These 3 ingredient oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy, with ripe banana binding quick oats and sugar-free chocolate chips. They contain no flour or peanut butter and bake in 12-15 minutes, making them practical for simple homemade baking.
Why You'll Love These 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
- One-bowl method: Mash, mix, portion, and bake without using a mixer.
- Banana-bound dough: Mashed banana holds the quick oats together without flour or eggs.
- Balanced sweetness: Ripe banana sweetens the oats, while sugar-free chocolate chips add rich chocolate flavor.
- Generous cookies: One batch produces seven large cookies with soft, chewy centers.
I make these cookies when ripe bananas are sitting on the counter, and I want something simple. They come together without a mixer, which makes them practical when I do not want a complicated baking project. The same straightforward approach draws me to my 3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal cookies when I want a nuttier result. On quieter baking days, a light yogurt cake gives me another uncomplicated option. This banana-oat version remains useful because three everyday ingredients make seven generous cookies.
I like the soft, chewy texture that quick oats create after absorbing the mashed banana. The banana adds mellow sweetness, while sugar-free chocolate chips bring richer pockets through each cookie. Mashing the banana smoothly helps the oats hydrate evenly and keeps the mixture cohesive. Flattening each portion matters because the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading. The result is softer than my double chocolate chip cookies and less rich than flourless peanut butter cookies.
Key Ingredients in 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
These three ingredients each have a specific role in the texture, sweetness, and structure of the cookies.
- Ripe bananas: I use very ripe bananas because they mash easily, add moisture, and naturally sweeten the cookie mixture.
- Quick oats: For me, quick oats provide the right soft, cohesive texture because they absorb the mashed banana efficiently.
- Sugar-free chocolate chips: I use sugar-free chocolate chips for rich chocolate flavor without adding regular chocolate-chip sugar.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
The complete measurements appear in the recipe card, while these four steps show the basic method.
1. Prepare the oven and bananas: Preheat the oven, line a baking sheet, and mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
2. Mix the cookie dough: Stir the quick oats into the banana, then fold in the sugar-free chocolate chips.
3. Portion and shape: Divide the mixture into seven portions and flatten each one because the cookies spread very little.
4. Bake and cool: Bake until set and lightly golden, then leave them briefly on the tray before transferring them.
Tips for the Best 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
- Line the baking sheet: Parchment prevents the soft mixture from sticking and makes the baked cookies easier to lift.
- Mash until smooth: Break up large banana pieces so the moisture distributes evenly throughout the oats.
- Portion evenly: Divide the mixture into seven similar-sized mounds so the cookies bake at a comparable rate.
- Watch for set edges: Remove the cookies when the edges look set and lightly golden to preserve their soft texture.
Storage
I store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate them for about 5 days.
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Recipe
3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 180 g quick oats
- 120 g sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the 2 ripe bananas in a mixing bowl and mash them well with a fork until smooth.
- Stir 180 g quick oats into the mashed bananas until evenly combined. Fold in 120 g sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Scoop seven portions onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each portion because the cookies will not spread much while baking.
- Bake the 3 ingredient oatmeal cookies for 12-15 minutes, until set and lightly golden around the edges.
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up. Transfer them to a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Julia says
I tried these 3 ingredient oatmeal cookies and couldn’t believe how easy they were to make with such simple ingredients. They turned out soft, naturally sweet, and perfect for a quick snack without any fuss.