There are (many) times when a long ingredient list is the last concern I want anyone to worry about when baking at home.
I’ve definitely enjoyed throwing around a few complicated recipes to challenge and develop your dessert skills, like layer cakes with mousse filling, intricate royal icing decorations, and homemade cream puffs.
But I’ll go berserk if those are the ONLY types of recipes I give you.
What was that sound? A communal sigh of relief?!
We ALL need a break, fellas.
And this recipe for chocolate chip banana breakfast cookies is as easygoing as it gets. Like lounging at the beach holding a chilled cocktail, enjoying a perfectly warm and sunny day.
Well, almost like that.
Oh, geez, I desperately need a vacation.
While I’m dreaming of my upcoming 2-week getaway, I’ll be in the kitchen, meal prepping for the final month of my work meals.
And these cookies are on the list for my on-the-go morning meal! They are the perfect start to the day, since they double as both a sweet treat and a healthy breakfast.
You only need 5 ingredients to make these hearty creations: mashed bananas, rolled oats, quick oats, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips.
Simply mix the ingredients together in a bowl, portion into rounds, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes!
I love them when they’re still warm from the oven, with the chocolate chips all soft and melting. It will be reminiscent of chocolate chip banana bread, but without all the naughty ingredients like butter, granulated sugar, sour cream, and processed white flour.
We aren’t discussing the chocolate chips on that list. For anyone who needs a daily intake of chocolate, they are an essential part to one’s diet.
No questions asked.
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Chocolate Chip Banana Breakfast Cookies
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 large cookies 1x
Description
Craving chocolate as soon as you wake up? Chocolate chip banana breakfast cookies double as both a sweet treat and a healthy start to the day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup quick oats
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together with a spoon or spatula until evenly incorporated.
- Use a medium-sized cookie scooper to portion out 8 even amounts of dough. Place each mound on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space in between each one.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and the tops feel dry to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Keywords: banana, breakfast cookie, oats, vanilla, chocolate chip
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Mash the bananas with a fork in a small bowl. Overripe bananas would work perfectly in this recipe!
Measure out the oats, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips.
Step 2 – Make the Dough
In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients with a spoon or spatula until they are evenly incorporated and a wet dough forms.
Step 3 – Portion
Use a medium-sized cookie scooper to portion out 8 even amounts of dough. Place each mound on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space in between each one.
The cookies will not spread, so it is completely fine if they are spaced closer together.
Step 4 – Bake and Cool
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are all lightly browned around the edges and the tops feel dry to the touch.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy warm, or store them for later use once they cool completely.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months in an airtight plastic bag.
Short and Sweet Meal Prep
For a gal who is constantly on the go, this recipe has been my breakfast basics savior when I’m scrambling to find something to eat before I rush out the door in the morning.
Because the recipe comes together so easily with minimal cleanup, it’s easy to make bigger batches when you are determined to get ahead with meal prep.
I already have four batches of these in my freezer!
What are your favorite breakfast treats to prep in advance and freeze for later? Do you like quick and simple recipes like this? Leave me a message in the comment section below.
Don’t put those baking sheets away just yet – for more recipes with healthy (and still tasty!) twists on cookies, try these next:
Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on July 22, 2011. Last updated on September 6, 2021.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
Just love this recipe. I am going to do like you, make a big batch to freeze, they’re perfect for before an early AM run!!!!!
Can i use just all old fashion oats as i don’t have quick oats?
This recipe calls for both rolled (aka old-fashioned) oats and quick-cooking oats to get the best texture, but the main difference here is the size they are cut to- pulse 3/4 cup in the food processor when you make your substitution for best results.
Easy and tasty if you like predominantly banana flavor, but I miss something crunchy – will try to adapt with nuts next time.
Nuts (especially if you toast them first…) would be an easy and tasty addition for added texture! Let us know how they turn out.
Also they did went moldy quickly. Should have known that would happen with no sugar. Next time I’ll put them in the refrigerator or freezer right away.
Yes, Barbara! Because they have fresher and more natural ingredients, they won’t keep at room temperature as long as other styles of cookies with more processed ingredients. Great notes and observations here.