📝 Introduction
Love banana bread but want something quicker, smaller, and easier to share? These Banana Bread Cookies bring all the comfort of banana bread into soft, chewy, bite-sized delights — and they only require 6 simple ingredients! Whether you’re trying to use up overripe bananas or looking for a healthy-ish treat with no refined sugar or dairy, these cookies are the answer. Great for breakfast, lunchbox snacks, or guilt-free dessert.
📜 A Bit of History
Banana bread gained popularity in the 1930s in America, especially during the Great Depression when no food went to waste — even overripe bananas. Quick breads (like banana bread) don’t use yeast, making them easy and fast. These cookies are a modern, minimal-ingredient take on that tradition, combining health trends and convenience.
🍌 Ingredients (Only 6!)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ripe bananas | 2 medium | The riper, the better (lots of brown spots!) |
| Rolled oats | 1 ½ cups | Can be quick oats too |
| Nut butter | ½ cup | Peanut butter, almond, or sunflower seed butter |
| Maple syrup | 2 tbsp | Or honey, agave, or date syrup |
| Baking powder | 1 tsp | Helps them rise and fluff slightly |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp | Optional, but adds depth and warmth |
✨ Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or coconut flakes (not included in core 6 ingredients)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add nut butter and maple syrup. Stir until fully combined.
- Stir in oats, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix until it forms a sticky dough.
- Scoop the dough onto your baking sheet using a spoon or cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons per cookie).
- Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon — they won’t spread much.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and center is firm to touch.
- Cool on a rack, then enjoy warm or store for later.
🔬 Method & Formation (The Science of Baking)
- Bananas act as a natural sweetener, binder (like eggs), and moisture source.
- Nut butter gives richness, healthy fats, and helps hold the cookie together.
- Baking powder creates tiny bubbles in the dough, making them soft and pillowy.
- Oats provide structure and chewiness, absorbing moisture from bananas.
- Cinnamon enhances sweetness and brings aromatic balance.
- Maple syrup contributes to both flavor and a slightly chewy texture.
These cookies are more like soft breakfast cookies or energy bites than crisp bakery cookies — think hearty, moist, and full of banana flavor.
🌱 Health Benefits
These cookies are:
- ✅ Naturally sweetened (no refined sugar)
- ✅ Gluten-free (if using certified GF oats)
- ✅ Dairy-free and egg-free (great for vegans)
- ✅ High in fiber (thanks to oats and bananas)
- ✅ Packed with potassium and healthy fats
Perfect for kids, adults, and anyone looking for a nutritious, sweet treat without the crash.