Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies are a wholesome and delicious treat combining ripe bananas, crunchy peanut butter, and hearty oats. Naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and enhanced with chocolate chips, these cookies offer a soft, chewy texture and perfect balance of flavors. Ideal for a nutritious snack or dessert, they are simple to make and baked to golden perfection.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 30-33 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 18 medium-sized cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 overripe bananas)
- ½ cup crunchy peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter)
- ¼ cup applesauce
- ⅓ cup almond milk (any milk will work)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup oat flour (or any flour)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips (mini and regular dark chocolate chips preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) to warm up while you prepare the dough.
- Mash the bananas: Use a fork to mash the bananas thoroughly on a plate until no large chunks remain. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the bananas smoothly.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, crunchy peanut butter, coconut sugar, applesauce, almond milk, and vanilla bean paste. Use a hand mixer or a stiff whisk to blend everything well until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Sprinkle rolled oats, oat flour, cinnamon, and baking soda into the bowl. Gently fold these into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are about 90% combined.
- Incorporate chocolate chips: Add the chocolate chips to the batter and fold them in evenly.
- Scoop the dough: Use a large cookie scoop to place dollops of cookie dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie for even baking. Optionally, press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie for an appealing look.
- Bake: Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Bake until the edges turn golden brown and the centers set completely to avoid underdone cookies.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the sheet before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute crunchy peanut butter with any other nut or seed butter of your choice.
- Coconut sugar can be swapped with brown sugar if preferred.
- Oat flour can be replaced with any flour available, such as whole wheat or all-purpose.
- For a dairy-free version, use plant-based milk alternatives like almond milk as indicated.
- Make sure the bananas are very ripe for natural sweetness and moisture.
- If chocolate chips are not desired, they can be omitted or replaced with raisins or nuts.
- Scoop size affects baking time slightly; adjust the time if you make smaller or larger cookies.
