Easy and flavorful, banana date oatmeal cookies are a perfect healthy snack for kids and adults alike! They come together in minutes using just a few simple pantry staples.
I baked these cookies for my toddler as a better alternative treat-snack to her Cheezits and pretzels. They are delicious! I’ll try not to glom all of them before she has a taste.
Rachel
Quick Look at the Recipe
- 🍽️ Flavor: Sweet and subtly fruity balanced with hearty oat taste
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🕒 Ready In: 30 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 30 cookies
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Bananas, dates, oats
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly: Yes!
- 👩🍳 Tip: Mashed banana is the perfect replacement for sugar and eggs in this simple recipe.
Healthy Twist on a Childhood Favorite
I’ve always loved to bake, and this was probably my first favorite recipe at 10 years old. A few years ago I was looking for a healthy cookie recipe, and I remembered these banana date oatmeal cookies. After a quick text to my mom, she sent me a photo of the recipe card I wrote as a child.
While I’ve since improved this cookie recipe in a handful of ways, they are still very similar to the cookies I made growing up and even more delicious! These days, they’re in my regular snack rotation along with recipes like coconut date energy balls and healthy banana muffins.
What Makes these Healthy Oat Cookies Special?
- Simple, healthy ingredients you probably already have on hand!
- Kid-friendly snack perfect for everyone from toddlers to adults.
- Quick cookie recipe ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
Tools Needed
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher.
Step 2: Next, stir in the rest of the ingredients: oats, chopped dates, avocado oil, vanilla, and salt.
Step 3: Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheets and place in the oven.
Step 4: Finally, bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden. Enjoy!
If you’re looking for more ways to use up old bananas, check out my banana pumpkin oat bread and healthy banana bread!
Tips for Success
The older bananas the better – Very overripe bananas have a sweeter, richer flavor and are easier to mix into the batter.
Don’t over-bake – These cookies will still be soft when they come out of the oven, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
Try adding nuts – If you’re making these cookies for older kids or adults, chopped pecans or walnuts are a delicious addition! You can add up to 1/2 cup of nuts per batch of cookies.
FAQs
You can store banana date oatmeal cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, banana date cookies freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months. They’re even on my list of favorite freezer recipes!
Unless your bananas are completely black inside, moldy, or leaking juice, they’re still perfect to use in these cookies.
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
Banana Date Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats If you need this recipe to be gluten free, use gluten-free oats.
- 3 bananas over-ripe
- 1 1/2 cups chopped dates approximately 30 medium dates
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a cookie sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher.3 bananas
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients: oats, chopped dates, avocado oil, vanilla extract, and salt.1/3 cup avocado oil, 2 cups rolled oats, 1 1/2 cups chopped dates, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto greased cookie sheets.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a fun variation, try adding up to 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Store cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
If you tried these healthy banana date cookies, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.
I baked these cookies for my toddler as a better alternative treat-snack to her Cheezits and pretzels. They are delicious! I added some dark chocolate, and next time I’ll sub in dried cranberries for half the dates for added tartness. I’ll try not to glom all of them before she has a taste. Thanks for the recipe!
These were very delicious with visual appeal and good textures for the palette, fast to make, and my husband & I each had 2 right out of the oven, went for a walk, and came home to 6 more gone since my 22 yo daughter took some to share with her friend over tea!
This is one of the best healthy snacks! I love making a huge batch and freezing some for later. If you make them I think you’ll see why I like them so much!