It was a Tuesday morning. Two bananas on the counter, way past yellow, and three kids who needed something real before school. I mashed them into a bowl, grabbed the oats, threw in some chia seeds — and these banana breakfast cookies happened.
No flour. no refined sugar. no mixer. Just a bowl, a fork, and 28 minutes. If you’re looking for a way to use up those overripe bananas with something the whole family actually wants to eat — this is it. They’ve been on our weekly rotation ever since that Tuesday.
If you love using ripe bananas in the morning, you’ll also want to try our peanut butter banana cookies on the days you want a little extra richness at breakfast.
Why You’ll Love These Banana Breakfast Cookies
These are the kind of oat breakfast cookies that disappear before they’ve had a chance to cool down. Here’s why they work so well in our kitchen:
- One bowl, no mixer, no flour. Everything comes together with a fork in under 10 minutes — start to oven in the time it takes to make coffee.
- Naturally sweetened by the bananas. The riper your bananas, the sweeter these get — no refined sugar needed, ever.
- Real breakfast energy. Oats, chia seeds, coconut flakes — this is a cookie that actually keeps you going until lunch.
- Kids approved, every single time. My kids call them “dessert for breakfast.” I call that a win.
- Gluten-free as written. Use certified GF rolled oats and you’re good to go — no swaps needed.
Looking for a simpler, minimalist version without chia seeds? Try our classic healthy banana oatmeal cookies instead — just 3 ingredients and ready even faster.
Ingredients & Notes
Everything you need for these banana breakfast cookies is probably already in your kitchen. Here’s what makes each ingredient count.
The Binding Base
Ripe bananas (2 medium). This is your sweetener, your binder, and your moisture — all in one. The browner the peel, the better. Spotted yellow works, black-tipped is even better. You need about 200g mashed.
Chia seeds (12g / 1 tbsp) + warm water (45ml / 3 tbsp). Mixed together first, these form a gel that acts exactly like an egg — it holds everything together without any dairy or eggs. Don’t skip the 5-minute rest — that’s when the magic happens.
Rolled oats (160g / 2 cups). Old-fashioned rolled oats only — not quick oats, which go mushy. This is the backbone of the cookie. For a certified gluten-free version, just swap in GF oats. If you love oat-based recipes, our banana oat bars use the same base and are great for batch cooking.
The Good Stuff
Chocolate chips (60g / ¼ cup). Use dark chocolate chips for a refined-sugar-free version, or go dairy-free. They melt slightly in the oven and create little pockets of warmth in every bite.
Coconut flakes (30g / ¼ cup). Unsweetened shredded coconut adds a gentle chew and a toasty note that makes these taste bakery-level without any effort. Sub with chopped walnuts or dried cranberries if coconut isn’t your thing.
How to Make Banana Breakfast Cookies
These banana oatmeal breakfast cookies come together in one bowl. No equipment needed beyond a fork and a baking sheet.
Step 1 — Make the Chia Egg
Combine the chia seeds and warm water in a large bowl. Stir well with a fork to distribute the seeds evenly. Set aside for exactly 5 minutes — you’ll see the mixture thicken into a gel. This is your egg replacement, and it’s what keeps these cookies from crumbling.
The gel is ready when it holds its shape slightly when you drag a spoon through it.
Step 2 — Mash the Bananas
Add the two ripe bananas directly into the chia gel bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork until you have a smooth, unified mixture — no large chunks. A few small bits are fine, but the smoother the mash, the more evenly the cookies bake.
The mixture should look like a thick, pale yellow paste at this point.
Step 3 — Build the Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 10″×15″ (25×38cm) baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the rolled oats, chocolate chips, and coconut flakes directly into the banana mixture. Fold everything together with a spatula until all the oats are coated and the dough holds together when pressed.
Don’t overmix — just fold until no dry oats remain.
Step 4 — Shape with a Cookie Cutter
Place a 2¼” (6cm) round cookie cutter on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon a portion of dough into the ring and press firmly with a fork to compact it into a neat disc about ⅜” (1cm) thick. Lift the cutter away gently and repeat — you’ll get exactly 12 cookies from this batch.
No cookie cutter? Use your hands to shape rough rounds — they’ll taste identical, just a little more rustic.
Step 5 — Bake & Cool
Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C), until the edges are set and the tops look matte rather than wet. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before touching them — they firm up as they cool.
They’ll feel slightly soft straight out of the oven. That’s normal. Give them time.
Lily’s Tips for Perfect Results
A few things I’ve learned after making these at least a dozen times in our kitchen.
- Use the ripest bananas you own. Spotted, soft, almost-black — those are the ones. “Brown-spotted bananas contain up to 80% more natural sugar than yellow ones.” That sweetness is what makes these cookies work without any added sugar.
- Don’t skip the chia rest time. Five minutes feels like nothing, but underdeveloped chia gel means cookies that fall apart. Set a timer and use those 5 minutes to measure everything else.
- Press the dough firmly into the cutter. These cookies don’t spread in the oven — what you shape is what you get. Press with intention.
- Let them cool completely before stacking. Warm cookies stacked on top of each other will stick and lose their shape. A wire rack makes all the difference.
“The riper your bananas, the less sugar you’ll need — nature does the sweetening for you.” — Lily
Variations Worth Trying
The base recipe is a blank canvas. Here’s how I’ve customized it for different mornings.
The Protein Morning Version
Add 1 scoop (about 30g) of vanilla protein powder to the dry mix and reduce oats by 30g to compensate. The texture gets slightly denser but holds together well. Chia seeds already add a protein boost — this just takes it further. Our banana protein cookies go even deeper into that angle if you want a fully protein-optimized version.
The 3-Ingredient Minimalist Version
No chia seeds, no coconut, no chocolate — just banana, oats, and a pinch of cinnamon. You lose some structure but gain extreme simplicity. See our 3-ingredient banana cookies for the full stripped-back recipe — it’s the one I make when the pantry is bare.
The Gluten-Free Version
Certified gluten-free rolled oats make this recipe fully GF without changing a single other thing. That’s the beauty of a flourless cookie — there’s nothing to swap out. Our gluten-free banana pancakes follow the same no-swap logic if you’re cooking GF across the board.
The Blueberry Coconut Version
Replace the chocolate chips with 60g of fresh or frozen blueberries. The blueberries burst slightly in the oven and create a jammy pocket inside each cookie — unexpected and really good.
The Toddler-Friendly Version
Skip the chocolate chips entirely (or use carob chips), reduce coconut to 15g, and make smaller cookies using a 1½” cutter. These are soft enough for little ones and naturally sweet enough that no one notices there’s no sugar.
How to Store
These banana breakfast cookies keep well — great for making a batch on Sunday for the whole week.
Counter: 2 days — the oats and banana moisture can make them sticky at room temperature after that.
Fridge: Up to 5 days in an airtight container. Stack them with a small piece of parchment between layers to prevent sticking. Eat cold or warm gently for 15 seconds in the microwave.
Freezer: Up to 2 months. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a zip bag once solid. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Meal prep tip: I always make a double batch on Sundays — 24 cookies goes fast with three kids. If you love batch-cooking oat-based snacks, our banana oat bars are another great weekly staple to add to the rotation.
A Note From Lily
Every Tuesday morning since that first batch, this has been our go-to. One bowl, 28 minutes, and breakfast is done — no stress, no dishes, no guilt. Make them once and they’ll be in your rotation forever.
Tag me on Instagram @eatwithmellow or leave a star rating below — I read every single one.
If you love these, try our no-bake banana energy balls for a no-oven option, or our banana oat bars when you want something you can slice and pack.
Love, Lily 🍌
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Banana Breakfast Cookies
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork + spatula
- 10"×15" (25×38cm) baking sheet
- 2¼" (6cm) round cookie cutter
- Wire cooling rack
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium ripe bananas ~200g mashed
- 12 g chia seeds 1 tbsp
- 45 ml warm water 3 tbsp
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 160 g old-fashioned rolled oats 2 cups
MIX-INS
- 60 g dark chocolate chips 1/4 cup
- 30 g unsweetened coconut flakes 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Combine the chia seeds and warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir well with a fork and let rest for 5 minutes until a gel forms.
- Add the ripe bananas directly into the chia gel and mash thoroughly with a fork until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the rolled oats, dark chocolate chips, and coconut flakes into the bowl. Fold together with a spatula until fully combined.
- Place a 2¼-inch (6cm) round cookie cutter onto the baking sheet. Spoon in the dough and press down firmly with a fork to form a ⅜-inch (1cm) thick disc. Repeat for all 12 cookies.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until the edges are set and lightly golden.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes to firm up before serving.
Notes
or freeze for up to 2 months. Separate layers with parchment paper. Note 2 — Substitutions: Replace chocolate chips with dried cranberries or chopped
walnuts. Replace coconut flakes with pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version. Note 3 — Tested brand: Bob’s Red Mill old-fashioned rolled oats work best for
texture and hold.
Hi, I’m Lily — the home baker and recipe creator behind Eat With Mellow.
Mom of three, design lover, and completely obsessed with turning overripe bananas into something golden and cozy. I started this blog one Sunday morning when I had three brown bananas on the counter and three hungry kids at the table. What came out of the oven that day became the recipe that started everything.
Every recipe here is tested in my real kitchen, written for real mornings, and made with simple ingredients you already have. No fancy equipment, no complicated techniques — just honest, naturally sweet baking that actually works.
