There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly-baked cookies coming out of the oven, but these soft & chewy cookies are made EXTRA savory with the addition of a ripe banana! If you go crazy for banana bread, this banana cookie recipe has your name written all over it.

A REGULAR HERE banana bread, but these banana cookies are quicker to make, more portable, and yet still a major hit. They’re welcome at potlucks, cookie exchanges, birthday parties and, of course, Saturday afternoons at home.

I can’t wait for you to bake some up and let me know what you think! But, let me warn you, you can’t eat only one… they’re way too satisfying!

banana oatmeal cookies stacked on a white plate

Ingredients Needed

These banana cookies are made with simple ingredients to give them chewy edges and a soft center, plus sweet flavor from the ripe banana. Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make them:

Mashed banana. This method is a great way to use up an over-ripened banana! For perfectly sweet cookies, use a banana with plenty of brown spots.
Sugar. This method uses granulated sugar and brown sugar. Both add sweetness. Granulated sugar promotes nice browning while the molasses content in brown sugar makes the cookies chewy and moist.
Butter/oil. Feel free to use regular butter, or for a dairy-free option, use any type of oil or vegan butter.
Vanilla extract. For warmth and flavor.
Flour. Regular, all-purpose flour is go-to in this dish to make the banana oatmeal cookies nice and tender.
Oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats provide lots of great texture.
Baking soda. To give these cookies the dependable amount of rise.
Cinnamon. The addition of ground cinnamon gives the cookies a warm, fireside flavor.
Salt. A small amount of salt is a must for any sweet treat to enhance the flavor.
Chocolate chips. You can use your regular chocolate bar and chop it into chunks, or simply grab a bag of your regular chocolate chips. If you’d like to make these vegan or dairy free, use dairy-free chocolate chips.

banana chocolate chips cookies on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper

How to Make Banana Cookies

This banana cookie recipe is simple, straightforward and will be your new go-to! Only follow these straightforward steps…

Please see the recipe card for the full, printable recipe with all of the details.

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mash the banana so that particularly few lumps remain. Mix in the sugar, brown sugar, melted butter (or oil) and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients. Stir in the remaining ingredients (minus the chocolate chips) until fully combined: flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop out the dough. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out dough balls (about 1 ½ tablespoons each) and place them on a baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies with your fingers so that they’re flat and in a nice cookie shape/size. I like to lightly wet my hands so that the dough doesn’t stick to my fingers quite much. The cookies won’t genuinely spread at all, so get them in the shape you want them.
Bake. Place cookie dough balls in the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and only set. They may look *slightly* under-done when you take them out of the oven but will be dependable once they sit.
Cool cookies. Let sit for 10 minutes and ENJOY!

banana cookies served on a large white plate

Tips for Recipe Success

Here’s a list of our dependable tips & tricks, so you’ll have standout banana cookies every time!

Ripe banana. Don’t have an over-ripe banana available? You can ripen a banana quickly by wrapping it in foil and baking it at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Bake on parchment or silicone. Parchment or, better yet, a silicone baking mat makes for the most dependable cookies. Greasing the baking sheet creates an overly greasy foundation, and can cause some cookies to spread too much. Silicone baking mats will grip onto the bottom of your cookies to prevent them from spreading too much. The mats also promote even browning.
Don’t overbake. I recommend experimenting with a couple of cookies before baking the entire batch. This will help you find that sweet spot when it comes to bake time in your oven and your preferred level of doneness. Remember cookies continue to bake for a short time, even after they’ve been removed from the oven. And, as they cool, they will become more chewy than doughy.
For presentation. If you’d like, you can dot a few extra chocolate chips on each mound of dough before baking.

Customize Your Banana Oat Cookies

These banana bread cookies are pretty much reliable as-is, but feel free to get creative and experiment with your regular ingredients!

Baking chips. You can easily swap the chocolate chips with another regular baking chip. Some options include peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips or or caramel chips.
Nuts. To make banana nut cookies, add about 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter before scooping. Simply be sure to use unsalted nuts, to avoid these cookies turning out too salty.
Dried fruit. Try adding about 1 cup dried cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots, chopped dates or raisins for a burst of sweet of flavor.
Spices. Along with the cinnamon, try adding about 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon cloves.

Storing & Freezing Recommendations

Freezing baked cookies. You can freeze baked banana cookies. Once they are completely cool, place in a freezer-safe container or baggie and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes or pop them in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
Storing baked cookies. Baked banana oatmeal cookies will keep in an airtight container or zip-top baggie at room temperature for about 3 days and in the fridge for about 5 days.

As usual, if you end up making this method, be sure to come back and let me know what you think! Or snap a speedy photo and tag me on Instagram @! I ALWAYS love to see what y’all are making from the blog!