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Who doesn't want cookies for breakfast?! These No Bake Breakfast Cookies are made with banana, peanut butter and rolled oats and are a quick, healthy, grab-and-go breakfast option!
Cookies for breakfast? Yep, we're doing it! I mean, why not? Breakfast cookies are both adult and kid-friendly, plus they're easy to meal prep (win!).
I love when breakfast is already ready to go in the mornings, which is why I'm such a huge fan of overnight oats and frittatas. These cookies are incredibly quick to make, and I promise your kids will love them. Plus, they're easy to customize to your liking!
Recipe features
- They're no bake, so you can whip them up in just a few minutes!
- They're loaded with good-for-you ingredients like banana, rolled oats and peanut butter
- These cookies are not only a great breakfast, but a delicious snack too!
Ingredients
Banana - Using a ripe banana is key for a couple reasons. First, it'll be easier to mash up if it's ripe, and secondly, it'll bring out more of the banana flavor (which is also why all banana bread recipes recommend using ripe bananas).
Peanut butter - Some peanut butters are more oily than others, and that's ok. But, if you use an oily peanut butter, you may need to add an extra tablespoon of oats. Alternatively, if you use a drier peanut butter, you might have to use 1 more tablespoon of honey. Feel free to sub your favorite nut butter (like almond butter) instead.
Honey - Honey makes these cookies a little bit sweeter, plus it pairs perfectly with the banana and nut butter and acts as a glue to hold everything together. You can use maple syrup, but the cookies won't hold together as well.
Oats - After testing these a few times, I realized that the best option is to use a combination of rolled oats and quick oats. The rolled oats provide a nice texture, and the quick oats act similar to flour and really help to hold the cookies together. If you only want to use one type, opt for quick oats.
Add-ins - I used chia seeds and hemp seeds for extra fiber and protein. See the Tips section below for other options.
Step-by-step instructions
As with most "no bake" recipes, this one is pretty simple, but let's walk through how to make these cookies.
Step 1: Start by using a fork or potato masher to mash the banana into the bottom of a large bowl.
Step 2: Stir in the peanut butter and honey until everything is well combined and there are minimal lumps.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients--oats, chia seeds, and hemp seeds--to the bowl and use a spoon to stir everything together. The dough should be fairly dry in texture so that you're able to roll it into balls.
Step 4: The final step is to use your hands to roll the dough into balls. Then, using either your hands or the back of a spoon, smash the balls down into a flat disc, forming a cookie.
Tip
The cookie "dough" will be a bit sticky; I recommend slightly wetting your hands to prevent it from sticking to your hands while you form the cookies.
Can I substitute other ingredients?
Sure can! Here are some common substitutions for these breakfast cookies:
- ANY kind of nut butter in place of peanut butter
- Maple syrup instead of honey
- These cookies are refined sugar-free, but you can add a tablespoon of sugar (cane sugar, coconut sugar, monk fruit) to make these sweeter if you prefer
- Add-ins: If you don't want to use chia and/or hemp seeds, try mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds/walnuts, ground flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, or a scoop of protein powder
How should I store these?
Refrigerator: These breakfast cookies hold up best when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and taste best when consumed within 4 days.
Freezer: If you prefer to make these ahead of time and freeze them for later, simply place them in a large plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
More quick breakfast recipes
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Whole Wheat Morning Glory Muffins
- Savory Zucchini Bread
- Cinnamon Blueberry Rice Pudding
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
No Bake Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 banana mashed (about ⅓ cup)
- ⅔ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
Instructions
- Mash the banana in a medium bowl, then add the peanut butter and honey. Mix together until combined.
- Next, add in the chia seeds, hemp seeds and oats and stir until combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly wet your hands, then grab about 2 tablespoons of the mixture, roll it into a large ball, then flatten it into a cookie. Place the cookies onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. You should end up with 12 total cookies.
- Transfer cookies to the fridge to harden up, at least 1 hour. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in January 2020. It was updated with new text in March 2024.
June says
Hi, can I skip or substitute chia seeds? I only miss chia seeds but have the rest of them to make it?
Erin says
You can skip them!
June says
Thanks for your quick reply! Yes, I made it and it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo delicious:)
Erin says
That's awesome!! Glad you enjoyed them.
Roberta says
I ran out of almond butter so I used peanut butter. That definitely works too, delicious! I have one question. In the picture of the ingredients, you have vanilla but I don't see it in the actual recipe. Is there supposed to be? This is the second recipe that I have tried from your site and can't wait to try more. Thank you!
Erin says
Nice catch -- yes, there should be vanilla -- just added it into the recipe card (though it doesn't make a HUGE difference). So glad you're loving the recipes!
Peter Calvin says
Hey Erin, must say this is the most yummy and mesmerizing chocolate cake i have ever seen. Would love to try and make one on my own by following your instructions. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Cheers!