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Another day, another bunch of overripe bananas that I need to find a way to use up instead of throwing out. Most of the time, I just toss them into the freezer (in a freezer bag, unpeeled) for smoothies. But, occasionally, I like to bake with these spotty brown goldmines. While overripe bananas may not be enjoyable to eat, they are perfect for baking. The darker that they get, the sweeter that they become. And then if you’re baking with them, you can add less sugar, thus making your baked goods healthier. And even though these Nutty Oatmeal Banana Cookies may be a little bit healthier than regular cookies, they certainly aren’t any less tasty.

Usually a batch of cookies this size would require about one cup of butter. But with the sweet, creaminess of 2 overripe bananas, that amount is cut in half. Same with the sugar. Normally there would be almost double the amount of sugar in a batch of cookies this size. These cookies are a fantastic way to get your “cookie fix” without breaking the caloric bank.

I feel that it’s also important to note that these cookies don’t overwhelm you with the taste of banana. There is a subtle hint of banana, but it’s only a supporting character in a cast of delicious actors. Cause while I really like bananas, I don’t know that anyone truly wants to eat a cookie that tastes just like one. 😉

Let me show you how I made these Nutty Oatmeal Banana Cookies 👇🏻

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Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix 2 overripe bananas and 1/2 cup (softened) unsalted butter. Alternatively, you could also do this with a large bowl and hand mixer. Beat on medium speed until well combined and the butter is fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until combined.

Now add 1 large egg and 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract. And, once again, beat until well combined.

Dump 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour into the bowl. (You could substitute whole wheat, all-purpose, or gluten-free). Also add 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low just until combined.

Remove the bowl from the stand and stir in (by hand) 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats.

Now add the final touches.

Add-ins: You could definitely customize your add-ins here. I used 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips and 1 cup roughly chopped pecans. Some other optional add-ins could include: walnuts, any other kind of chocolate (like milk chocolate or semi sweet), raisins. Whatever you decide to add, try and keep it to about 2 1/2 cups.

Stir in your add-ins until combined.

Personally, I like these cookies a little bigger in size. I used a 1 TBSP scoop and made each cookie about 2 tbsp worth of dough. Gently flatten the tops of the cookies slightly because they will not totally spread.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie you chose). You want the edges and tops of the cookie to be slightly golden.

Let the cookies sit on the warm baking sheet for about 10 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

This batch will make about 18 large cookies. Store the leftover cookies in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

Enjoy!!

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Have you tried this recipe? Thinking about it? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave me your thoughts in the comment section below.