free chocolate chips (can sub with dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs for an ultra healthy version)
- ½ cup chopped pecans , omit and use more chocolate chips for nut free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180°C
- Mix the peanut butter, banana, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a bowl until combined, I used a whisk. It's okay if there are some banana chunks.
- Add the oats, baking soda and salt to the bowl and mix well with a spoon.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
- You can put the mixture in the fridge to firm up a bit while you clean up if you want it to be a touch easier to scoop.
- Using a spoon or small ice cream scooper, drop balls of dough on parchment lined cookie sheets. These retain shape and don't spread much.
- Bake 17-20 minutes or until brown on edges. Cookies will harden a bit more as they cool.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this healthy peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies recipe is to always use a very ripe banana with plenty of brown spots. This adds more natural sweetness, keeps the cookies moist, and creates a softer texture without needing extra sweetener.
- Use natural peanut butter that has been stirred well: I always stir my peanut butter really well, as oil that has separated can make the dough inconsistent if it is not mixed back in.
- Flatten slightly: These cookies do not spread very much, so I press the tops gently to help them bake more evenly.
- Leave space: I leave about 2 inches between each cookie to prevent them from running into each other while they bake and rise.
- Cool completely: These cookies continue setting as they cool, which gives them the perfect chewy texture.
- Do not overbake: I remove the cookies when the edges are lightly browned, and the centers still look slightly soft.
Nutrition
Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.5mg