Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Cookies Recipe

I turn four simple ingredients into Peanut Butter Banana Cookies in just 15 minutes, and I’ll share quick add-ins like chocolate chips or chopped nuts to make the recipe even more interesting.

I was kinda sure these Peanut Butter Banana Cookies would be another dull hack, but the first bite proved me wrong. Ripe bananas and creamy peanut butter turn into something chewy, almost shockingly rich, while still feeling like a smart choice.

Theyre the kind of cookie you hide from yourself, cause they vanish too fast, and yes sometimes I eat two before anyone notices. If you like straightforward, no-nonsense treats that make you wonder how simple things can taste so grown up, try these, you might get weirdly obsessed.

Ingredients

• Ripe bananas add natural sweetness and moisture plus potassium and fiber
• Creamy natural peanut butter gives protein, healthy fats and rich nutty flavor
• Old fashioned rolled oats add chewy texture, slow carbs for steady energy and fiber
• Optional dark chocolate chips lend slight bitterness, antioxidants and little pockets of sweetness
• Together they make simple, mostly healthy cookies with protein, fiber and real banana sugar

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed about 1 cup
• 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter, 240 g
• 1 cup rolled oats old fashioned, about 90 g
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips optional, about 60 g

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a medium bowl mash 2 very ripe bananas until mostly smooth, about 1 cup.

3. Add 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter 240 g and stir until fully combined, scrape the sides so nothing is left behind.

4. Stir in 1 cup rolled oats old fashioned about 90 g until a sticky dough forms.

5. If you want chocolate chips fold in 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips about 60 g now. If the dough seems too wet add a few more oats, too dry add a little more mashed banana or peanut butter, or chill the dough 10 minutes to firm it up.

6. Scoop tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared sheet leaving about 2 inches between them, then press each slightly with the back of a spoon or a fork to flatten and make a pattern.

7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and bottoms are lightly golden, if you like chewier cookies take them out on the earlier side.

8. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling so they hold together.

9. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days or freeze for longer storage.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Medium mixing bowl
3. Fork or potato masher for mashing the bananas
4. Measuring cups and spoons (1 cup + 1/3 cup)
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping the bowl
6. Tablespoon cookie scoop or a tablespoon and a regular spoon to portion dough
7. Baking sheet spatula or flat spatula to lift cookies if needed
8. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for safety and cooling

FAQ

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bananas: swap with 1 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 cup pumpkin puree or 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato — keeps cookies moist and sweet
• Peanut butter: swap with 1 cup almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter (great nut-free option) — use 1:1
• Rolled oats: swap with 1 cup quick oats for a softer cookie, or 1 cup oat flour (pulse oats in a blender) for a denser, chewier bite
• Dark chocolate chips: swap with 1/3 cup chopped nuts, raisins or chopped dates, or yogurt chips — same amount, optional mix-ins

Pro Tips

1) Natural peanut butter separates so stir the jar real good and scrape the sides before you measure, otherwise some cookies end up oily. If it still feels too runny chill the mixed dough 10 to 20 minutes and it firms right up.

2) Dough texture is everything, dont be shy to tweak it — add oats a tablespoon at a time if it seems wet, or a little more mashed banana or peanut butter if its crumbly. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes to make scooping way easier.

3) For even baking and chewiness portion with a tablespoon scoop so they’re all the same size, press them down just a bit, and pull them out when the edges look set but the centers are still soft if you want them chewy. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for consistent color.

4) Little flavor boosts and storage hacks: toast the oats in a dry skillet for a minute or two for nuttier flavor, add a tiny pinch of flaky salt or a splash of vanilla to brighten things, and freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray then transfer to a bag so you can bake fresh cookies anytime.