Description
These Chewy Banana Oatmeal Cookies combine the natural sweetness and moisture of ripe bananas with hearty old-fashioned oats for a deliciously soft and chewy treat. Enhanced with warm cinnamon and optional add-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins, these cookies are perfect for a wholesome snack or dessert that balances flavor and texture in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Other
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, ensuring even sweetness and texture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana until fully incorporated, adding moisture and flavor to the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing and keep cookies tender.
- Add Oats and Optional Mix-ins: Fold in the old-fashioned oats along with any optional add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins for texture and additional flavor.
- Portion Dough: Drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookie edges turn lightly golden while centers remain soft and chewy for ideal texture.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely, preventing breakage.
Notes
- For softer cookies, don’t overbake; remove once edges are golden but centers still look moist.
- You can substitute gluten-free flour if needed to make these cookies gluten-free.
- Optional mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins add texture and flavor but are not required.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing the dough is possible; freeze spoonfuls on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen with an extra minute or two baking time.
