Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Updated February 26, 2026
Quick Summary
These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with ripe banana, hearty old-fashioned oats, and melty semisweet chocolate chips. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes, they're the perfect easy cookie recipe for using up overripe bananas.
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We've all been there, one lonely, overripe banana sitting on the counter. Not quite enough for banana bread, but too ripe to eat. That's exactly why I love this recipe.
These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of my go-to “small batch” style bakes. They use just one banana, which gives the cookies incredible moisture and natural sweetness without making them cakey. Combined with old-fashioned oats and plenty of semisweet chocolate chips, you get a cookie that's soft in the center, lightly golden around the edges, and perfectly chewy.
I've tested this recipe to make sure the ratio is just right. Too much banana can make cookies heavy and dense, but this amount keeps them tender while still tasting like banana bread and oatmeal cookies combined. The cinnamon adds warmth, the brown sugar keeps them soft, and the oats give them that classic hearty texture.
These cookies are perfect for just about any occasion. I love baking a batch for after-school snacks, serving them as a simple weekend dessert, or even enjoying one for breakfast with a cold glass of milk. And since they freeze so well, I always feel good making extra to have on hand for busy days when we need a little homemade treat.
If you've got one ripe banana on your counter right now, you HAVE to make these cookies! Bonus, the cookies freeze well too!
Ingredients (with Helpful Notes)
(Full measurements are in the recipe card below.)
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level to avoid adding too much flour, which can make the cookies dry.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies lift and helps create a soft texture.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds subtle warmth that pairs perfectly with banana and chocolate.
- Salt: Essential for balancing sweetness and enhancing flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature creams properly with the sugars, creating a smooth base. Just make sure the butter isn't TOO soft or melted. You don't want the cookies to spread too much in the oven.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a slight caramel flavor that keeps the cookies chewy.
- Granulated sugar: Helps the cookies spread and balances the brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances all of the flavors.
- Large egg: Helps bind the dough and create structure.
- Ripe banana (about ½ cup mashed): Use a very ripe banana with lots of brown spots for the best sweetness and flavor. Mash well so it incorporates evenly.
- Old-fashioned oats: Rolled oats give the cookies structure and chew. Don't substitute quick oats for best texture.
- Chocolate chips: Provide the perfect balance to the sweet banana. I like to use semisweet chocolate chips, but dark or milk chocolate work well too! Feel free to press a few extra on top before or after baking for a bakery-style look.
Tips for Making the Best Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Measure the banana carefully. You need ½ cup mashed bananas. Too much can make the cookies overly soft.
- Mix just until combined. Overmixing after adding the flour can make the cookies tough.
- Use a cookie scoop. About 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie ensures even baking.
- Space them properly. Leave about 2 inches between cookies so they spread evenly.
- Don't overbake. The centers should look slightly soft when you remove them. They'll finish setting on the baking sheet.
- Make them pretty. Press a few chocolate chips into the tops while they're still warm for that bakery-style finish.
- Let them rest. Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring — this helps them firm up without overbaking.
How to Store
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They stay soft and chewy.
- Freezer (Baked): Freeze cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Freezer (Dough): Scoop dough into balls and freeze. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large ripe banana, mashed (about ½ cup mashed)
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars, mix until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla extract. Next, add the mashed banana and mix until combine.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix on low nuntil just combined. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
- Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to form the cookies into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place cookies on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden around the edges but still soft in the center.
- Remove cookies from oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. You can add chocolate chips to the warm cookies to make the cookies extra pretty, if desired. Just press them slightly into the cookies. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Notes
- Use a very ripe banana for maximum sweetness and flavor.
- Rolled oats give the best chewy texture; quick oats make them softer.
- Mix just until combined after adding flour to keep cookies tender.
- Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tbsp) for even cookies.
- Bake until edges are golden but centers are still soft; they'll set on the sheet.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips on top while warm for a bakery look.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes to Try
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Breakfast Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
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