Bananas + Oats: Meet The Easiest Cookies You’ll Ever Make

Bananas. They’re one of those foods that we often take for granted, always there in the fruit bowl next to the apples, turning brown more quickly than I would prefer. Perfect in their portability, bananas are actually a rather unexpected powerhouse of nutrients. Most commonly praised for their high potassium content, which helps to regulate blood pressure – which in turn keeps your heart functioning normally – bananas are high in fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and manganese. Bananas also help to relieve stress and keep you happy, thanks to their high levels of tryptophan, which converts to serotonin (the feel-good hormone) when released into the bloodstream. All pretty solid reasons to enjoy one every now and then, no? Typically I’ll add a banana to my morning smoothie or throw one in my gym bag to eat before a workout, but lately I’ve been experimenting more with this surprisingly versatile fruit (or, if you want to get technical bout it, berry).

Which is where these cookies come in. There’s not much to say about them, except that they’re easy, they’re versatile, and they’re great to grab as a quick breakfast when you’re running out the door in the morning. Oh yeah, and in their most basic form, they only have two ingredients: bananas and oats. Check out the recipe below, along with a few mix-in options, because as usual, I couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Banana + Oat Cookies
Makes approx. 18 cookies after mix-ins

3 very ripe medium bananas (the bananas I used were completely brown)

1.5 cups gluten-free oats

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (this is a must). Mash the bananas and oats together in a large mixing bowl using a fork. The end result should be about the same consistency of normal cookie dough. If the mix is too dry, add more banana, if it’s too wet, add more oats.

Optional mix-ins:

1 tsp each vanilla, powdered ginger, cinnamon

Gluten-free chocolate chips & unsweetened coconut

Cacao nibs & chopped raw hazelnuts

Raisins & unsweetened cocoa powder

You can keep the banana and oat mixture as-is, or add in extra flavor by mixing in 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp powdered ginger, and 1 tsp cinnamon, along with any combination of the suggested pairings above (I used a small handful of each).

Once you’ve added in everything you want, place tablespoon-sized scoops of the dough about 1-inch apart on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden-brown.