Kick mornings up a notch with banana breakfast cookies! Packed with nutritious ingredients this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
This post first appeared March 4, 2015, and was last updated April 6, 2021.
Ok, we know, we know — chocolate for breakfast? But hey, sometimes you just need to take pleasure from life where you can!
This recipe for banana breakfast cookies is a morning favourite of ours. The dough is very flexible and will adapt to most nut or seed butters, fats, and liquid sweeteners depending on your preference and/or dietary restrictions.
We used a combination of rich dark chocolate, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and luscious dried cherries to pump up the flavour of the cookies. That being said, you can use pretty much any combination of add-ins you like — toasted coconut chips, plus any nuts, seeds, or dried fruit you like will be super tasty! Also, we sweetened the cookies only slightly to keep them more nutritious for breakfast; Adding dark chocolate does makes them seem more of a treat. Feel free to omit the chocolate if you want!
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Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, almond butter, olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and flaxseed. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the rolled oats, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Add the dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, and dried cherries to the bowl (or any other add-ins you are using) and stir to evenly distribute.
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion evenly-sized spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared pans (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie). Flatten each ball with the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand.
Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and golden brown on the undersides. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cool the cookies completely before storing in an airtight container.
Tips & Notes
You can use bananas in pretty much any form, however, riper bananas add more natural sweetness and are easier to mash.
Make The Dough Ahead Of Time
The dough for banana breakfast cookies can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to two days.
You can shape the cookie dough, then place the unbaked cookies on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, store the unbaked cookies in a large zip-top bag for up to one month.
Baking Unbaked Banana Breakfast Cookies From Frozen
To bake unbaked banana breakfast cookies from frozen, simply proceed with the recipe as written. The cookies may need a few extra minutes in the oven so check for doneness.
To Freeze
These cookies freeze well. Once cool, after baking, store baked cookies in a large zip-top bag in the freezer for up to one month.
Substitutions
You can replace the almond butter with any other nut or seed butter you like.
The maple syrup can be replaced with honey, or most other liquid sweeteners such as agave or brown rice syrup.
Olive oil can be substituted with melted coconut oil, or even melted butter. Coconut oil will lend a slight natural sweetness the others do not have.
You can substitute quick oats for rolled, however, the texture and baking time may change. Keep your eyes on the cookies and check them after 10 minutes for doneness.
All-purpose or light spelt flour can be substituted for whole wheat flour. We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flours.
Use any spices or add-ins you like. Some ideas for add-ins are — walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, sunflower seeds, pretzels, toffee bits, orange zest, candied ginger or dried cranberries.
More Vegan-Friendly Snacks
Recipe
Banana Breakfast Cookies With Dark Chocolate
Kick mornings up a notch with banana breakfast cookies! Packed with nutritious ingredients this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) mashed ripe banana (about 1 small-medium banana)
- ½ cup (113 g) almond butter, smooth or chunky
- ¼ cup (63 ml) maple syrup
- 3 tbsp (85 g) coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp (30 g) ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1-¼ cups (113 g) rolled oats (also called large flake oats)
- ¾ cup (113 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Add-Ins
- Up to 1 cup (160 g) dark chocolate chunks, pumpkin seeds, and dried cherries (or any other combination of add-ins you like)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, flaxseed, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In a second bowl, stir together the rolled oats, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the chocolate, seeds, and dried cherries to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute throughout the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion evenly-sized spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared pans (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie). Flatten each ball with the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand.
- Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and golden brown on the undersides. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to four days on the countertop.
Notes
You can use bananas in pretty much any form, however, riper bananas add more natural sweetness and are easier to mash.
Make The Dough Ahead Of Time
The dough for banana breakfast cookies can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to two days.
You can shape the cookie dough, then place the unbaked cookies on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, store the unbaked cookies in a large zip-top bag for up to one month.
Baking Unbaked Banana Breakfast Cookies From Frozen
To bake unbaked banana breakfast cookies from frozen, simply proceed with the recipe as written. The cookies may need a few extra minutes in the oven so check for doneness.
To Freeze
These cookies freeze well. Once cool, after baking, store baked cookies in a large zip-top bag in the freezer for up to one month.
SUBSTITUTIONS
You can replace the almond butter with any other nut or seed butter you like.
The maple syrup can be replaced with honey, or most other liquid sweeteners such as agave or brown rice syrup.
Olive oil can be substituted with melted coconut oil, or even melted butter. Coconut oil will lend a slight natural sweetness the others do not have.
You can substitute quick oats for rolled, however, the texture and baking time may change. Keep your eyes on the cookies and check them after 10 minutes for doneness.
All-purpose or light spelt flour can be substituted for whole wheat flour. We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flours.
Use any spices or add-ins you like. Some ideas for add-ins are — walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, sunflower seeds, pretzels, toffee bits, orange zest, candied ginger or dried cranberries.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 93Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator.
movita beaucoup says
Just because I’m a glutton for gluten doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes want a vegan breakfast treat…
Laura Wright // the first mess says
We’re kinda gluttons for gluten too (blushing emoji face).
-L
Tuulia @ Tuulia Talvio says
Cookies for breakfast? Yes please!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
So glad you’re with us on that ;)
-L
Kimberly/TheLittlePlantation says
These sound delicious.
lynsey | lynseylovesfood says
Is chocolate indulgent for breakfast? i’ll rise to the challenge. breakfast cookie love. xo
Laura Wright // the first mess says
It takes some serious commitment to rise up to that challenge :) xo
-L
genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
I love how wholesome and hearty the ingredients are. These cookies sound super yummy and I would totally have one (um, ten) for breakfast!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
I might have had, like, 6 in one sitting *shrugs*
-L
Valentina @Hortus says
I LOVE these! Though I’ve never been a cookie person (!!!) I am still on the quest to find the perfect breakfast cookie (all Italians but me love cookies for breakfast). Pinned these and I’m gonna try them soon :)
Elizabeth says
These really are the ultimate breakfast cookie! I made a batch the day you posted them, and have another in the over right now destined for the freezer! I love the texture – not too dense – and the texture. I also love how love in sugar they are. Most breakfast cookies are too sweet for my liking. These are the best I’ve tried, for sure! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. And lovely photos, as always.
Jodi says
Bananas, almonds, dried blueberries and chocolate? I mean it’s basically a salad in cookie form. And these look too good not to have first thing in the morning! xo