Published: · Modified: by Abi Cowell · This post may contain affiliate links · 78 Comments
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Don't throw out those spotty bananas! Make these quick and easy 3 ingredient banana oat breakfast cookies instead! This versatile recipe requires no egg, no flour, is gluten-free (if using gluten-free oats) and sugar-free.
They're so good for you, you can happily eat three (or six, for that matter) of these banana bread cookies. Carefree and guiltless cookies that double as breakfast. Yes, please!
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For another super easy oatmeal recipe, learn how to make the best basic vegan overnight oats and banana overnight oats.
Jump to:
- 🎙 What people say about this recipe
- 🧄 Ingredient notes
- 🔪 Instructions
- 💭 Tips
- 🔄 Variations
- 👨👩👦👦 Serving suggestions
- 💜 More recipes you'll love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
🎙 What people say about this recipe
"I'm mostly PBWFNO. Perfect for the golf course instead of a protein bar!"
- Ann
"Wonderful recipe and I can’t wait to make again! These cookies will be a weekly staple at my house!! Thanks so much for a great recipe. I added in a few things I had an hand, shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, walnuts and cranberries. This recipe is so versatile. I love it!!!"
- Cynthia
"Very good - will make again"
- Deb
🧄 Ingredient notes
What do you need to make these cookies?
- ripe, spotty bananas
- rolled oats (old fashioned or quick cooking oatmeal)
- ground cinnamon
That's it.
The ripe, spotty bananas offer sweetness and moisture. The oatmeal offers substance, nutrition and helps everything stick together.
And, the ground cinnamon is for flavor! You can switch up the cinnamon, if you'd like. See my recipe notes below for suggestions on alternative spices and flavoring.
No egg
No egg at all is required (or recommended) for these cookies. The bananas and oatmeal work in tandem to hold everything together.
So, that also means you can eat the batter, if you want (I won't tell).
No flour
All the stick togetherness in these breakfast cookies comes from the oatmeal and the mashed banana.
There's no need for flour and seeing as flour is higher in calories than a whole plant food like rolled oats, that's great for the waistline, too.
If you're looking for a vegan banana bread recipe with flour instead of oats, here's mine: Easy Vegan Banana Bread.
No sugar
This is a 3 ingredient no sugar cookie recipe. Yay! The sweetness comes from the ripe bananas.
Since sugar usually plays the role of making cookies sweet and crispy, you can expect this cookie to be mildly sweet, chewy and somewhat dense.
Kind of like a soft breakfast granola bar that's ready in less than 30 minutes, start to finish.
🔪 Instructions
Mash the bananas
You'll want them be mashed very well, with only very small chunks remaining.
Add oats and cinnamon
Stir in your rolled oats and cinnamon (or other spice).
Spoon and shape cookies, then bake!
Drop spoonfuls of batter on a baking tray and then shape them with your hands.
These cookies will not spread out, so make them into the shape, width and height you want from the beginning.
Take my advice and use a silicone mat or parchment paper to line your baking sheet, because these will stick without it.
💭 Tips
- Use parchment paper or a silicone mat to bake these, otherwise they will stick.
- Shape with your fingers before baking.
- Mash your banana really well.
- You can make these cookies any size without adjusting the ingredients. You would only need to adjust the time in the oven.
- For smaller cookies, reduce the time by 3-5 minutes.
- A small 2-inch cookie size would be great for your kids to run around with snacking on.
- For large cookies, increase time in oven by 2-3 minutes.
- A large 4-inch cookie size (especially with added nuts, seeds or dried fruit) would make a filling breakfast on the run for you.
🔄 Variations
What if you wanna make these a little fancier?
There's all sorts of beautiful things you can stir in or top these 3 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies with, my favorites being dark chocolate or walnuts.
Try these toppings or mix-ins:
- Dark chocolate chips or shavings
- Walnuts (halved or chopped)
- Pecans (halved or chopped)
- Sunflower seed kernels
- Small smear of fruit preserves, jam or jelly, like blackberry preserves
- Peanut butter (or other nut butter) for making 4-ingredient banana oatmeal peanut butter cookies
- Fresh sliced berries
- Raisins
- Dried cranberries
- Flaxseed (a teaspoon mixed in)
- Coconut
- Wheat germ (a teaspoon mixed in works well)
👨👩👦👦 Serving suggestions
Kid friendly cookies
These simple, chewy cookies are great for a kids breakfast or snack throughout the day.
They keep, stored in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days, but do not have to stay chilled, so you can throw them in your kids' lunch box for school. Or, in your purse for running errands.
Since these cookies have no sugar, you can feel good about feeding them to your kids and toddlers. For toddlers that can't chew well yet, make sure and break up the cookie into small pieces for them.
💜 More recipes you'll love
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies with Blackberry and Fennel Seed
- Easy Vegan Banana Bread
- Breakfast Couscous Bowl with Oranges
- Easy Tomato Toast
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies with Blackberries and Fennel
- Vegan Banana Bread with Applesauce
- Breakfast Couscous Bowl with Banana and Strawberries
- Easy Cherry Tomato Toast with Vegan Mayo
So, without further ado, don't throw out those spotty bananas, use them to make these quick and easy 3 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies.
Love this recipe? Please rate it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below in the recipe card. And, if you make it, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook in your posted photos! I would love to see your creations. 😄
📖 Recipe
3 Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies
Abi Cowell
3 Ingredient Cookies that are quick and easy to make. These healthy, sugar free banana oatmeal cookies are guilt-free and great for kids and toddlers!
4.39 from 386 votes
Estimated Cost: $0.75
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 17 minutes mins
Total Time 27 minutes mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Baking
Servings 4
Calories 130 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 bananas ripe and spotty, mashed
- 1 cup rolled oats old fashioned or quick cooking
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Peel and mash bananas in a medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Make sure they are well-mashed, with only small chunks remaining.
Stir in rolled oats and cinnamon. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the oats to soak up the moisture. If the batter is very wet/thin still, add 1-2 tablespoons of oats.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Cookies will stick if you skip this step).
Drop spoonfuls of batter onto baking tray and then shape with your fingers. Cookies do not spread out while baking, so shape them into the width and height you want them to be. This recipe will make about eight medium, 3-inch wide cookies.
Add optional toppings, if using.
Bake cookies for 17 minutes. *See notes for adjustments for smaller or larger cookies.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
If making small 2-in wide cookies, reduce cooking time by 3-5 minutes. If making large 4-in wide cookies, increase cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
Spices & Flavoring: Instead of cinnamon, try using 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. Or, ¼ teaspoon of cardamom + ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice seasoning is another good option.
Toppings: dark chocolate chips or shavings, walnut halves, chopped walnuts, pecan halves, chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, smear of fruit preserves, jam or jelly, berries, raisins, dried cranberries, flaxseed, coconut or wheat germ.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cookiesCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 287mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 39IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
Keyword 3 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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About Abi Cowell
Abi Cowellis theplant-based food blogger and recipe developer atVery Veganish She’s certified in plant-based nutrition by the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. Abi helpsbusy health-conscious women create simple & healthy vegan meals in under 30 minutes sothey spend less time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. A no-judgment zone, her website,VeryVeganish.commakes WFPB eating easy, delicious, and accessible for all! She specializes in crafting recipes for specific dietary needs and features recipes showcasing the diverse food culture of Houston, Texas, her hometown. When she's not cooking, you'll find her volunteering and trying to survive the Texas summers with copious glasses of iced tea.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Nicole says
I made them twice first time the traditional recipe which was delicious and today I added tail mix and peanut butter. Delicious both ways I'll be making it often thanks for the great recipe
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Abi Cowell says
What great additions! I'm so happy you're enjoying this recipe. It's so fast and easy and a great way to use up those leftover bananas!
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Beth says
How much pb did you add?
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Abi Cowell says
I would recommend shaping the cookies with your fingers, so that there's a little well in the center of them before baking, then placing a small dollop (about 1/2 a teaspoon) of peanut butter in the well. Then, bake them and you'll have a rich peanut butter topping! Don't overdo the peanut butter, though, or it will overflow.
Hope that helps!
- Abi
Reply
Rihanna Semaan says
If they are packaged for Selling as a product , can I know how much time they last in a room temp. Please ?!?
Reply
Abi Cowell says
I typically refrigerate these to store them and keep them for 3-5 days. I don't think they would last longer than a day at room temperature, since they don't have sugar to preserve them. Sorry.
Mellissa says
I am not usually a baker but I tried your recipe to use up some very ripe bananas! I didn’t have cinnamon...so I made it with only 2 ingredients! Haha Thank you for sharing and I’ll tag you on Instagram with the final reveal. 🙂
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Abi Cowell says
Melissa, your cookies looked great!!! These cookies are an easy way to use up those overripe bananas.🙌🏻🍌
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Cynthia says
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Cynthia says
Wonderful recipe and I can’t wait to make again! These cookies will be a weekly staple at my house!! Thanks so much for a great recipe. I added in a few things I had an hand, shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, walnuts and cranberries. This recipe is so versatile. I love it!!!
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Abi Cowell says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Cynthia! 😄 Your toppings sound absolutely delicious.
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Kelly says
Love these. My older children and husband love them too! Not just for little ones. Wondering if you have an oat preference. Quick or old fashion?
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Abi Cowell says
So glad to hear your family loves these as much as we do. I usually prefer to use old-fashioned oats for these. But, quick oats will work, too!
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Shannon says
These look really good and I'm notorious for over buying bananas. Have you ever frozen over-ripe bananas then thawed for this or other recipes where the bananas are cooked? I have lots of frozen bananas because I always plan to make Yonanas from them but often fail to do it.
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Abi Cowell says
I haven't done that before, but they would probably work. The cookies would be darker, though, since frozen bananas usually are a darker color once thawed.
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Misty M Fincher says
I freeze all of my bananas when they are starting to brown. I either peel them and put in whole or slice them up. They freeze perfectly fine for baking with. I also use the sliced ones in my smoothies
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Gina says
I couldn’t wait...I ate 1/3 of the dough raw with some frozen berries. Yum! I only had raisins to add into the dough. All good.
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Abi Cowell says
Lol! It's yummy straight out of the bowl, isn't it?!
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Shari says
Is there a way to get these cookies crispy? I made similar recipe and they were delicious but I would love them to be crispy,
Thank you for your help.Reply
Arpan says
How long do these cookies last and can they be frozen?
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Abi Cowell says
Hello, I store leftover cookies in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I have not attempted to freeze them, so I'm not sure how they would turn out. However, the ingredients themselves can be frozen, it may darken the cookies, since frozen bananas often darken. I hope that helps!
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Tabytha says
I freeze them all the time and they taste just as great as they do fresh! I just pop in the toaster oven on 350 for 5 mins and it's mint!
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Abi Cowell says
Sweet! so glad to hear that. whatever makes life a little bit easier!
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Janice says
what temperature , do you bake the cookies at 350?
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Abi Cowell says
Yes, bake at 350 degrees F.
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Cheryl says
I made these with defrosted frozen bananas. Like you said a little darker. The bananas soaked up the oatmeal so added a tad bit more. Baked up nice and delicious. Great recipe.
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Abi Cowell says
Fantastic! Thanks for stopping back by and letting us know how it went with the frozen banana. Great tip!
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Joanna says
I think needs a little grease and sweetener
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Abi Cowell says
Thanks for your feedback, Joanna. This recipe is a super-simple, low ingredient and meant to be oil-free and sugar-free. But, feel free to adjust to your liking! 🙂
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Lisa says
I just made these following your directions and they are so so yummy! Thank you for a delicious and healthy snack recipe!!Reply
Ann cranford says
I just bought a small box of "heatthy" cookies about 8 cookies (5oz.) for $ 6.00.
When I got home my husband started to gobble them up ,I said no way ,eat them slowly and enjoy them because they are EXPENSIVE!
(I don't think he could enjoy them at that price)
I decided to look up a healthy cookie recipe and found yours. I made them in 10 minutes (not counting baking time)
They are delicious. I added chai seeds,walnuts and a little Lilly chocolate chips.
I will keep making these and experiment different options.
Thank you, you have a winner recipe.Reply
Jackie says
How much peanut butter would you recommend adding into the mix before you bake?😊 These look so yummy!
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Abi Cowell says
Hi Jackie,
So sorry for the delay in getting back to you! I would recommend shaping the cookies with your fingers, so that there's a little well in the center of them before baking, then placing a small dollop (about 1/2 a teaspoon) of peanut butter in the well. Then, bake them and you'll have a rich peanut butter topping! Don't overdo the peanut butter, though, or it will overflow.
Hope that helps!
- Abi
Reply
Doreen Hadsall-Perdue says
Made these with cinnamon, raisins and walnuts for the Hubble. I made a second batch with pumpkin pie spice, Lily’s pumpkin pie spice chips and pecans. To those I also added 1 TBLS of monk fruit in the raw and 1 tsp of vanilla. OMG these are a great post run energy fueled snack!! Thanks so much.
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Abi Cowell says
Great additions, Doreen! Love these cookies for healthy on the go snacks.
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Bryson Debard says
Just made these, love the way they came out! I added 1 1/2 oz of TX Whiskey and walnuts! Topped with some peach jelly! Soooo freaking good!Reply
Laurie says
This is a really versatile recipe! Delish and healthy!
I added pecans, ground flax seed, & since we have an awful sweet tooth, a small amount of brown sugar. They turned out great! Thanks bunches!
I’ll post a picture, if I can find out where!Reply
Abi Cowell says
Great additions! I love how versatile it is, too!
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M says
Quick guilt free dessert. I used old fashioned oats and added about one tablespoon of peanut butter snd three tablespoons of raisins. Delicious!
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Abi Cowell says
Sounds delicious!
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Sandy Brown says
Hi! I’m a keto eater but my hubby is not. While these are not keto friendly. They are grandkid and hubby friendly! And...I have something other than banana bread to make with my ripe bananas! Great idea! Thanks!Reply
Ally says
I made these for my one year old. Decided to add 2T PB fit powder for added protein and worked very well!
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Abi Cowell says
That's a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing. I recently bought the PB fit powder for my boys to try. They like the plain peanut butter one, but the chocolate one is not their favorite, go figure.
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Kathy Mercon says
The only thing that I'd change the next time I make these is to add a bit of salt. Otherwise, I liked them.
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Jean says
Can applesauce be used instead of bananas?
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Abi Cowell says
Hi Jean, I have not tested replacing the bananas with applesauce, but you could certainly try it! I would recommend trying a small batch and you probably won't need as much applesauce, since it is more watery. I hope that helps!
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Litecook says
Would a bit of peanut butter added work? I added a bit of raisins. Easy peasy!
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Abi Cowell says
Yes! You can absolutely add some peanut butter, almond butter or even powdered de-fatted peanut butter powder (PB2) to this recipe.
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Davida says
Mine came out very soft and chewy after 18 minutes of bakibg. What did I do wrong???
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Abi Cowell says
Maybe the bananas you used were really big and you needed to add more oats? If the batter is very wet, then definitely add a little more rolled oats. These cookies are intended to be chewy (not crispy) but they firm up after baking. So, they shouldn't be super soft. I hope that helps!
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anonymous says
they taste so good dipped in almond milk and the easiest homemade cookies i’ve made, i added raisins and chocolate chips to mine 🙂Reply
PatriciaBeckerSpellman says
Day two, and not a rotten banana to be found! They are so tasty, easy and healthy. The best part is that we will never throw an overripe banana away again! Can’t wait to try the variations!Reply
Stephanie says
Delicious but I would double the recipe at least. This only made about six small cookies for us-all gone in seconds. I think if i added some nut butter and dried fruit, they would be bigger.
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June B Deisenroth says
I did not add cinnamon but will the next time, I did add some vanilla. AN I will also try with some peanut butter powder. I will let you know how they turn out.Reply
Kerry says
Could you make this as a slice,just pressed into a tray? More cooking time maybe?
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Abi Cowell says
YES. You can definitely can. In fact, I just published a recipe for banana oatmeal bars! Check it out: Healthy Banana Oatmeal Bars (5 ingredients, no flour, no egg, sugar free)
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Nicola says
Followed the recipe except that I added some extra cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla powder. Very yummy! Will make again for sure.Reply
Tiffany says
Haven't made these yet, but I'm considering making these for my 8mo daughter with a few slight adjustments to them..... Shes exclusively breastfeeding still and has refused to eat anything else thus far when offered. So I've been trying to find a recipe with simple ingredients for her. I'll be using baby cereal for the oats, banana puree and breastmilk. Any suggestions on the possible adjustments i should use for these? I just want her to have something that she will enjoy and can use for teething that she might not reject. I want them firm enough for her to chew on and not just disintegrate but soft enough that they will slowly dissolve without coming off in chunks.... Ideas possibly?
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Abi Cowell says
Hi Tiffany, my boys are 13 and 15 years old now, so I'm digging in the recesses of my brain to think of what might work well for your 8 month old. I think your plan to use baby cereal, banana puree and breastmilk is good, you'll have to just mix up the batter until it gets firm enough to spoon into little "cookies", but not so firm that they become dry. As far as something for her to chew on without it coming off in chunks - I don't know how they will be since I've never made them like that before. The oat/banana version definitely is chewier and will come off in little chunks, so they are better for a toddler/slightly older child. If you test this out, please reply back and let me know how it goes and if it worked for your little one!
- Abi 🙂
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Audrey says
Hi! I just found you and subscribed as soon as I read you post on these cookies lol! I joined NOOM back in January to regain my health. Since then, we only eat healthy 'everything!' My hubby dropped over 50 lbs., my son over 20, and I'm at 40 with a few more to go BUT, I'm always on the lookout for good, healthy meals, snack's and everything in between because let's face it, who doesn't like food?! I just whipped up your cookie recipe for the first time, adding in cinnamon, pecans, almond extract and crossed my fingers that I didn't ruin them. They are AMAZING and so EASY and QUICK to make! I wish I could show you a pic! I will be trying all kinds of add-ins from this day forward! I had filled my cookie sheet and had some left in the bowl still as I used 3 bananas' (because I had them) and added more oatmeal accordingly. While they were in the oven, I decided to taste the batter,.........then polished it off lol!!!!! DELICIOUS! I'm going to do my best to wait on the actual cookies until my guy's get home from work, so I HAD to put them out of my sight ha ha ha!!!!! Thank you for this perfect recipe!!!!!!Reply
Abi Cowell says
Congrats! So happy for you and your family, that's quite a feat! I'm glad you're loving how easy and versatile these cookies are, too!
Reply
Sue says
I them for the first time and everyone loved them. Great tasting and easy easy to make.Reply
Sherri says
I made these & drizzled pb on top & used in batter chocolate chips but my came out soft inside.why...?
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Abi Cowell says
Hi Sherri, when I make these they usually turn out chewy and firm. But, if I make the cookies larger or taller, sometimes they need a little longer to cook. Also, you may need to try adding extra oats next time. I hope that helps!
- Abi
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Janine says
Yum! Thank you so much, I love this recipe..topped with chopped walnuts. BIG HIT up in the mountain Lion den here 😁Reply
Abi Cowell says
So glad to hear it! Love these with walnuts, yum!
Reply
Patricia says
Very good. Not sweet I added unsweetened coconut, raisins and chopped pecans. Raisins gave it the sweetness. Thank youReply
Joni Weaver says
I love this recipe but I was wondering, if we don't have parchment or a seal mat can baking spray be used?
Reply
Abi Cowell says
Hi Joni, yes you can use baking spray if you don't have parchment paper or a silpat mat.
Reply
Linda says
Delicious ! My husband and I both enjoyed them. I added toasted walnuts and course sea salt to the top. This would be a great snack for my grandchildren. I may add dried cranberries or apricots for them.
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Abi Cowell says
Hi Linda, I'm so glad y'all liked them! Your additions sound absolutely delicious. I hope your grandchildren enjoy them, too!
- Abi
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sonia Mayoral says
can you freeze these cookies
Reply
Abi Cowell says
Hi Sonia, I don't think they would freeze well since they don't have much fat in them. But, feel free to try a few and see if you like the result. Let me know if you experiment with it!
Reply
Deb says
very good will make againReply
Ann says
I'm mostly PBWFNO. Perfect for the golf course instead of a protein bar!Reply
Janice says
Hi Abi, how many grams of 2 banana and thank you ?Reply
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