Bananas going brown on the counter? Before you toss them, turn them into a batch of jumbo banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. This easy recipe uses just four ingredients and one bowl, so you can make something sweet without turning your kitchen into a whole baking project.

All you need is ripe bananas, rolled oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Mash, stir, scoop, and bake. The recipe makes five jumbo cookies, which is a nice size batch when you want a homemade treat without making several trays.

These cookies fit right into my kind of balance: simple ingredients, an easy recipe, and plenty of chocolate. You can enjoy one with your morning coffee, pack one for an afternoon snack, or save one for a little something sweet after dinner.

Why make cookies with ripe bananas?

If you always seem to have two bananas left at the end of the week, this is an easy way to use them. Ripe bananas add sweetness and moisture, and they mash easily into the peanut butter. The oats give the mixture texture, while the chocolate brings everything together.

There’s no separate granulated sugar in this recipe, although your chocolate chips and peanut butter may contain added sugar. The sweetness comes from the bananas and whichever chocolate you choose. That makes ripe bananas especially helpful here: they bring more flavor and sweetness than firm, barely yellow ones.

What do these cookies taste like?

Expect a soft, hearty cookie with banana and peanut butter flavor. The rolled oats give each bite a little chew, and the chocolate adds pockets of sweetness.

These have more of a banana-oat breakfast-cookie texture than a crisp, buttery chocolate chip cookie. They stay soft in the middle and need time to cool before you pick them up. If you enjoy banana, peanut butter, and chocolate together, this is a simple way to put that combination to work.

The four ingredients you’ll need

Ripe bananas

You’ll need two ripe bananas. Look for yellow peels with plenty of brown spots and fruit that’s soft enough to mash with a fork. Mash them well so you don’t end up with large pieces throughout the dough.

Bananas vary in size, so the mixture can be a little softer or thicker from batch to batch. Keep that in mind when shaping the cookies and checking them in the oven.

Rolled oats

Use ¾ cup rolled oats. They give these cookies their oatmeal texture and help hold the banana and peanut butter mixture together. This recipe is written for rolled oats; steel-cut oats aren’t a direct substitute because they have a much firmer texture.

Peanut butter

You’ll need ½ cup peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter is easy to stir into the mashed bananas. If yours has a layer of oil on top, stir the jar thoroughly before measuring so you get an even consistency.

The flavor of your peanut butter will come through in the finished cookies, so use one you enjoy eating.

Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Use ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Fold them into the mixture for chocolate throughout, or press them into the tops of the shaped cookies like I do in the video.

You can also do a little of both: mix some into the dough and save the rest for the tops. Keep the total at ½ cup for the recipe below.

Jumbo banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe

Makes: 5 jumbo cookies
Oven temperature: 350°F (175°C)
Bake time: About 12–15 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients

● 2 ripe bananas, mashed

● ¾ cup rolled oats

● ½ cup peanut butter

● ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mash the bananas. Place the peeled bananas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork until mostly smooth.

3. Mix in the peanut butter. Stir until the bananas and peanut butter are evenly combined.

4. Add the oats. Stir in the rolled oats, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl so everything is mixed through.

5. Add the chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a portion for the tops if you like. Alternatively, add all the chocolate to the tops after shaping.

6. Scoop and shape. Divide the mixture into five mounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Gently flatten with the back of a spoon. Press any reserved chocolate into the tops.

7. Bake. Bake for about 12–15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies look set. Start checking at 12 minutes. Your oven, banana size, and cookie thickness can affect the time.

8. Cool before moving. Let the cookies cool and firm up on the baking sheet before carefully transferring them to a wire rack.

Tips for making your batch

Flatten before baking. These cookies don’t spread much in the oven. Shape them into thick, rounded cookies before baking instead of leaving them as tall scoops.

Keep the sizes similar. Dividing the mixture evenly helps the cookies bake at a similar rate. A cookie scoop or large spoon makes portioning easier.

Use the visual cues, too. The baking time is a guide. Look for set cookies and lightly golden edges, and allow extra time if the centers still look wet.

Be patient with cooling. Warm banana-oat cookies can be delicate. Letting them rest on the pan helps them hold together when you move them.

Easy ways to serve them

Pair a cookie with coffee or tea for a relaxed snack, or serve one alongside yogurt and fruit for breakfast. For dessert, gently warm a cookie until the chocolate softens and enjoy it with a spoon.

The jumbo size makes each cookie feel like its own little treat. You can also split one when you just want a few bites of something sweet.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a mixer?

No. A bowl, fork, and spoon are enough. Mash the bananas with the fork, then stir in the remaining ingredients.

Is vanilla missing from the ingredients?

No vanilla is needed for this version. The banana, peanut butter, oats, and chocolate make up the complete four-ingredient recipe.

Can I use chocolate chunks instead of chips?

Yes. Chopped chocolate works, too, and gives you those larger pieces on top shown in the video. Use the same ½-cup amount.

Are these crunchy cookies?

These are soft cookies with some chew from the oats. They won’t have the crisp texture of a traditional butter-and-sugar cookie.

Can I make smaller cookies?

You can divide the mixture into smaller portions, but they may bake faster. Check them earlier and use the same cues: lightly golden edges and a set appearance. The 12–15-minute timing above is for five jumbo cookies.

Can I swap the peanut butter?

Another nut or seed butter may change the flavor and consistency. This recipe is written for peanut butter; other versions haven’t been tested here.

Save those ripe bananas

The next time you spot a couple of bananas going brown, you have another option for using them. With one bowl, four ingredients, and a short bake, they can become five jumbo cookies with plenty of chocolate in every batch.

Save this recipe for your next ripe-banana situation, and enjoy a little something sweet.