Easy 4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies | Savor The Spoonful (2024)

These easy 4-ingredient banana oatmeal cookies are so quick to make in just one bowl. They have delicious flavors of banana, oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate which makes for a yummy, healthy snack or simple dessert. These cookies are perfect for kids and are so addicting! You have to try them!

This recipe can easily become vegan and gluten-free by using gluten-free oats and dairy-free chocolate chips. From start to finish, the cookies only take 20 minutes! These cookies are inspired by my 3-ingredient almond flour peanut butter cookies, which are equally delicious and simple to make.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick & Easy - You only need one mixing bowl and 20 minutes to make these cookies. You do not need a mixer or anything complicated!
• Healthy - The cookies are naturally sweetened and contain no added sugar or salt.
• Few Ingredients - The recipe is named 4-ingredient oatmeal cookies for a reason!
• Vegan & Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free oats and dairy-free chocolate chips for vegan and gluten-free oatmeal cookies that taste just as delicious!

Ingredients

The ingredients for the cookies could not be more simple.

• Banana: Use medium-sized bananas that are ripe and spotty for the sweetest flavor.
• Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats are best, but you can also use quick oats. Use a certified gluten-free version if you want to make gluten-free cookies. Steel-cut oats will not work.
• Peanut Butter: Make sure you use natural, creamy peanut butter that is drippy and runny. Thick peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter will not work in this recipe. I like using Crazy Richard's 100% Peanuts. You can also use natural, creamy almond butter, cashew butter, oat butter, or granola butter.
• Chocolate Chips: Dark, semi-sweet, and milk chocolate chips all work well in the cookies. I like semi-sweet chocolate best. Use a dairy-free version for vegan cookies.

Step-By-Step Instructions

These cookies are literally the definition of easy. You only need one bowl and a spoon to mix up the cookie dough!

STEP 1: Add the bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork until they become soft and creamy. It is okay to have some banana chunks.

STEP 2: Add the old-fashioned oats and creamy peanut butter to the bowl.

STEP 3: Stir the oats and peanut butter with the mashed banana until a thick, sticky cookie dough forms.

STEP 4: Add the chocolate chips to the bowl.

STEP 5: Fold the chocolate chips into the cookie dough with a spoon or rubber spatula until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

STEP 6: Use a cookie scoop to scoop out evenly-sized balls of cookie dough. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and make sure they are spread 1-2" apart. Using parchment paper on the baking sheet prevents the cookies from sticking to the pan.

STEP 7: Gently flatten the cookies with your hands or the back of a spatula. These cookies do not spread while baking, so make sure they are the right size and shape before you put them in the oven.

STEP 8: Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes at 350 F. You know they are done when the edges and tops of the cookies are lightly golden brown, but not burnt.

TIP: Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet after removing them from the oven. This allows them to finish setting up before you transfer them to a cooling rack.

Expert Baking Tips

• Use ripe bananas - Ripe and spotty bananas give the sweetest taste to the cookies. If your bananas aren't spotty yet, that's okay. You can still make the cookies, but they will be less sweet.
• Use a cookie scoop - A cookie scoop makes it really easy to drop evenly-sized cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet. You can use your hands to roll the dough into balls if you prefer, but a cookie scoop makes things faster!
• Flatten cookies before baking - These cookies do not spread while baking. It is important to shape the cookies before they go into the oven if you want round, flatter cookies instead of tall, thick cookies.
• Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet - The cookies are delicate when first removed from the oven. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing them so they don't break apart.

Cookie Variations

These cookies are a fan-favorite for many, but I understand that not everybody loves peanut butter banana flavor. I also understand that some people may have allergies or dietary restrictions. I've provided suggestions for you so you can still make these cookies work for your needs!

• Without Peanut Butter - You can replace peanut butter with almond butter or other nut butter as long as it is creamy and drippy. For a nut-free version, use sunflower butter or granola butter. You can choose to leave out the peanut butter completely, too. Just reduce the amount of oats to 1 cup if you do this.
• Without Banana - You can replace the banana in the recipe with ⅓ cup pure maple syrup instead. You can also try using ⅓ cup applesauce, but I have not tested it with applesauce yet. Be mindful that you may need to adjust the amount of oats used to get the right consistency.
• Without Chocolate - Leave chocolate out completely or replace the chocolate chips with chopped nuts or raisins. This recipe makes delicious banana oatmeal raisin cookies with this replacement!
• Allergy-Friendly - For gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free cookies, use gluten-free oats, vegan chocolate chips, and replace the peanut butter with sunflower butter.
• Baby-Friendly - These cookies are very kid-friendly! If you are making the cookies for a baby, leave out the chocolate chips to avoid a choking hazard.

Try these gluten-free double chocolate chip cookies if you're looking for another delicious healthy cookie recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing & Freezing

Store leftover banana oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days. You may also keep them in the fridge, but it's not necessary.

To freeze the cookies, place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. If you stack the cookies, place parchment paper between each layer so they don't freeze together.

Remember to let frozen cookies thaw completely before enjoying them again.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

Did you make these easy 4-ingredient banana oatmeal cookies? Please leave a star rating and review below. This supports me a lot and helps other readers who want to make the recipe! If you post a photo on Instagram and tag me, I would love to share your cookies on my story. To stay updated with the newest recipes, connect with me on Pinterest and join my email list.

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