Banana Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies

Teri-Ann Carty — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:03 +0000

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Banana Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies

Created by: Teri-Ann Carty

These Banana Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies are a small-batch, gluten-free, dairy-free recipe made with a few pantry ingredients, your favourite chocolate, and those bananas that look sad but taste amazing! They're soft, chewy, naturally sweet, protein-focused, fibre-rich, and perfect for breakfast, snack, dessert, or the “I need something with coffee immediately” moment.

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Peanut Butter Banana and Oatmeal Cookies

When a ripe banana is staring you down, make this.

Welcome to another small-batch recipe you do not share with anyone! Listen, I am all about “sharing is caring,” but when it comes to small batch? No way. Those 7 cookies are all mine. You can share by sharing my recipe *wink*. They can take 30 minutes from gathering the ingredients to indulging; you’re welcome.

This is exactly the kind of recipe I love having in my back pocket. One ripe banana, a little peanut butter, some oats, protein powder, flax, cinnamon, and dark chocolate. Nothing fussy. Nothing complicated. Just a really good cookie that happens to check a few extra boxes.

I don’t call this a breakfast cookie because I added dark chocolate, but I sure wouldn’t judge you for packing two in your bag on the way to work or the gym either.

There has been a whole lot of new cookie recipes on the blog this year, and I’m not mad about it. To be honest, I don’t think any of you are either; cookies are great, comforting, easy to make, healthy, and always reliable. This recipe is fibre and protein-focused, as all my treats are, but I added two teeny tiny tablespoons of maple syrup to send this cookie into dessert territory. If you’re struggling to regulate your blood sugar, omit the maple syrup. They will still taste unreal.

To Add Chocolate or Not to Chocolate…

That is the question, and by question I mean, what are you thinking, not adding chocolate?!

I add dark chocolate because I wanted these to feel like a treat. But yes, you absolutely could make these cookies without the chocolate (and the maple) if you’re looking to make these even healthier and possibly even for breakfast. I personally wanted the chocolate this time; I have a bunch of breakfast cookie recipes, and this was not intended to be one of them!

There is something about chocolate, peanut butter, and anything that just makes sense. Add banana and oats to the mix, and suddenly we are in soft, chewy, salty-sweet cookie territory. The dark chocolate melts into little pockets, the peanut butter gives richness, and the flaky sea salt at the end makes everything taste more expensive than it is.

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

You will love these peanut butter banana cookies because they’re quick, easy, and made with ingredients you probably already have. Bonus points: as written, they are totally gluten-free and dairy-free, and packed with fiber and healthy fats. This is personally my favourite kind of snack cookie because it tastes like dessert but has a little more staying power.

These are great for a quick snack, post-workout bite, lunchbox treat if nuts are allowed, afternoon coffee moment, or after-dinner sweet. They are also small batch, which means you are not staring down 24 cookies wondering who is going to save you from yourself. Only 7 or 8 cookies. Manageable. Dangerous, but manageable.

Ingredients for these Banana Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Ripe Banana adds natural sweetness, moisture, and softness. It also helps bind the cookie dough and gives that classic peanut butter banana flavour. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavourful the cookies will be.
Maple Syrup adds just enough extra sweetness to push these into dessert territory. You can omit it if you want a lower-sugar cookie, especially if your banana is very ripe.
Egg helps bind everything together and gives the cookies structure. Since these cookies are made without traditional flour, the egg helps hold the oats, peanut butter, protein powder, and banana together. To make them vegan, use a flax egg instead.
Vanilla adds warmth and makes the cookies taste more bakery-style. It rounds out the banana, peanut butter, cinnamon, and chocolate.
Organic Peanut Butter adds richness, flavour, healthy fats, and that salty-sweet depth that makes these cookies so good. I make my own peanut butter now, and if you have the time and a food processor, I highly recommend you do the same. You will never go back to store-bought.
Vanilla Protein Powder gives these cookies a little boost and helps make them more satisfying. It also adds subtle vanilla flavour, which works beautifully with banana, oats, cinnamon, and chocolate.
Old Fashioned Oats give these cookies structure, chew, and fibre. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
Baking Soda helps the cookies lift slightly and keeps them from feeling too dense.
Cinnamon adds warmth and brings out the natural sweetness of the banana and oats.
Ground Flax adds fibre and helps with texture. It also gives these cookies a little extra nutritional love without changing the flavour.
Salt balances the sweetness and makes the peanut butter, banana, and chocolate taste better. Always.
Dark Chocolate turns these into the snack of my dreams. I use a good quality dark chocolate to make it really pop, but you could omit if you want.
Flaky Sea Salt on top makes the cookies taste incredible. Sweet, salty, chocolatey, peanut buttery. That is the whole point.

How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. This makes cleanup easier and keeps the cookies from sticking.

Mash the Banana

In a medium-sized bowl, mash the ripe banana until mostly smooth. A few little lumps are fine.

Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and peanut butter to the mashed banana. Mix until everything is well combined and creamy. The peanut butter should be fully worked into the banana mixture so you get that peanut butter banana flavour in every bite.

Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the protein powder, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, ground flax, and salt. Stir until the dough is fully incorporated. It should be thick, soft, and scoopable.

Fold in the Chocolate

Stir in most of the chopped dark chocolate, saving a little to press on top of each cookie. The extra chocolate on top gives you those perfect melty chocolate moments.

Scoop and Bake

Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter onto the prepared cookie sheet. Gently press each mound down into a cookie shape. These cookies will not spread like traditional cookies, so shape them how you want them to bake. Top each cookie with the remaining chocolate chunks and bake for 12 minutes. The cookies should look set, soft, and lightly golden around the edges.

Finish with Flaky Salt

Once the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Let them cool slightly before eating, unless you enjoy burning your mouth on molten chocolate!

How to Store These Cookies

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They are soft and made with banana, so I prefer keeping them chilled. You could also store them in the freezer for longer keeping, but let’s be honest, you’re only making 7 cookies – enjoy the cookies!! Freeze another batch another time.

Tips for Making the Best Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies!

Use a very ripe banana. The banana is doing a lot of the sweetness work here, so the more spotted and soft, the better.
Use natural peanut butter that is smooth and drippy, not the dry end-of-the-jar situation. If your peanut butter is very thick, the dough may be drier. Use this recipe if you’re down to make your own!
Do not skip shaping the cookies before baking. Since these are made with oats, banana, peanut butter, and protein powder, they will not spread much in the oven.
Use good chocolate. I like chopping up a good-quality dark chocolate because the texture is so much better than standard chips.
And please finish with flaky salt. It makes the whole cookie, I promise.

Peanut Butter Banana and Oatmeal Cookies FAQ

Are these cookies gluten free? Yes, these cookies are gluten free if you use certified gluten-free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free, but they can be cross-contaminated during processing, so check your label if needed.

Can I make these without protein powder? Yes, but the texture may change slightly. You can try replacing the protein powder with a little extra oat flour or ground oats, but the cookies will no longer have the same protein boost.

Can I use quick oats? Old fashioned oats give the best chewy texture, but quick oats can work in a pinch. The cookies may be softer and less textured.

Can I freeze these cookies? Yes. Freeze them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Let them thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before eating.

Can I make these nut free? You can try sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter. Make sure your chocolate, oats, and protein powder are also nut free if allergies are a concern.

Did you make these cookies?

If you make these banana peanut butter and oatmeal cookies, I would love to hear what you think. Did you add the chocolate? Let me know in the comments below; don’t forget to leave a rating as well! Try these other delicious cookies next:

High Protein Flourless Cookies

Crispy Grain Free Granola Cookies

Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies

TERI ANN CARTY

Food Photographer and Recipe Developer based in Toronto, Canada.

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