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Say hello to these incredible Oat Cookies (or healthy oat biscuits, if you prefer)! These delicious cookies are super easy to make using 3 simple ingredients that you’ll already have in the house. Plus with just 5 minutes of prep they are baked and ready to eat in under 25 minutes! If you love oats for breakfast too, try my Baked Oats.
Oat Cookies at a Glance
James's tipUse bananas with plenty of brown spots, and press each cookie flat before baking. They do not spread in the oven, so the shape you press is the shape you get.
Key ingredients
- Ripe bananas
- Oats
- Peanut butter
Why you'll love it
- About 180 kcal a cookie
- About 4g of fibre a cookie
- Sweetened with ripe banana
Quick summary
These oat cookies mix 2 ripe bananas, 125g of oats and 65g of peanut butter, then bake for 20 minutes. They take 5 minutes of prep, make 6 cookies and are about 180 kcal each.
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Why this recipe works
These healthy oatmeal cookies are going to be a total crowd pleaser your family will love! They use ripe bananas as a natural sweetener, there is no flour, butter or egg, and each cookie is about 180 kcal with 4g of fibre. They also happen to suit most diets: there is no dairy or egg in them, and they are gluten free if you use oats labelled gluten free.
As this healthy cookie recipe is so versatile it’s perfect as a quick breakfast, snack on the go, or even a simple dessert!
Oh and if you have kids, the best part is these baked cookies are the perfect healthy snack and because it’s such an easy recipe they’ll totally love making and sure to become their new favourite cookies.
I added this recipe into my Best 33 Vegan Desserts and 35 Gluten Free Desserts and 10 Healthy Baking For Kids Recipes round up!
Ingredients to make Oat Cookies
- Ripe bananas: the riper the banana the better! Frozen bananas work too, once defrosted. Got more ripe bananas? Try my Eggless Banana Bread.
- Peanut butter: the hero ingredient! I love the texture that crunchy peanut butter offers to these peanut butter oatmeal cookies, however smooth peanut butter would also work.
- Oats: I have opted for gluten free oats, however standard rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, instant oats or quick oats would also work perfectly well in these 3 Ingredient Oat Cookies. If you need them gluten free, use oats labelled gluten free.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Bananas: If you don’t like bananas or have an allergy to them, you could try substituting them for apple sauce instead.
- Peanut butter: If you have an allergy to peanuts or don’t have any in the cupboard you could substitute this for other nut butters such as almond butter. For a nut free version, tahini works too.
- Oats: Oats in this recipe could be substituted for buckwheat flakes.
Variations
- Kid-friendly: If you have kids these chewy Cookies are the perfect baking recipe for them to make either on their own or with your guidance. Add in chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to make them into healthy chocolate chip cookies.
- Deluxe: You could easily add extra ingredients to make these the best oatmeal cookies. Seeds, vanilla extract, orange zest, sea salt, hemp seeds or raisins would make them into delicious oatmeal raisin cookies that everyone will love.
How to make Oat Cookies
Step 1: Firstly, preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional, gas 6). Then peel and mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl.
Step 2: Now add in the oats and peanut butter to the mixing bowl.
Step 3: Mix together the oat mixture until it’s sticky and well combined.
Step 4: Finally roll into 6 ball shapes (or use a cookie scoop) and place them onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Press the balls down with a fork into round cookie shapes. They do not spread in the oven, so press them to the size you want. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown but still with soft centres. Allow to cool (on a wire rack if you have one) at room temperature for 10 minutes before tucking in!
Leftovers
Allow these banana Oat Cookies to cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, or in the microwave in short bursts if you are on the go.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Bake them, let them cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, or in the microwave in short bursts.
Yes, any nut butter works in this recipe. If you have a nut allergy, try tahini instead.
Each cookie is about 180 kcal with 4g of fibre and 6g of protein. They are sweetened only by the ripe banana (about 6g of sugar a cookie, all from the fruit, oats and peanut butter), with no flour, butter or egg.
I haven’t tested them in an air fryer myself, but it should work: aim for 10 to 12 minutes at 180°C, on a liner, with the cookies pressed flat, until golden. Air fryers vary, so check them after 10 minutes.
Yes. Defrost them first, then drain off any liquid and mash as normal. Very ripe or frozen bananas give the sweetest cookies.
Let them cool for about 10 minutes first. They firm up as they cool and the texture becomes chewy. They stay soft in the middle, more like a soft cookie than a crisp biscuit.
More Oatmeal Recipes
- Breakfast Banana Bars
- Banana Oat Pancakes
- Baked Oats
- Overnight Protein Oats
- Oat Crumble Topping
- Chocolate Flapjacks
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Oat Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas , mashed
- 125 g oats , rolled oats, labelled gluten free if you need it (1.5 cups)
- 65 g peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (¼ cup)
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional, gas 6). To a large mixing bowl add the 2 peeled bananas and mash with a fork.
- Now add the oats and peanut butter and mix together.
- Mix together the oat mixture until it’s sticky and well combined.
- Finally, roll into 6 ball shapes (or use a cookie scoop) and place them onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Press the balls down with a fork into round cookie shapes; they do not spread, so press them to the size you want. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before eating. This helps them to firm up more!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Coujd applesauce be subbed for the nut butter??
Do these cookies spread while in the oven
A bitbut not really
Do these cookies spread while in the oven
How far apart do they need to be placed on the cookie sheet
Hey Louise, no they don’t spread like normal cookies. You will know the space needed once you press them down ready to bake 🙂
Can you recommend what you think is the best peanut butter for taste & nutrition value please
I personally am loving manilife right now 🙂
Can you recommend a substitute for peanut butter so I can make it for my kids’ pack lunch?
Can you use a different nut butter such as almond?
I’ve been making these for a few months now (banana and apple sauce version), since I happily accidentally stumbled across your recipe. I add nuts, seeds, dried fruit, ginger, chocolate chunks, or/and cinnamon in varying combinations depending on what’s in my cupboard at the time and every time they’re a hit! They have quickly established themselves as a favourite treat in my household. If I have a complaint it’s that they have a habit of disappearing ridiculously fast! Thank you for this magic! ❤️
I just made these cookies and they are cooling.
Okay, I tried one while they were still hot and it was pretty good! It definitely has potential, although I think chocolate chips are in order.
I do have to wonder how big cookies are in England because I got 12 cookies out of the batch of dough. I cooked them for 15 minutes at 350F in a convection countertop oven. I think 12 minutes would have done it as they are quite brown.
Thank you for the lovely recipes…I have copied a bunch and will try the mushroom pasta bake tomorrow. Cheers from Canada!
Hi, I just made these cookie. Have never been a huge fan of cookies, too dry, too sweet… but these, these are delicious. Also wanted to let you know that I have tried a few of your recipes, I’m a huge fan 🙂 greetings all the way from Germany.
These are the business! Mmmmm! Love all your recipes, James, for their great (vegan) taste, ease of cooking, and use of unfussy, healthy, basic ingredients. I batch-cook your one-pot meals in particular. Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Lovely cookies. I manage to get more than six per batch though. Being vegan and gluten-free I was surprised my more sceptical friends liked them – but they did!
Pleased you enjoyed them Robina 🙂