✔ Updated · uses spotty bananas, step photos and storage tips
These banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy and the best way I know to use up spotty bananas. I bake a double batch on Sundays and keep them in a tin for quick breakfasts and lunchboxes.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Chill the scooped dough for the full 2 hours. Banana makes the dough soft and wet, and unchilled mounds spread into thin, cakey puddles.
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy, with a cakey-tender middle from the banana.
- A smart use for spotty bananas, no mashing required.
- Lunchbox friendly, and they freeze beautifully.
What You Need
- Ripe bananas: spotty ones, for sweetness and moisture.
- Butter and two sugars: brown sugar for chew, white sugar for crisp edges.
- Egg and vanilla: for structure and flavor.
- Old-fashioned oats: the hearty, chewy base.
- Flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt: the rest of the dough.
- Chocolate chips: semisweet, and plenty of them.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Skip the mashing. I break the bananas into chunks straight into the mixer bowl and let the paddle do the work. A few small banana bits in the dough are lovely.
- Spotty, not black. Bananas with lots of brown spots are sweetest. Fully black, mushy ones make the dough too wet.
- Rolled oats only. Old-fashioned oats give the chew. Quick oats make softer, cakier cookies; steel-cut oats won't soften in time.
- Pull them early. Take them out when the tops look just set. They firm up as they cool on the hot pan.
- Mix up the chocolate. Milk chocolate makes them sweeter, dark chocolate less so, and white chocolate is lovely with banana.
- Bake from frozen. Freeze the scooped mounds, bag them, and bake straight from the freezer for 16 to 18 minutes.
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
14
large cookies15
minutes14
minutes235
kcal2
hours29
minutesBig, soft banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies: ripe bananas beaten with butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla, mixed with rolled oats, flour and a little cinnamon, loaded with chocolate chips, chilled and baked until golden at the edges.
Ingredients
2 small ripe bananas (spotty, not black), broken into chunks
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Beat the bananas, butter, both sugars, egg and vanilla with a mixer on medium for 3 to 4 minutes, until creamy with a few small banana pieces left.
- Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and mix on low for about 1 minute, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop 14 mounds (about 1/4 cup each) onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. The dough is soft and needs the chill to hold its shape.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Space the chilled mounds 2 inches apart on two lined pans and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden at the edges and just set on top.
- Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
Notes
- Although this recipe takes under 30 minutes to prep and cook, you will need to let the end result chill for 2 hours for optimal results.
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More Banana Bakes
Got more spotty bananas? Try my Chrissy Teigen-inspired banana bread, Bisquick banana muffins or the whole list of banana desserts. Bananas not ripe yet? Here's how to ripen a banana fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my banana oatmeal cookies cakey?
Banana adds moisture, so these are naturally softer than regular oatmeal cookies. To keep them chewy, chill the dough fully, measure the flour by spooning it into the cup, and pull them from the oven as soon as the tops look set.
Can I use quick oats?
Yes, but expect a softer, more cake-like cookie with less chew. Use the same amount. Don't use steel-cut oats; they stay hard and gritty in the short bake.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
You can swap up to half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. Using all whole wheat makes the cookies dense and dry, since it absorbs more liquid.
Do I really need to chill the dough?
Yes. The banana makes the dough soft, and without chilling the cookies spread thin. Two hours in the fridge firms the butter and lets the oats soak up moisture, giving thick, chewy cookies.
How do I store banana oatmeal cookies?
Because of the fresh banana, keep them airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze the dough mounds for up to 3 months.
Oh my goodness these cookies look delicious and my husband will love them because he loves banana flavor. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
These sound delicious! I am sure my son would love them.
Looks delicious
My favorite
Yum
These sound so yummy!
A very moist cookie recipe
looks wonderful ty
These look so good! I love banana bread with chocolate chips so I bet these are delicious.
Yes these are awesome!
I’m not really a fan of oatmeal but realized I had these soft iced oatmeal cookies and cannot stop eating them so these look really yummy too.
gotta try this
You should, it’s an awesome recipe!
Yum will have to try these soon 😊
Looks so delicious!
These cookies look and sound delicious! Looking forward to making them! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
A great recipe for a treat loved for many years
Cookies sound awesome!! Will have to make them one day soon!!
I can almost smell these cooking!
I’m not a big fan of oatmeal cookies but banana and chocolate chip sounds good!
I can’t wait to give them a try! My family will be sure to love them. Thank you.
OMGoodness this sounds yummy
This recipe sounds just like the recipe Granny used to make !!
I made these cookie. These are so good. It’s my favorite cookie to make now.
These cookies look really good. I would have to leave out the chocolate as my hubby doesn’t eat Chocolate. But I will try them. Thank You.
Sounds delicious