Easy to make, healthy and freezer-friendly, these banana bread breakfast cookies are loved by kids and adults alike. Packed with oats, honey, walnuts and dark chocolate, they make a satisfying breakfast or snack. Dairy free, gluten free and vegetarian when using the right ingredients.
These banana bread breakfast cookies are simple to prepare, freezer-friendly, and made from wholesome ingredients. They combine ground oats and whole oats for body, mashed banana and honey for natural sweetness, and chopped walnuts for crunch. A handful of dark chocolate chips adds a touch of indulgence without overpowering the wholesome banana-bread flavor.
They work well as a grab-and-go breakfast, an after-school snack, or a portable treat to stash in the freezer. The batter is slightly wet, which helps produce a chewy, tender cookie with a lightly golden exterior once baked.
Tips & Tricks For These Banana Breakfast Cookies
- Don’t skip the mix-ins. The extra walnuts and chocolate chips contribute texture and help the batter come together for the right consistency.
- Make them larger for a more filling snack, or smaller if you prefer bite-sized cookies. If you reduce the size, check them earlier when baking so they don’t overcook.
- These cookies taste best warm—either straight from the oven or briefly warmed in the microwave. A touch of heat brings out the banana and chocolate flavors.
Other Portable Breakfast Ideas
- Blueberry almond butter chia pudding
- Strawberry chia pudding
- Chocolate overnight oats
- Chocolate cherry almond breakfast cookies
- Berry vanilla overnight oats
- Morning glory overnight oats
If you try this recipe, please rate it and share your feedback below. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you.
Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate
about 9 cookies
15 minutes
15 minutes
30 minutes
Easy to make, healthy and freezer-friendly, these banana bread breakfast cookies are great for busy mornings. They’re packed with oats, honey, walnuts and dark chocolate and can be made dairy-free and gluten-free if you choose suitable ingredients.
Ingredients
For the base:
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided*
- ¼ cup chopped raw walnuts
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅔ cup well mashed banana (about 2 medium very ripe bananas)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 ½ tablespoons grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the mix-ins:
- ½ cup chopped raw walnuts
- ½ cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips**
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add 1 ½ cups of the rolled oats and ¼ cup chopped walnuts to a food processor. Process until finely ground, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 cup oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt to the bowl with the ground oats and mix until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed banana, egg, honey, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.
- Fold in the remaining ½ cup chopped walnuts and the chocolate. The dough will be moist.
- Scoop about ¼ cup of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet (a large or muffin-sized cookie scoop works well). Gently flatten each cookie to roughly 2 ½–3 inches wide.
- Bake 14–16 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
Notes
*Use certified gluten-free oats if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
**To keep the cookies dairy-free, choose dairy-free chocolate chips.
A large/muffin-sized cookie scoop helps portion the batter evenly since it is on the wet side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 285
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 99mg
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 16g
Protein: 6g
Nutrition data is an estimate for informational purposes and not a substitute for professional advice.