Cookies that taste like banana bread AND are healthy enough for breakfast! You’re welcome 😉
Breakfast Cookies
Happy Monday! We have so much catching up to do. How was your holiday? What did you bake? Did you get any good presents this year? We are finally home sweet home, which after a month of traveling, is truly the best gift of all. If you need me I’ll be making banana pancakes and binging on Netflix in my new fuzzy pink robe. #homebody
Right now I’m sharing with you a recipe perfect for curving post-holiday cravings. I don’t know about you, but after a few days of cheesecake for dessert and sticky buns for breakfast, I find myself yearning for sugary treats a little more than usual. And by more than usual… I mean yesterday I fished out a full-sized Snickers bar from my stocking and ate it for breakfast. Obviously something had to be done.
Enter this recipe! Banana Bread BREAKFAST COOKIES! They’re sweet, satisfying, and so healthy you can scarf down one (or three) for breakfast without an ounce of guilt.
Today’s recipe is the second breakfast cookie I’m sharing here on my blog – and I have a strong feeling it won’t be the last. It all started with these loaded Cranberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies. They’ve only been on the blog a few months and they’re already a fan favorite! With their chewy texture and sweet taste, it’s really no surprise. And today? Things get even better because now we have breakfast cookies that taste like banana bread!!!
Cookies for breakfast… let’s start a revolution!
The KEY to good banana bread (and in this case, banana bread cookies) is very ripe bananas.
Ripe bananas add both moisture and sweetness to the cookies. I recommend buying your bananas a few days in advance so they can get soft, brown, and downright ugly. If you use “good” bananas for this recipe, the results will likely be a huge letdown.
Alright. So let’s bake some banana bread breakfast cookies, already! For this recipe you’ll need: honey, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla extract, banana puree (remember, RIPE bananas), old fashioned oats, instant oats, wheat germ, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and mini chocolate chips. I know that may sound like a lot of stuff, but you probably have most of the ingredients already in your kitchen.
The “cookie dough” will appear a little wet at first, but don’t fret! Once the dough has chilled (it needs 90 minutes in the fridge), it will be workable.
The hardest part? Letting the cookies cool. These banana bread breakfast cookies need to cool completely on the cookie tray… so put on your patience cap when you pull them out of the oven. Trust me – they’re worth the wait!
Banana bread in cookie form. For breakfast. Do it 😉
Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup banana puree (see post for more on this)
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 and 1/4 cups instant oats
- 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the honey and melted coconut oil and whisk smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating smooth after addition. Whisk in vanilla and banana puree. All at once add in both oats, wheat germ, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, mini-chocolate chips, and salt; gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until evenly combined. Cover the bowl and chill for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
When you're ready to bake:
- Preheat oven to 325 (F). Scoop 3 tablespoon sized potions of the mixture into your palm and roll it into a large ball. Press the cookie down onto the prepared sheet and using your palm flatten the cookie down to 1/4 inch (the cookies do not spread at all while baking); repeat with all cookie dough. Bake for 18 minutes. Sprinkle a few mini-chocolate chips on the top of each cookie right when they come out of the oven, if desired. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or transferring.
Notes
You may also enjoy:
Maple Pecan Banana Muffins (Vegan)
Dena says
Do you know the calorie count and fat grams that are in each cookie?
bakerbynature says
I’m sorry, I do not, Dena.
Nancy says
I look it up by entering the ingredients into a nutritional facts recipe generator I use and it says 169 kcal. It might not be perfectly accurate but it should be close.
NoneYoBusiness says
okay that makes no sense, the prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 16 minutes and total time is 50 minutes can you explain??? or is it just a typo like forreal tho
bakerbynature says
The total time is actually 1 hour and 50 minutes. This includes the chill time.
Fatema says
These look awesome! Can I use frozen ripe bananas? Would it change the texture at all?
bakerbynature says
Hi Fatema. I’ve never tried this recipe with frozen banana so I am unsure how they would turn out. If you try, I’d love to hear about the results 🙂
Heather says
Hello. I’m trying to eat more of a gluten free diet so I would need to make these little beauties without the wheat germ. Is it added to your recipe to up the fiber content? I don’t know much about wheat germ so I was curious if I could use something else in it’s place.
bakerbynature says
Hi Heather, I think ground flax could probably be used in its place… or maybe even just extra oats! If you try the recipe I’d love to hear how it turns out 🙂
Mary says
What happens if you have only old fashioned oats?
bakerbynature says
Hi Mary. I’ve never tried making these with all old fashioned oats, so I am unable to predict the outcome. If you try it, I’d love to hear how they turn out.
Manon says
How many grams is a cup? En what exactly is wheat germ? I’m dutch and I am not familiair with this product.
bakerbynature says
Hi Manon. Wheat germ is a product typically used in baking. If you cannot find it in a grocery store, you can order it online. Here is a link to help you with conversions: http://dish.allrecipes.com/cup-to-gram-conversions/
annie says
But I don’t just have to have them for breakfast, right? 😉 There’s still lunch, dinner, snacks…..
bakerbynature says
That’s right, girl! Happy New Year 🙂
Teresa Hall says
I made these cookies last night and wow they are so good. Definitely had to let them sit on the tray for a good hour, but like you said, they were worth the wait. A great treat for people like me who cannot have sugar and flour. Thank you Ashley!
bakerbynature says
You’re so welcome, Teresa! Happy New Year 🙂
Lindsey says
Ashley I found these cookies on your facebook page yesterday and felt like you made them just for me. With all the holiday madness I forgot about a few bananas I had sitting in the fruit bowl. I made a batch right away and they were amazing. Not too sweet, but the mini-chocolate chips make up for that. Even my 3 year old loved them. Thank you for a recipe I can make for my family and feel good about.
bakerbynature says
Lindsey that is awesome! Thank you so much for letting me know you and your family enjoyed this recipe. Happy New Year!
Alison @ ingredients, Inc. says
I am totally making these!
bakerbynature says
Yay! I’d love to hear how they turn out, Alison! Happy New Year 🙂
Toni says
These are great. I did also make a few substitutions and additions because I had stuff to use up but I will definitely be making these again! And so healthy! Lots of fiber! Look at these crazy healthy ingredients! I used flax meal instead of wheat germ and substituted pecans for walnuts. Also added chia seed and coconut. Yummy! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
bakerbynature says
You’re so welcome, Toni! Thanks for letting me know they were a hit 🙂
Sandy Schley-Zelm says
These cookies were awesome!! I will definitely be making them again and very soon.