Soft, chewy cookies made with banana, cinnamon, and walnuts. At about 164 calories per cookie, they are a great sweet treat that’s gluten-free and naturally sweetened. They’re also vegetarian.

If you don’t know what to do with your overripe bananas staring at you on the counter, I’ve got you covered.

These banana oatmeal cottage cheese cookies are a delicious, healthy sweet treat that can naturally satisfy your cravings.

What makes them extra special (besides their amazing flavor) is their nutritional value.

Each cookie gives you about 164 calories and 5 grams of protein.

That makes them a great way to stay on track with your health goals while still adding some sweetness to your life.  

Ingredients and Substitutes

Cottage cheese (1/4 cup) – Swap with Greek yogurt.

Maple syrup (3 tbsp) – Replace with honey or agave syrup. You can also use a sugar-free alternative.

Vanilla extract (1 tsp) – Substitute with almond extract or vanilla bean paste.

Large eggs (2)

Small mashed banana, a total of 1/4 cup (1) – Use unsweetened applesauce instead.

Peanut butter, or other nut butter (2 tbsp) – Switch with almond butter or cashew butter.

Rolled oats (1 3/4 cups) – I’ve only tested this with rolled oats, so I can’t recommend a swap.

Almond flour (1/2 cup) – I’ve only tested this with almond flour, so I can’t recommend a swap.

Baking soda (1 tsp)

Chopped walnuts (3/4 cup) – Swap with pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds.

Pitted medjool dates, finely chopped (9) – You can also use raisins or dried cranberries.

Cinnamon (2 tsp) – Try pumpkin spice for a holiday flavor.

Salt (1/8 tsp)

CHOCOLATE DIP (OPTIONAL)

Dark chocolate (2 oz) – Use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dairy-free chocolate chips.

Coconut oil (1 tsp)

A pinch flaky salt

How to Make Banana Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Cookies

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place the cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, mashed banana, and peanut butter in a blender.

Blend until it creates a smooth batter.

Step 2. In a bowl, combine the rolled oats, almond flour, baking soda, walnuts, dates, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 3.Combine the wet and dry ingredients until they form a thick dough. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop 1 tbsp of the batter onto the baking sheet.

Press them slightly to form the cookies. Keep in mind the dough will take up more space than just the tablespoon, and the cookies won’t change shape much.

Step 4. Place them in the oven and bake for 18-19 minutes, until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly golden. They might look slightly undone in the center, but don’t worry, they will firm up as they cool.

Step 5. Let them cool down a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer them to a rack.

While they are cooling down, melt the chocolate with coconut oil in 20- or 30-second increments. Then drizzle the cooled cookies with the chocolate, then sprinkle them with flaky salt. Let the chocolate set before you enjoy them.

My Tips & Tricks

1. Don’t overbake: I know it can be tempting to cook them until they are completely firm, but trust me, they will set once they cool down.
2. Use a 1–tablespoon cookie scoop: This is going to keep them consistent in size and make sure they all bake evenly.
3. Let the cookies rest: Don’t place them on the rack as they get out of the oven. Moving them too soon can cause them to break apart since they’re still soft in the center.