Published: Oct 19, 2020 · Updated: Jan 9, 2022. Post contains affiliate links. See full disclosure page for details.

Simple Oatmeal Protein Cookies

Name: Simple Oatmeal Protein Cookies
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp vanilla extract; ¼ cup pure maple syrup; ¼ cup ground flaxseed; ¼ cup chia seeds; 1 cup mashed banana, apple sauce ((or pureed baby food)); 1 cup peanut butter ((or other nut butter))

Oatmeal protein cookies are easy, vegan, & gluten-free! Using peanut butter, flax, & cinnamon, they make a yummy, & healthy breakfast option!

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A couple things you should know about me:

One. I absolutely have to have protein with breakfast or I feel awful the entire day. I always make sure my toddler gets protein at breakfast, too. It honestly just helps keep her full and happy during the day. A happy toddler = a happy home. haha

Two. My toddler has suddenly become really picky, and will refuse most protein options in the morning. No eggs. No meat. Not even yogurt. Nothing. I’ve really had to become pretty inventive so that she gets breakfast options that she will eat and that are actually healthy and filling.

Enter oatmeal protein cookies. I’m honestly so proud of these because not only are they easy, they’re packed with protein and healthy fats, and my toddler absolutely LOVES them. Honestly, so do I!

Does oatmeal have enough protein for breakfast?

Nope! A 1/2 cup serving of oatmeal has about 6-7grams of protein. I usually aim for at least 15-20 g of protein per meal to help keep me full. If you’re looking to stay full until lunch, you’ll definitely want to up the amount of protein in your oatmeal.

These oatmeal protein cookies have peanut butter, flaxseed, and chia seeds in them, giving them extra protein and fiber to help keep you full in the morning. Plain old oatmeal just doesn’t do the job like these do!

A serving size of two cookies, which contain 1/2 cup of oatmeal, has 16 g of protein and 10 g of fiber. They are soooo filling and so delicious.

Are protein cookies good for weight loss?

These breakfast oatmeal cookies are really high in fiber and in protein. One serving is 2 cookies, and they will keep you full until lunch, which will help curb your cravings for extra snacks between meals!

Eating healthy, balanced foods and eating enough at meals to actually fill you up is key for weight loss, and these cookies will help you do just that!

RELATED: Almond Flour Banana Muffins

What’s in these 8-ingredient Oatmeal Protein Cookies?

The 8 ingredients that go into oatmeal protein cookies. Oats, peanut butter, vanilla, flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, applesauce, and maple syrup.

These oatmeal cookies are simple, gluten-free, and delicious. They contain 8 natural ingredients:

Old fashioned rolled oats – These oats work well for this cookie recipe, and are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates. Make sure to used certified gluten-free oats if avoiding gluten. Overall, rolled oats are a really healthy whole grain!

Cinnamon – One of my favorite flavors, ground cinnamon adds such a nice flavor to these healthy oat cookies.

Pure vanilla extract – A natural ingredient that the imitation stuff can’t compete with. Vanilla extract adds another level of flavor to the cookies.

Pure maple syrup – The perfect natural sweetener for almost all baked goods. Pure maple syrup is a healthier sweetener than most other sugars.

Ground flaxseed – The best plant based source of omega-3s, ground flaxseed add texture, healthy fats, and tons of fiber to these oatmeal protein cookies.

Chia seeds – Chia seeds are a great source of healthy fats, and help to absorb some of the moisture in the cookie batter. This keeps the oats more crisp while adding structure and healthy fats to the cookies.

Mashed banana – An easy and inexpensive alternative to added oils in baked goods. You can also use apple sauce or even pureed baby food to add moisture and flavor to the oat cookies.

Peanut butter – The main protein source in these vegan oatmeal cookies, peanut butter helps to keep everything together while adding lots of flavor. You can substitute almond butter or sunflower seed butter instead if desired.

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What do oatmeal protein cookies taste like?

They taste sort of like a chewy, naturally-sweetened peanut butter oatmeal cookie! They don’t have any flour and are gluten-free, so they aren’t fluffy like regular cookies. However, they stay together after baking because of the peanut butter and maple syrup.

What oatmeal is good for cookies?

The best type of oatmeal to use for cookies is old-fashioned rolled oats. Don’t use steel cut oats, quick oats, or oat flour for this cookie recipe.

Can I use previously frozen bananas?

Yes, you can! Previously frozen bananas are easy to mash, and bake great in cookies. The bananas just need to be thawed out before you use them in order to be used for these healthy oatmeal cookies.

What can I substitute for banana?

The best things to use in baked goods if you are out of bananas are:

Applesauce
Pumpkin puree
Butternut squash puree
Pureed baby food

All of these work really well in this recipe, and keep these oatmeal cookies healthy!

Can I add protein powder to oatmeal cookies?

You can definitely add protein powder to almost any cookies, but not all protein powders are created equal! If you’re going for a higher protein cookie, make sure to use a high quality protein powder that won’t make your cookies chalky.

I personally use Designer Whey Protein Powder for pretty much everything, because it’s low carb, high in protein, high fiber, and isn’t chalky at all!

Grab that protein powder here:

What else can I add to oatmeal protein cookies?

Even though I like to keep things simple, you can always throw in your own favorite ingredients! Here are some fun ideas:

Coconut flakes
Cocoa nibs, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or mini chocolate chips
Dried fruit like raisins, dried blueberries, craisins, banana chips, or even dried apricots
Chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, or peanuts
Substitute in other nut butters like almond butter or sunflower seed butter
Protein powder

How To Make Oatmeal Protein Cookies

Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.
Mix together the oats, cinnamon, vanilla extract, peanut butter, maple syrup, banana/apple sauce, flaxseed, and chia seeds in one bowl.
Form the oat mixture into 12 even cookies, and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cool, and serve!

How long do these healthy cookies last?

These oatmeal protein cookies will last at room temperature for about 7 days in an airtight container. They stay moist and chewy, and don’t dry out so quickly like other cookies sometimes do.

Can I freeze oatmeal protein cookies?

Yes you can! Almost all cookies freeze pretty well, as long as they are wrapped to keep the air away from them! You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months.

Simply wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil (or both!) before placing in the freezer.

Healthy Oatmeal Protein Cookies

What I love about these cookies is how healthy they are! No flour, no oil, no butter, and not a hint of refined sugar.

These do call for peanut butter, but any nut butter would work just fine. Personally, I like to use natural peanut butter with limited salt and sugar added. This one has 80 mg of sodium and only 4 g carbohydrate per serving. Plus, its a great, budget friendly option:

Nothing but whole, natural foods in these cookies. Even my toddler loves them, especially covered in homemade chia seed freezer jam.

Total nutritional content per serving (2 cookies) is:

Calories: 468 calories
Protein: 16 grams
Sodium: 114 mg
Carbohydrates: 46 grams
Fiber: 10 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Looking for another easy way to add protein to your morning? Try making protein coffee at home!

Easy & Simple Oatmeal Cookies

Using only those 8 ingredients, these simple oatmeal protein cookies come together really quickly and don’t require any specialty ingredients.

This recipe can be made using only one bowl, too! Just mix up the ingredients, shape into cookies, and bake for 15 minutes! They’re honestly so easy and so fast to make.

Pro tip for parents: if you have leftover baby puree or if your toddler suddenly started hating it like mine did, you can use 8 oz of that instead of the banana or apple sauce. Bonus if it’s got veggies! The peanut butter covers up the taste of the puree anyway, they won’t even notice!

Budget Friendly

12 cookies can be made for only $4.58. That works out to be about $.38 per cookie, which is a bargain considering how healthy they are! 76 cents for breakfast is really, really cheap!

If you’re adding some other ingredients to these, obviously the price per serving will work out a little different. But I’m willing to bet they’ll still be relatively cheap to make!

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