Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

Chocolate chip banana cookies using overripe bananas and chocolate chips for a simple treat full of sweetness. Like banana bread cookies, they’re something new to try with browned fruit so it doesn’t go to waste to enjoy as a sweet dessert.

Have you made chocolate banana cookies yet? They’re a bit like banana bread cookies with fresh fruit and oatmeal too. Light and simple to make they’ve become one of our favorite new desserts. (affiliate links present)

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

My oldest daughter actually came up with these when we had a ton of bananas and she wanted to bake. She wanted to just make simple chocolate chip cookies but with a twist.

If you follow my blog at all you know I hate to waste anything. I came up with 26+ overripe banana recipes because of this when I bought too many and they were turning quite brown. The best time to use them in baking I say! These banana oatmeal cookies didn’t last long in our house. 😉

Oatmeal Banana Cookies

Actually, you don’t have to wait until you have brown bananas for these. Fresh is fine too. Overripe banana cookies just make them sweeter. You don’t want them black, not quite that far is necessary. Look at the examples above to see what is the ideal color for ripeness.

Ingredients

1. Chocolate chips – I prefer mini semi sweet
2. Mashed banana
   1. overripe or ripe bananas can be used
3. Flour
4. Oats – not instant
5. Brown sugar
6. Oil
7. Yogurt
   1. makes them moist, soft and chewy
   2. we used vanilla but banana would be even better
   3. not low fat
8. Room temperature egg
9. Baking soda and powder
10. Pinch of salt if you like
11. You could add 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
12. Optional – a heaping tbsp. of peanut butter
13. Baking sheet with parchment paper

Your banana chocolate chip cookies recipe here aren’t going to rise a lot, but a bit. The texture is more dense than cake like just to give you an idea. They are a bit like oatmeal cookies in a sense as far as the chewiness goes but more flavorful than that and moist due to the fresh fruit inside each one.

If you too have a few brown naners in your kitchen that you really want to make into something amazing this is a great one to try out. If yours aren’t as sweet and dark as you would like you can add a bit of banana flavor extract to enhance the flavor if you like. They will take about 30 minutes start to finish.

How to Bake Cookies with Ripe Bananas

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix dry ingredients like all purpose flour, salt and baking soda (except chocolate chips) in one bowl and wet (including mashed banana) in another.
• Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined.
• Stir in your chocolate chips (I love using mini semi sweet) into dough mixture until well combined.
• Use a tablespoon to scoop out a ball of dough and put on to parchment paper with about 2″ in between each ball of dough
  • it is important to make them all the same size so they cook evenly
    • they still spread a bit but not a lot.
• How long to bake cookies at 350 is for about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and center is still a bit soft.
• Leave on baking sheet to continue cooking or transfer to cooling rack for a chewier cookie
• Or make as Air Fryer Oatmeal Cookies

I like to put them on wire racks to cool immediately once they’re done. This will keep them really soft. If you let them sit just long enough to solidify a bit you can use a spatula to move them over. On parchment paper it is even easier to slide that batch off and on to a wire rack and use the pan to bake a second batch.

Rediculously Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies

If you want them as healthy as possible you can leave out the chips. You can replace oil with more yogurt or bananas and vegan plant based butter can be substituted. Add crushed walnuts inside if you like. I think everyone is either a love it or hate it as far as nuts in cookies, I am a no go personally. One thing I have tried and loved was dried cranberries once, and raisins another. If you want to keep it healthier I would go with one of those. You’ve got to try them!!

Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats for cookies?

You can but the texture will just be different. Old Fashioned are less processed so you will have more grit in a sense in your dish with these. If this is all you have but you want quick you can pulse in a blender quickly to break them into smaller bits. The other way around will just give you a softer feel.

Other add ins you might prefer or want to try once you fall in love with this basic banana cookie recipe. I mean chips are the best if you ask us but just with those there are many options out there. I like semi sweet but white works well too.

Other banana recipes you will love

• Banana pudding cake is so moist it is ridiculous
• Our 4 ingredient banana bread uses boxed cake mix that’s been doctored up
• This banana cream pie is my friend’s creation that’s always a hit

Our peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe are a good treat too but don’t use fresh fruit. If you wanted more of a semi-homemade version of these I would make our Bisquick chocolate chip cookies recipe and smash 1 banana into the mix.

Pair them with a glass of our fresh squeezed lemonade and it’s a great fresh treat.

What is the best way to keep cookies moist?

Well you need to allow them to cool completely first when they come out. You don’t want them to dry out so first off don’t refrigerate them. As long as you can finish them within about 3 days you just need to wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil and leave on the countertop.

A freezer bag works well too but make sure you suck all the air out once the food is inside. Air is the enemy, period end of story to suck moisture right out of those babies.