Peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with just 4 ingredients and one bowl. All you need is oatmeal, peanut butter, bananas, and chocolate chips! These cookies are moist, chewy, naturally gluten-free, and easily made vegan. They are great as a grab-n-go breakfast, after-school treat, or sweet treat in the morning or afternoon.
If you know me, you know that I’m all about healthy cookies and fully support the idea that cookies can be a nutritious option for breakfast when you’re short on time. This recipe was inspired by my 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies! They were such a big hit, I decided to do a version with peanut butter. (If you want a no-bake option, my Healthy No-Bake Cookies are what you’re looking for.)
These cookies are free of processed sugar and flour, gluten-free, portable, and perfect as a pre or post-workout snack.
They were also a major hit with my family (which always makes me happy)! They’re super easy to make, only require 4 ingredients, one bowl and they are the perfect snacks to have on hand when you’re craving something sweet. The flavor combination of bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate is classic and one of my favorites. Even your kiddos will love these!
Ingredients Needed:
There’s a good chance you have everything you need for this easy recipe! Here’s the lineup:
- Bananas – Use super ripe bananas to naturally sweeten and add moisture to these cookies.
- Peanut butter – Adds delicious flavor and healthy fats. Feel free to use almond butter or sunflower seed butter (or any nut butter you have on hand.
- Oats – For these cookies, you need regular old-fashioned rolled oats. If you want to keep them gluten free, I suggest using certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Chocolate chips – I like to use semi-sweet morsels in these cookies, but feel free to use your favorite baking chips. Use dairy-free baking chips, like these to keep this recipe dairy free and vegan.
How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Making this peanut butter oatmeal cookies recipe couldn’t be easier! Here’s a quick rundown of the process, but for full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Prep – Go ahead and grab all of the ingredients and required tools. Preheat the oven and line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
- Combine ingredients – Mash bananas in a medium bowl using the back of a fork until you have banana puree. Add the peanut butter and stir the banana/peanut butter mixture. Stir in the oats and mix everything together. Now, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough – Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough into your palms and shape into a cookie. Place on baking sheet and repeat with all of the batter.
- Bake – Place cookie sheet pan into the oven and bake cookies for about 10 minutes and until set. Cool and enjoy!
Tip – The cookies don’t spread when baking, so you’ll need to form them into a cookie before baking.
Customize Your Cookies
These peanut butter oatmeal cookies are healthy, kid-friendly, and totally customizable. Here are a few ideas for making them your own:
- Chocolate chips – You can use mini or regular baking chips. You can also experiment with semi-sweet, milk or dark chocolate chips.
- Nuts – Try adding chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts for extra texture and crunch.
- Dried fruit – You could swap the chocolate chips for raisins, craisins or any other dried fruit.
- Shredded coconut – If you’re a coconut fan, adding in some unsweetened shredded coconut would be a tasty option.
What makes these peanut butter oatmeal cookies healthy?
- These cookies contain high-fiber, whole grain oats for a hearty treat with no flour. If you use gluten-free oats, the cookies are naturally gluten free.
- There’s no butter or eggs needed to make them, so they’re vegan and dairy free just be sure to buy vegan chocolate chips).
- No need to add oil – the peanut butter keeps these cookies moist with natural oils and healthy fats.
- They’re naturally sweetened with just ripe bananas. The riper and more brown-speckled the bananas, the sweeter and more delicious your cookies will turn out.
Storage Tips
- Storage – Keep cookies stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Freezing Instructions – Cookies can be frozen up to 3 months, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
More Healthier Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pulp Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
If you make these delicious peanut butter oatmeal cookies, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 large brown bananas or 3 small 14-16 ounces
- 1/2 cup all natural creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups rolled oats 160 grams
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat and set aside. Mash bananas in a medium bowl using the back of a fork. Break them up until they are like a banana puree.
- Add in the peanut butter and stir until well combined.
- Stir in the oats and mix until everything is incorporated and then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough into your palms and shape into a cookie. Place on baking sheet and repeat. Note: the cookies don’t spread when baking, so you want to shape them into a cookie now.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and set though. Repeat with extra batter, cool and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Keep cookies stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Freezing Instructions: Cookies can be frozen up to 3 months, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Stephanie says
Hi Dani..
I would be interested in trying the cookies but is there something else I could use in instead of bananas? Possibly honey or applesauce, and if so how much would I use? I tried to make your oatmeal with bananas but it looked like muck in a bowl and I had to chuck it out..lol
Eva says
Aww, it doesn’t matter what it looked like in the bowl 🙂 I’m sure it would have been delicious (well, I guess only IF you like the flavor of bananas, oats, pb and chocolate, like I do, so I made this and love them!) Best wishes for next time.
MARIÀNGELES says
I MADE MINE W/ APPLESAUCE CAUSE I DIDN’T HAVE BANANAS, SO I ADDED A LITTLE STEVIA AND A COUPLE TBSPS BLENDED OATS, SINCE APPLESAUCE IS RUNNY, NOT CREAMY LIKE BANANAS. I ALSO MIXED MY HOME-MADE PEANUT BUTTER W/ MY HOME MADE HONEY ALMOND-CASHEW BUTTER SINCE APPLESAUCE IS NOT AS SWEET AS BANANAS. AND I USED DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS SWEETENED W/ STEVIA.
AND THEY CAME OUT DELICIOUS.
NEXT TIME I’LL MAKE THEM W/ SHREDED COCONUT & CASHEW PIECES.& OF COURSE THE BANANAS
Chris says
Love these simple to make and nutritious cookies keep them coming
Ashley says
Can you substitute wow butter for the peanut butter?
Dani says
Yes, that would definitely work.
Kelly Dunstone says
Hi Dani can you make these like frozen cookie dough?
Dani says
I bet you could!
Cindy Rae Silfee says
I made this recipe this morning they are yummy! Next time I’ll add vanilla give it a little bit of extra boost.
Dani says
Good idea! So glad you enjoyed them, Cindy
Andrea M says
My family and I love these!!! We also add Craisins and pumpkin seeds. I have been making them a few times a week since I found your recipe!