Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

When you're in the thick of a busy morning and need a quick and nutritious breakfast in a pinch, you could reach for a bowl of oatmeal — or you could opt for these banana nut oatmeal cookies, instead. No offense to a plain bowl of oats, but they've got nothing on these oat-infused cookies. They're a little bit chewy, a little bit crunchy, and are just as suitable for breakfast as they are for dessert. Not to mention, they're incredibly easy to make and will make those hectic mornings a little less crazy. "I love how easy these cookies are to make, which is really helpful for me as a busy mom," Recipe developer Deniz Vergara says. "My kids love to eat these for breakfast, and I love them as an afternoon snack with a dollop of almond or peanut butter!"

Something tells us that your kids will be a fan of these cookies, too; even if you don't have any kiddos running around, adults will relish them all the same. If you've got some overripe bananas that need using up, skip that same, old banana bread recipe and give these banana nut oatmeal cookies a spin instead.

As the name of the recipe suggests, you'll need bananas (extra ripe ones), quick oats, and pecans. Other cookie ingredients include all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, softened unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, both vanilla and almond extracts, and a room-temperature egg.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the softened butter and brown sugar for a minute, until well combined.

Add the bananas, mash them up, and whisk again until the mixture is smooth.

Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg. Whisk again until combined.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

Fold in the oats and pecans.

Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop and place the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans.

Bake for 11–14 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Enjoy these cookies with a cup of tea or coffee.

As with any cookie recipe, there's a good amount of room for customization based on personal preference or potential allergies. For starters, if you aren't a fan of pecans, no problem — swap them out for a different crunchy nut so that you can still enjoy the nutty aspect of this recipe. "In terms of substitutions, you can absolutely use walnuts," Vergara says. If you want to avoid nuts altogether, simply don't include the pecans, and be sure to eliminate the almond extract if you're trying to avoid a nut allergy.

You can also get creative with spices and mix-ins in these cookies if you're looking to add a hint of warmth or sweetness. "You can also use different dried spices, like nutmeg or a combination of nutmeg and cinnamon," Vergara suggests. And, if pecans and oats just aren't enough textural goodness for you, then you can add even more to your heart's desire. "You can also add in chocolate chips or raisins," says Vergara. Should you go this route, she recommends adding in about ⅓ cup of either inclusion. 

These cookies include a fair amount of breakfast-associated foods, like oats and bananas, though they are ultimately a dessert — essentially, you can't go wrong with choosing a time or place to enjoy them. "These cookies are great for any time of the day. They are great for breakfast, as a snack, or with a cup of coffee or tea," Vergara says. Should you go the breakfast route, you can even bulk the cookies up to add some nutritional value. Says Vergara, "When I feel like I need a little extra protein or energy, I spread some almond butter or peanut butter on top of these." She also notes that jam and Nutella make for good garnishes, too.

A big perk to these cookies is that they'll taste just as good served fresh as they will a few days later. "Store these cookies in an airtight container," Vergara advises, noting that you'll want to transfer them to the fridge after a day or two to avoid mold. After that two-day mark is up, however, we doubt you'll even have any cookies left to store.