3-Ingredient Pumpkin Banana Cookies: An Incredible, Easy Fall Treat

3-Ingredient Pumpkin Banana Cookies are the easiest, coziest treat you’ll ever make. Imagine grabbing a banana, a scoop of pumpkin puree, and some oats—boom, cookies! No flour, no sugar overload, just chewy little bites that taste like fall comfort and come together in under 30 minutes.

So let’s roll up those sleeves (or, realistically, keep your hoodie on because who are we kidding) and make the easiest cookies of your life.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here’s why these cookies are the baking equivalent of finding a $20 bill in your jeans:

1. Only three ingredients. That’s right, three. Even I can count that on one hand.
2. Naturally sweet and wholesome., Banana brings the sugar, and pumpkin is packed with nutritional benefits.
3. Ridiculously easy. If you can mash and stir, congratulations—you’re a baker now.
4. Flexible. Eat them as breakfast cookies, snack cookies, or the midnight “I just need something” cookies.
5. Kid- and dog-friendly. Which means less guilt when you’re on your third cookie in an hour.
6. Pinterest-worthy. These look way fancier than the actual effort it takes.

Bottom line? These cookies are like cozy sweatpants but in food form—comforting, reliable, and always there for you.

Preparation and Cooking Time

Because let’s be honest: patience is not my strong suit.

• Prep time: 10 minutes max (less if you mash like you mean it).
• Bake time: 15–20 minutes.
• Total time: Less than 30 minutes between “meh, I’ll try this” and warm cookies in your face.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Banana Cookies

Okay, drumroll for the grocery list of dreams:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree – Plain, not that sneaky pie filling.
• 1 ripe banana – The spottier, the better.
• 2 cups oats – Old-fashioned oats for chew, quick oats for soft.

Optional—but let’s be honest, highly encouraged:

• A sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin spice (for fall energy).
• Chocolate chips (because life is better with them).
• Peanut butter swirl (my personal fave).

See? Nothing scary. Just three little heroes ready to team up.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Alright, apron on (or don’t, I won’t judge).

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Don’t be lazy. A cold oven is basically betrayal to cookies everywhere.
2. Mash the banana. Take out your stress and go full Hulk on it until it looks like baby food.
3. Mix in pumpkin. Stir them together. It should look like a thick orange smoothie you would never, ever drink.
4. Add oats. Stir again. It’s going to look chunky and weird, which is exactly right. If it feels too loose, sprinkle more oats. If too dry, add another spoonful of pumpkin. You’re in control here.
5. Shape into cookies. Drop spoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Smash them down a bit—these cookies don’t spread, so help them out.
6. Bake for 15–20 minutes. You’re aiming for firm edges and soft centers. Don’t overbake or you’ll end up with oat frisbees.
7. Cool, then enjoy. If you burn your tongue because you couldn’t wait… same.

Pro tip: These actually taste better after a few hours when the oats soak everything up. If you can wait, you’ll be rewarded.

Storing Your 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Banana Cookies

These cookies are low-maintenance and love to hang around:

• On the counter: 2–3 days in a container (if they last that long).
• In the fridge: Up to a week.
• In the freezer: 2–3 months. Perfect emergency stash.

Pro move? Freeze the dough, then bake fresh cookies whenever the craving hits.

Why Your Dog Will Love This (and You Too)

Dogs are basically pumpkin groupies, and these cookies are safe for them. No sugar, no chocolate, no trouble. Just keep a few plain ones aside without add-ins, and watch your pup act like you just handed them a Michelin-star snack. Bonus? You can totally snack alongside them. Talk about bonding.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Alright, let’s keep you from rookie errors:

• Not preheating the oven. Unless you enjoy gooey oat mush, turn that dial.
• Using pumpkin pie filling. Unless you like your cookies tasting like holiday potpourri.
• Expecting Toll House vibes. These aren’t sugar-loaded chocolate chip cookies—they’re wholesome and soft.
• Overbaking. You’ll end up with hockey pucks. We’re going for chewy, not construction material.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Because sometimes you just gotta improvise:

• No banana? Applesauce works, though it’s less sweet.
• No pumpkin? Sweet potato puree is a great understudy.
• Want sweeter cookies? A drizzle of maple syrup or honey makes them dessert-level.
• Different oats? Quick oats = softer, rolled oats = chewy. Steel-cut oats = dental hazard.

My personal favorite swap? Add peanut butter. It turns them into fall-flavored energy cookies.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Do they actually taste like cookies?
Yes, but think “healthy cozy cookie,” not “grandma’s sugar bomb.” They’re chewy, soft, and satisfying.

Q: Can I give these to kids?
Absolutely. In fact, kids love them. Bonus points for sneaking veggies into their snack.

Q: What if my bananas aren’t ripe?
Wait. Patience, grasshopper. Or roast them in the oven for 10 minutes to fake it.

Q: Can I double the recipe?
You should double it. These vanish like socks in the dryer.

Q: Do I need to add sugar?
Nope. The banana’s already doing the heavy lifting.

Q: Can I eat them for breakfast?
Heck yes. Breakfast cookies are the best cookies.

Q: Can I microwave instead of bake?
Sure, if you enjoy weird oat blobs. Don’t do it.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it—3-ingredient pumpkin banana cookies that are as easy as they are cozy. They’re healthy enough for breakfast, tasty enough for dessert, and simple enough that you’ll feel like a baking wizard with almost zero effort.

Next time you’ve got one sad banana staring at you, grab some oats and a can of pumpkin. You’ll end up with a tray of cookies that smell like fall, taste like comfort, and impress everyone—even your dog.

Now, go forth, preheat that oven, and let the cookie magic happen. You deserve it.