Banana + Oatmeal Cookies
It’s almost back to school time, so I thought I’d design a delicious and healthy oatmeal cookie for the kids. The good thing about it is that they are also nut free, seeing as most schools these days don’t allow nuts. These cookies are a great portable food and pack well into any lunch box. I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do ! For those who are gluten free or paleo - use almond meal (ground almonds in place of the oats). see notes below.
What’s good about them:
Oats are a great source of soluble fiber that not only fills you up, but also helps delay stomach emptying, so you feel full for longer. According to studies, the beta-glucan fiber found in oats can help regulate your appetite for up to 4 hours as well as help lower cholesterol. Cinnamon improves insulin’s efficiency, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. A Swedish study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that inclusion of cinnamon in the diet lowered blood glucose levels. The amount used was ½ a teaspoon. I’ve also used olive oil in this recipe which replaces traditional butters found in most cookies. The olive oil is anti-inflammatory to the body.
150 g (5 1/2 oz / 1 cup ) smashed ripe banana
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
200 g (2 cups / 7 oz) rolled oats
50 g (1/2 cup / 2 oz) desiccated coconut or ground flaxseed / almonds / LSA if you don’t like coconut.
60 g (1/2 cup) rasins or cranberries
90 g (1/4 cup ) honey or pure maple syrup
60 ml (1/4 cup ) macadamia nut oil, olive oil, butter, coconut oil
Preheat your oven to 160 C. 320 F – fan forced.
Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl.
Mix together well with your hands, squeezing the mixture together until it starts to bind.
Form into 12 cookies. I like to use a small ice cream scoop for this, but you can also use a tablespoon or your hands.
Flatten slightly then sprinkle with rolled oats.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
Cool and enjoy.
Makes 12 cookies
Will keep for 5 days wrapped in a sealed container.
Protein: 2.4 g
Total fat: 9 g
Saturated: 3 g
Carbs: 22 g
Calories: 178
kilojoules: 744
Fiber: 2.2 g
NOTES: to make these cookies gluten free, use almond meal in place of the oats and reduce banana to 60 g.
dried fruits can also be replaced with other dried fruits such as prunes, dates, apricots and figs. Just make sure you chop them up first.
x
Contact Teresa Cutter
these look amazing!!!!! just wondering what could i substitute for the coconut and cranberries??
Caitlin use almond meal and chopped apricots or raisins.
Hi therese
I have a gluten intolerance what can I substitue for the oatmeal
chris
For a gluten or paleo cookie use almond meal instead of the oats:) it’s delicious xx
Hi Caitlin,
I was wondering exactly the same thing! Let me know what you come up with?
Cheers,
Kate.
Hi Teresa,
I am just wondering if you can help me out – I would love to make these cookies but I have a severe allergy to coconut. I am wondering if you can suggest a substitute for me.
Looking forward to hearing form you.
Kind regards
Melanie
Hi Melanie – Use almond meal in place of the coconut and it will work wonderfully !
These look great…. I’m going to try them with coconut oil
Hi Teresa,
My partner is allergic to banana is there a substitute I can use in replace of this.
I will make my own batch with banana as it sounds delicious.
Thank you
YES ! Rosie there is a perfect replacement – just add 1 egg. That will do it. mix well with hands to bind – it will take about 3 good minutes. TX
Just made a batch. Really yum and we’re not big fans of banana…
These cookies look great !- I am passionate about supplying good healthy food thats easy to make. Saturday is baking day for me. The kids have learnt all about transfats recently and are very keen to get into the baking especially if chocolate is involved so we would love some easy lunchbox treats!
Thanks again for another fabulous recipe. Such a great treat. I made them with 1 cup of coconut, 1 cup of almond meal and 1/2 cup of LSA mix… FANTASTIC! There is so much going around about too much sugar, is there any sunstitute for the honey? I would love it if you could dedicate a blog post to the idea of sugar reduction, and exactly what or how uch sugar is ok. Thanks Teresa!
Made these today, as I was making them I wasn’t sure they would turn out well – but they are fantastic – great flavour and texture, both kids loved them. Will definitely make again, thank you!
I just made them and they’re gone already! Can this be part of the 80 in the 80/20 rule??? I sure hope so!
I didn’t have any oil in the cupboard so I added 2 tablespoons of Natural Peanut butter, worked a treat they were so yummy I had to share this with other peanut butter lovers
hey kate,
just letting you know what i came up with… i halved the mixtured and did half with linseed meal and the other with almond meal, to replace the rasins i used goji berries (which i soaked in a bowl of water for a couple of hours) take note that they expand and you only need 20g of dried goji berries as once the water is absorbed there will be 60g or more) they taste beautiful!!! the linseeds one a fav i must say, hopefully this helps you.
thank you teresa for you lovely recipes, they are so versitile! i must say these were a big hit
cheers caitlin. x
Cookies in the oven and my daughter is licking the bowl!
These are delicious! Thank you Teresa, recipes are devine.
Love, LoVe, LOVE them!! Just made a batch yesterday and they are already my favourites of all healthy snacks!
The mixture was very moist though and I added another 1/2 cup of rolled rye (I did half/half rolled oats and rye – yumm!).
Thank you Teresa for these lovely recipes!!!
can i freeze these?? i made them today being sunday, what be be ok to freze them tomorrow (moday)?
cheers!
Yes you can freeze Caitlin.
They are moist so will be great.
how long can you keep them for if you freeze?
unfrozen, you suggest they keep 5 days – i assume because of the banana you cant keep them too long? what if you make them without banana, would they keep longer unfrozen?
thx
Made these this afternoon. They were very very moist and hard to form into cookie shapes. Very delicious though! even hubby liked them.
Any suggestions for how to firm them up a bit? Could I add a little plain flour perhaps? no allergies in our house or special diets.
Thanks for the recipe Teresa!
YUMM !! I made these the other day & they are now at the top of my favourite list (along with your choc chip cookie
). I used cranberries, shredded coconut and also added a handful of pumpkin seeds. I let the mixture sit for about 1/2 hour for the oats and coconut to soften up before cooking. They tasted so good straight out of the oven but even better the next day when the banana flavour developed a bit more & the biscuit softened. Thanks for another keeper recipe Teresa
Delicious cookies! Quick and easy to make while my 12 week old is napping – the perfect snack for late night feeding! Thanks for a great recipe.
I just baked these and ate one warm out of the oven. SO DELICIOUS!
Hi Teresa, I’ve just made the first batch of these for my 2 and 3 year old and they are devouring them! Also, using the ice team scoop is genius. I’ve always found oat biscuits hard to keep in a ball for cooking.
the raw mixture tastes sooo good!
i added sultanas (no craisin/cranberries), blitz up the oats a bit so it binded together easier. substituted the olive oil for a bit of melted coconut oil.
Teresa, you are very inspiring! Thankyou for all the wonderful recipes that provide great alternatives to empty processed foods and ingredients. I made these with my 3 boys (3 1/2, 2 1/2, 2 1/2 year olds) who love to cook, they ate half the ‘raw’ mixture! Biscuits fantastic! Your recipes are ‘raveworthy’!! THANKYOU!
Just made them for my girls as an afternoon snack….very yummy!
Mixture was very wet though & they haven’t turned out crunchy. Is that right?
They are soft, but still nice!
Oh my goodness, Teresa. This recipe is divine!
I honestly cannot begin to describe the sweet aroma that is currently penetrating through the house!
Particularly, I am very fond of the addition of the banana – it binds all the ingredients together particularly well.
On a cold, rainy winter’s day, this recipe is a MUST for everyone to try. You never fail to leave me disappointed.
Thank-you, again. You are a very inspirational and gifted lady X
Could you let me know where I could find dessicated coconut? It may be different in the states but I’ve never seen it.
Thanks
The banana flavour in these cookies are so good! I added dates, and a mixture of sunflower/pepitas/cashhews/almonds/sultanas/walnuts. I even have eaten them crumbled up with fresh strawberries and yoghurt, its so tasty, thank you.
Hi,
It says 60ml of macadamia oil, olive oil, butter,coconut oil. Is that 60ml total? Using one of these or each of these?
Thanks:)
60 ml total KAte….your choice of oil from the recommended list.
Hi,
I have only recently stumbled across your website and decided to attempt these cookies today. My fingers were crossed that they would be different from the usual tasteless and boring cookies I seem to end up with (when baking healthy)… needless to say I was blown away! No really, I mean it- Blow away! Ive had to physically stop myself from gobbling the entire batch!
Your recipes are exactly what I have been looking for! Healthy, tasty, clean and exciting! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!
Dee
(Melbourne, Aus)
omg these just came out of oven, the smell in my kitchen is insane! cant wait till they cool-getting a little hooked in your recipes
These look sooo yummy! Do you think these would work if I used pureed sweet potato or pumpkin in place of the banana?
I found these didn’t stick together that well, and I didn’t like the use of raisins – personally. So I made these with dried blueberries, and put it all in the food processor to combine. The result is beyond fantastic, and hold together fab. Feels like you are eating something naughty, which is even better. Thanks for your fab recipes. I just love them. Can’t wait to try your chocolate cake recipe for the next special occasion.
Hi Theresa,
Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes. I am slowly working my way through them and have not been disappointed yet. I love their versatility and that they are quick and easy, especially in my thermomix.
These biscuits were no exception. I simply placed mine in mini muffin pans and some in normal mufin pans partly full. They have come out great. I too blitzed the mixture a little more and it stuck together easily. For a little treat, drizzled white chocolate on half. Ok, not so healthy now, but even more delish.
Awesome, love them, thanks so much Teresa
Hello! I’m planning to make these because these look so great, and I’m always looking for healthier alternatives for baking.
Just wondering, is the texture soft or crunchy?
Can you freeze these? they look incredible!
can’t wait to try them
I tried baking them over the weekend and they were delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe! I also wrote about it on my blog (http://theblankpagess.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/banana-oat-cookies/)
Hi there
Can I use grapeseed oil…???
Thank you so much Teresa, another delicious recipe! They have just come out of the oven and are fantastic!
omgg these are amazing!!
i used agave syrup (45gm) to sweeten
and i made them with cranberries and substituted 100gm of pepitas for the oats
DIVINE, like they’ll last 5 days!! (also very visually appealing with the green and red)
thanks teresa xx
baking and beauty routine! squishing the oats and honey together felt great for my hands
i’ve made a double batch for my son to take to kindy for his 4th b’day cookie cake. i will provide his teacher your website details so she can put it up on the email ‘today note’ for other parents. thanks theresa. love your work!
Delish! I used a mix of dried figs and apricots instead of currants.
Reminded me of apricot muesli bars I used to hassle my mum for when I was a kid… But heaps better, of course!
Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi theresa I presume the calories in this recipe are per biscuit. Can you confirm please as eating loads as tgey are so fab!! Joanna (Ireland)
Glad you love them Joanna – Yep it’s per cookie
xx
Thanks, Teresa! Easiest and quickest cookies I’ve ever made and taste great!
I made these last night (whipped them up in just a few minutes) and they’re beautiful! I’m on a low GI diet and figure these would be low GI due to all the oats. Really great recipe thank you!
I had been craving oatmeal cookies all week, and came across your recipe by accident. Tried it almost exactly as you suggested, except that I wanted to include both linseed and coconut so used 25 gr of each instead of 50 gr in total of just one. One word: SUPERB!!! We loved the flavor and the texture. They are very filling and satisfying for breakfast of whenever you need a bit of healthy energy. Many many many thx for sharing
Oops! I made the gluten free version – twice now – and have only just read the recipe properly to see that I was supposed to reduce the banana content!!! Still turned out delicious and luckily I reduced the amount of honey (I used organic coconut syrup) to just 30g. It also made 16 good size cookies not 12. Guess that is what the extra banana did! Yum? Thanks for yet another great recipe Teresa.