That smell of cookies coming out of the oven takes me straight back to my mother’s kitchen. Peanut butter cookies were always the ones I went for first. The problem with the classic version is that it runs on butter, white sugar, and flour, and one cookie turns into four before you notice. This version keeps the peanut butter flavor and drops most of the rest. Oats and mashed banana do the work that flour and sugar normally do, so the cookies stay soft and chewy without weighing you down. Six main ingredients, one bowl, and about twelve minutes in the oven.
Why make this recipe
You get real peanut butter flavor without the calorie load of a traditional cookie. No flour, no butter, no eggs, and no refined sugar. They come together in one bowl with a fork, which means no mixer to wash. They work as an afternoon snack, a light dessert, or something to grab on the way out the door in the morning. And with certified gluten free oats, the whole batch is gluten free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup mashed banana, about 1 medium ripe banana
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips, optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the banana in a large bowl until smooth with no lumps left.
- Stir in the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until the mixture is even.
- Add the oats, baking powder, and salt, and mix until everything is coated. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Fold in the chocolate chips if you are using them.
- Drop rounded spoonfuls onto the sheet and flatten each one slightly with the back of a spoon. They spread very little, so shape them the way you want them.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving them. They firm up as they cool.
Makes about 12 cookies.
How to serve
Best warm, when the chocolate chips are still soft. They are just as good at room temperature with coffee or a glass of milk. Crumbled over yogurt they make a decent breakfast bowl.
How to store
Airtight container on the counter for up to a week. Two weeks in the fridge. They freeze for a month, with parchment between the layers so they do not stick.
Tips
- Use a ripe banana with brown spots. It mashes smoother and tastes sweeter, which means the cookies need less honey.
- Natural peanut butter with a loose texture mixes in more easily than the thick no-stir kind.
- Mash the banana completely. Lumps turn into wet spots in the finished cookie.
- Do not skip the baking powder. Without it they bake up dense and flat.
- Flatten before baking. These hold whatever shape you give them.
Variations
Swap the peanut butter for almond butter or sunflower seed butter if you need it nut free. Trade the chocolate chips for raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped walnuts. A half teaspoon of cinnamon works well with the banana.
FAQs
Can I use a different sweetener? Maple syrup, agave, or coconut sugar all work. Maple syrup also makes the recipe vegan.
Are these gluten free? Yes, as long as you use certified gluten free rolled oats. Oats are naturally gluten free but are often processed alongside wheat.
What if I don’t have bananas? Unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree work in the same amount. Applesauce is milder, pumpkin needs the cinnamon.
- Can I use quick oats? Yes, though the cookies come out softer and less chewy. Do not use steel cut oats, they will not soften in time.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup mashed banana about 1 medium ripe banana
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter use a loose texture for easier mixing
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder do not skip this ingredient
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips optional
Method
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the banana in a large bowl until smooth with no lumps left.
- Stir in the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until the mixture is even.
- Add the oats, baking powder, and salt, and mix until everything is coated. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Fold in the chocolate chips if you are using them.
- Drop rounded spoonfuls onto the sheet and flatten each one slightly with the back of a spoon. They spread very little, so shape them the way you want them.
Baking
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving them. They firm up as they cool.