Here’s a REALLY fast and easy banana oat cookie that can be made in no time in the food processor, if you have one. Otherwise, mix them by hand, no issues! They’re perfect for anyone wanting to reduce added sugar and fat in their diet. They’re great as a dessert, snack, or even a breakfast cookie.

Here’s a video showing how to make the cookies. The recipe is below the video.

Enjoy!
Judi

Quick and Easy Banana Oat Cookies
Makes About 18 Small Cookies

2 cups oats (any type)
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon*
2 ripe bananas
2-4 Tbsp milk of choice, or more if needed**
½ cup add-ins, optional

Place the oats, baking soda and cinnamon (if you are adding it) in a food processor and process until the oats are a coarse flour. It does not need to be ultra-fine. Slice the bananas and add them plus the milk to the food processor. Pulse until the bananas are pureed and the mixture comes together. If the mixture seems crumbly and a bit dry, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moist and comes together, but is not overly wet.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in up to ½ cup of any combination of add-in ingredients you want. Mix well. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to rest for about 15 minutes so the oats can soak up some liquid. After the soaking time, the mixture should be moist and still hold together, not dry and crumbly. If it is dry, add a little more milk until it is moist and holds together.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. With a tablespoon or a #40 cookie scoop (which holds 1-3/4 tablespoons), divide the mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Slightly flatten each mound with your fingers. Bake on the rack in the middle of the oven for 13 to 16 minutes, until they are set and starting to brown. Remove from the oven, cool, and enjoy!

* The cinnamon can be omitted if you feel the flavor won’t blend with your preferred add-in ingredients.

**The amount of milk needed will vary depending on the size of the bananas used, and the type of add-ins you choose. Batches made with larger bananas will need less milk than batches made with smaller bananas. Add enough to make a very moist, but not sopping wet batter.

Optional add-ins:
You can add any one or combination of embellishments and flavorings to your cookies. Nuts, seeds, dried fruits, flavorings, and chips of various sorts all work well. Get creative! Here are some examples:

Chopped Nuts or Seeds
Walnuts
Pecans
Almonds
Peanuts
Pistachios
Pepitas
Sunflower Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Flaxseeds
Dried Coconut

Chopped Dried Fruits
Raisins
Cranberries
Cherries
Figs
Currants
Apples
Peaches
Apricots

Flavorings (Of course, add only small amounts of these!)
Vanilla extract
Vanilla bean
Cocoa powder
Orange zest
Orange extract
Nutmeg

Chips
Chocolate chips
Peanut butter chips
Butterscotch chips
White chocolate chips
Cinnamon chips
Mint chocolate chips
Caramel chips
This list is growing with what’s becoming available in stores.

About Judi
Julia W. Klee (Judi) began her journey enjoying “all things food” in elementary school when she started preparing meals for her family. That love of food blossomed into a quest to learn more and more about health and wellness as related to nutrition. She went on to earn a BS Degree in Food and Nutrition, then an MS Degree in Nutrition. She has taught nutrition and related courses at the college level to pre-nursing and exercise science students. Her hunger to learn didn’t stop upon graduation from college. She continues to research on a regular basis about nutrition as it relates to health. Her hope is to help as many people as possible to enjoy foods that promote health and wellness.