Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies

Soft, deeply chocolatey, and lightly sweetened, these chocolate banana oat cookies are made with rolled oats, ripe banana, cocoa powder, and a small spoonful of nut or seed butter. The straightforward one-pan recipe makes 12 vegan, oil-free cookies with just 56 calories each; use certified gluten-free oats and suitable chocolate chips when needed.

Introduction

Chocolate no-bake cookies were not part of my childhood, but I made up for lost time in graduate school. At Indiana University, they were—and still are—a go-to at the Sugar & Spice bakery. The classic formula combines peanut butter, margarine, evaporated milk, cocoa powder, plenty of sugar, and enough oats to hold everything together.

I loved the combination of chocolate and oats, but I wanted a cookie with more chocolate flavor, far less added sugar, and zero margarine. My first attempts were true no-bakes. Unfortunately, they produced pleasant little mounds of oatmeal rather than actual cookies. Back to the drawing board.

The answer was a brief bake. These chocolate banana oat cookies begin much like the no-bake original: whisk the ingredients together in a saucepan, bring the mixture to a short boil, and stir in the oats. After 9 to 11 minutes in the oven, the surfaces are set while the cookies remain soft.

Very ripe banana supplies natural sweetness and moisture, while cocoa powder gives the cookies their deep chocolate flavor. A scattering of miniature chocolate chips makes them feel like a proper treat without turning them into sugar bombs. They are straightforward, satisfying, and just right when you want a soft chocolate cookie for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deep chocolate flavor:Cocoa powder and miniature chocolate chips deliver chocolate in every bite.
• Soft and satisfying:The oats give the cookies substance while banana keeps them moist and tender.
• Lightly sweetened:Ripe banana does most of the sweetening, with a small amount of coconut sugar and chocolate chips added for balance.
• One-saucepan preparation:The cookie mixture comes together in a saucepan—no mixer required.
• Vegan and oil-free:The recipe contains no eggs, dairy, or added oil when made with suitable chocolate chips.
• Straightforward to make gluten-free:Use certified gluten-free oats and check the labels on the remaining ingredients as needed.
• A flexible snack:Enjoy one with breakfast, tuck it into a lunchbox, or pair it with coffee for an afternoon treat.

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• Very ripe banana:Choose a soft banana with plenty of brown spots. The riper it is, the more sweetness and banana flavor it brings to the cookies.
• Water:Loosens the banana-cocoa mixture so it can be whisked and briefly boiled before the oats are added.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder:Supplies the cookies’ rich chocolate flavor. Use the type specified in the recipe card.
• Coconut sugar:Adds a small amount of sweetness and rounds out the flavor of the cocoa.
• Smooth nut or seed butter:Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, roasted flaxseed butter, pumpkin seed butter, or sunflower seed butter adds richness and helps bind the cookies. Use a smooth, well-stirred variety.
• Fine sea salt, optional:Even a small pinch sharpens the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract, optional:Adds warmth and makes the chocolate taste fuller.
• Rolled oats:I prefer quick-cooking rolled oats for a more cohesive cookie. Old-fashioned rolled oats also work and give the cookies a heartier oat texture. Use certified gluten-free oats when needed.
• Baking soda:Helps the baked cookies set and gives them a little lift.
• Miniature semisweet chocolate chips:Mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly across the small cookies. Chopped regular size dark chocolate chips can also be used. Choose vegan or dairy-free chips, and certified gluten-free chips if needed.

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

1. Prepare the pan.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large, light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

1. Make the chocolate-banana base.In a small saucepan, whisk together the wet ingredients: mashed banana, water, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, nut or seed butter, and optional salt until smooth.Boil for 1 minute.Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat, whisking often. Once it begins to boil, continue boiling and whisking for 1 minute; the mixture will begin to thicken.

1. Add the oats.Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the optional vanilla, followed by the oats, until evenly combined.

1. Rest the mixture.Let the oat mixture stand for 5 minutes to thicken. Add the baking soda and stir vigorously until it is completely and evenly incorporated.

1. Portion the cookies.Use a small cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to portion the cookie dough into 12 equal dough portions on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the tops with the miniature chocolate chips.

1. Bake.Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the surfaces of the cookies appear dry and set.

1. Cool completely.Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack. They will look dry when they first come out of the oven, then develop a slightly glossier appearance as they cool.

Taste and Texture

These banana oat chocolate chip cookies have a pronounced cocoa flavor, gentle banana sweetness, and small pockets of melted chocolate. They are soft and moist rather than crisp, with a satisfying oat texture. Quick oats make the cookies more cohesive; old-fashioned rolled oats give them a slightly coarser bite with more chewiness.

Storage

Cool the cookies completely before storing them in an airtight container. Keep them at cool room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate them for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the cookies for up to 6 months.

Flavor Variations

• Chunky nut:Use nut butter and Add 1/4 cup of chopped roasted nuts (e.g., peanuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts) to the cookies in addition to, or in place of, the chocolate chips.
• Almond-chocolate:Smooth almond butter gives the cookies a milder, lightly toasted flavor. Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract as well.
• Nut-free:Use smooth sunflower seed butter, roasted flaxseed butter, or sunflower seed butter, as well as certified nut-free chocolate chips.
• Chocolate raisin:Add 3 tablespoon of raisins to the cookies in addition to, or in place of, the chocolate chips, plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Dried cranberries can also be used in place of the raisins.
• Sweet-salty finish:Omit the fine sea salt option, but do add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie before baking to bring the chocolate flavor into sharper focus.

Serving Suggestions

These soft cookies work well as a quick breakfast addition (yes!), an afternoon snack, a lunchbox treat, post-workout snack, or a light dessert. Pair them with coffee or tea, serve them with fresh berries, or enjoy one with a glass of nondairy milk.

Tips for Success

• Use a very ripe, heavily spotted banana for the reliable sweetness and easiest mashing.
• Use quick cooking oats, or coarsely chop old fashioned oats for the reliable texture.
• Whisk the saucepan mixture until smooth before bringing it to a boil.
• Begin timing the 1-minute boil only after the mixture reaches a low boil.
• Let the oat mixture stand for the full 5 minutes before adding the baking soda.
• Stir the baking soda in vigorously so it is evenly distributed.
• Use a small scoop or rounded tablespoon and divide the mixture evenly to make 12 cookies.
• Watch for a dry, set surface as the doneness cue; the cookies are meant to remain soft.
• Cool the cookies completely before placing them in an airtight container.

Ingredient Tip: Frozen Bananas

You can freeze overripe mashed bananas to use in this and other baking recipes. Peel and freeze the bananas in zip-top storage bags. When ready to use, defrost, but do not drain the bananas (the liquid and solids can separate during freezing). Mash to combine the bananas before using.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Banana:Replace the mashed banana with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. Applesauce is less sweet, so increase the sugar to a total of 2 and 1/2 tablespoons, or sweeten to taste. The cookies will not have banana flavor.
• Nut or seed butter:Peanut butter, almond butter, pumpkin seed butter, sunflower seed butter or roasted flaxseed butter will all work. In response to a reader asking whether it can be omitted, I suggested trying one additional tablespoon of mashed banana because the recipe uses so little nut or seed butter. I have not tested that variation, and the cookies will still be soft rather than crunchy.
• Coconut sugar:Use an equal amount of brown sugar, date sugar, granulated cane sugar, or white sugar. You can also use an equal amount of 1:1 replacement sugar-free granulated sweetener of your choice.
• Quick-cooking oats:Old-fashioned rolled oats work, too, but produce a heartier oat texture. I recommend coarsely chopping old-fashioned oats to resemble quick-cooking oats. Do this by hand with a sharp kitchen knife, or in a food processor.
• Chocolate chips:Use vegan or dairy-free miniature semisweet chocolate chips. Check for certified gluten-free labeling, if you need that option.

Frequently Asked Questions

They are soft, moist cookies, not crunchy cookies. The oats give them a satisfying bite, but the banana keeps the centers tender.

Yes. I prefer quick-cooking rolled oats because they make the cookies more cohesive, but old-fashioned rolled oats work well and give the cookies a heartier texture. My recommendation, if you have old-fashioned oats: coarsely chop them to resemble quick-cooking oats. Do this by hand with a sharp kitchen knife, or in a food processor.

Yes. Replace it with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. Because applesauce is less sweet than ripe banana, increase the sugar to a total of 2 and 1/2 tablespoons, or sweeten the mixture to taste.

Yes. Use smooth sunflower seed butter in place of the nut butter and choose chocolate chips that meet your allergy needs.

I have not tested the cookies without it. Because the recipe uses only a small amount, I have suggested trying one additional tablespoon of mashed banana in its place, but I have not tested this.

Bake them for 9 to 11 minutes, until the surfaces look dry and set. They will appear somewhat dry when they first leave the oven, then become slightly glossier as they cool.

Let the cookies cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Yes. Cool the cookies completely, place them in an airtight container, and freeze them for up to 6 months.