The combination of crispy oats, sweet bananas, nutritious nuts, seeds, berries, and smooth peanut butter creates a unique and irresistible texture that will sure be loved by many.
The satisfaction from the crunch and the chewiness make these healthy oatmeal cookies unlike any other.
Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
Oats are a great source of fiber and essential nutrients.
Try our other popular oatmeal recipes: cranberry overnight oats, baked oatmeal, oatmeal zucchini muffins.
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Ingredients
- Oats - quick oats, steel-cut oats, old-fashioned rolled oats. For even-looking uniform cookies, use quick oats, for chunky - rolled oats. Use certified GF oats if needed.
- Oat Flour - or regular all-purpose flour or gluten free flour (with or without xanthan gum).
- Salt - sea salt or kosher salt for the best natural flavor. Salt is optional but helps to enhance all the flavors and intensify the cocoa and maple syrup taste.
- Peanut butter - almond butter can be used instead. I don't recommend using natural peanut butter as this can create dry cookies. Although be sure to check the ingredients in your peanut butter, I recommend no sugar added.
- Vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract - both can be used interchangeably in baking. I just find that paste has a stronger vanilla flavor.
- Maple syrup - or honey or agave syrup.
- Nuts, seeds and dried fruit - just mix & match and use what’s available in your kitchen pantry.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine. In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, egg, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and peanut butter. You can use an electric hand-held mixer or spatula.
- Add flour and combine.
- Fold in the oats, dried fruit seeds, and almonds.
- Shape the cookies. Using a 2-tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, shape the mixture into cookie shapes and gently press down.
- Bake. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon matt and bake for 14-15 minutes.
- These cookies will be soft with a very light crisp exterior. If you want them crisper, bake them for an extra 2 minutes.
- Related: cranberry overnight oats
Tips
- Make sure to go for no sugar-added oats as many brands may contain added sugars.
- Always wash nuts and dried fruit - despite being packaged and labeled ‘’ready to eat,’’ you still have to wash your dried fruit and nuts (not the freeze-dried berries). This is especially true if you have purchased them loose.
- Consider using a smaller cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon to create smaller versions of these healthy oatmeal cookies. Due to their smaller size, smaller cookies will require less baking time and cook faster.
- You can also add more spices in addition to cinnamon. Nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger will add extra flavor.
- Use whole grain flour - If you're using regular all-purpose flour instead of oat flour, replace it with whole grain flour to increase the fiber and nutrient content of your cookies. For the oats, use whole grain oats without any additives or added sugar.
- I used freeze dried raspberries for a little extra crunch but you can use dried fruit of choice instead.
- Further reading - How to measure baking ingredients.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for longer.
- To Freeze. Transfer cookies to an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag and freeze for 3-4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before eating.
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Recipe Card
The Best Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
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INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup mashed banana, ripe
- ¼ cup oat flour , or gluten-free flour if needed
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats, or certified gluten-free oats
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup peanut butter , or other nut butter or allergy-friendly substitute
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup crushed freeze-dried berries, or dried fruit, I used raspberry
- ½ cup almond flakes , or chopped almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, egg, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and peanut butter. You can use an electric hand-held mixer or spatula.½ cup mashed banana, 1 egg, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ cup peanut butter
- Add flour and combine.¼ cup oat flour
- Fold in the oats, dried fruit, seeds, and almonds.1 cup old-fashioned oats, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup crushed freeze-dried berries, ½ cup almond flakes, ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- Using a 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, shape the mixture into cookie shapes and gently press down. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon matt and bake for 14-15 minutes. These cookies will be soft with a very light crisp exterior. If you want them crisper, bake for extra 2 minutes.
VIDEO
NOTES
- To Store. Keep the cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or refrigerate for longer.
- To Freeze. Transfer cookies to an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature before eating.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
FAQs
Avoid over-baking and store the oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
To maintain moisture, add a slice of bread or a damp paper towel to the container.
Oatmeal is commonly perceived as a healthy ingredient in cookies.
It is a whole grain with fiber that aids digestion and lowers cholesterol; it also provides protein, iron, magnesium, and zinc. However, moderation is key, and cookies are best enjoyed as snacks rather than meals.
Easy Healthy Cookie Recipes
For all baking recipes, hop on to our Desserts collection.
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
daveM
Just delicious and so easy !
Julia
Thank you Dave for sharing your comment, glad you liked them!
Sarah L.
Hey Julia! These oatmeal cookies sound perfect for after-school snacks. Quick question: Can I swap out the sugar for honey or will that mess up the texture? Always trying to sneak in healthier options for the kiddos. Thanks!
Dannii
These cookies were amazing. They had everything we love in them and the perfect texture.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
they are perfect!
Sharon
Love this recipe, I would totally make it with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter. I sometimes wash my dried fruit too and I'm curious why you wash them or your seeds and nuts? Thanks!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
debris and dirt and chemicals are on them 🙂
Amena
can i skip banana or any alternative to banana ?
Julia
Hi Amena, I am not sure, banana adds sweetness and acts as a binder. You could perhaps try homemade applesauce but the cookies will be different.
Ned
This was just the cookie I was looking for! Healthy and delicious! It was perfect!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you!
Brandi
These are so easy to make and were delicious! We have been eating them for breakfast.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you!
Maria
Can I add fresh blueberries instead?
Thank you
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
you could try, but they will add moisture to cookies
Ellie
These look absolutely delicious, I can't wait to try! They look exactly like ones I had before that I loved and have been searching for the recipe! I love how they can be made gluten-free & to fit other dietary restrictions. Plus, great variety in switching up the nut butter, nuts or seeds, and fruit! I'll try them first with dried cranberries. Yum!
*Tip for diabetics- look into natural Monk Fruit Sugar! It doesn't impact blood sugar or insulin levels. <3
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you for sharing the tip Ellie, glad you enjoyed!
John Richards
These look great, but what happened to the rhubarb?
Jennifer Comfort
Perfect snack that isn't all sugar! My family loved them! I now plan ahead and ask for suggestions before going to the the market. We like to experiment with different seeds, nuts, and berries. Thank you!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
nuts and seeds are incredible and nutritious indeed!
Luis
This is a wonderful totally nutritious recipe
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you so much Luis, glad you liked it!
Colleen
What is the serving size please? I am Type II diabetic. Is the nutritional value for one cookie? Thank you.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Colleen, my nutrition calculator is showing 110 kcal per 1 cookie, but this is always estimate and will depend on exact ingredients you'll be using. You can also try this to calculate according to your ingredients: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Healthy Oatmeal Cookies - The satisfaction from the crunch and the satisfaction from the chewiness make this cookie unlike any other.