Description
These Chewy Banana Oatmeal Cookies are a delightful blend of ripe banana, hearty oats, and warming cinnamon, delivering a soft, chewy texture with a hint of sweetness from brown and granulated sugars. Perfectly spiced and customizable with optional chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins, these cookies make a wholesome treat that’s easy to prepare and bake.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
Optional Add-ins
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure cookies do not stick and for easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer or wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, which incorporates air and aids in a light texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana until the mixture is well combined and homogeneous.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon to ensure even distribution of the leavening agent and spices.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until combined to avoid overmixing which can result in dense cookies.
- Fold in Oats and Add-ins: Fold in the old-fashioned oats and any desired optional add-ins such as chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft and chewy for the ideal texture.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use ripe bananas with brown spots for enhanced sweetness and moisture.
- Optional add-ins can be mixed or matched to your preference for variety.
- Be careful not to overbake; the cookies should remain soft in the center once cooled.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To make the cookies vegan, substitute the butter with vegan margarine and the egg with a flax egg or other egg replacer.
