30-Minute Orange Glazed Banana Oatmeal Mounds
Soft, chewy oatmeal cookies studded with mashed banana and toasted nuts, finished with a sweet orange glaze. The combination of quick oats, fresh nutmeg, and orange zest creates tender mounds with bright citrus notes that complement the natural sweetness of banana. Perfect for breakfast treats, afternoon snacks, or lunchbox additions. This recipe makes exactly one dozen cookies using simple pantry ingredients and requires no special equipment beyond basic mixing bowls.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flourgluten-free flour blend1:1gluten-freegluten-free
may need extra liquid
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon orange zest, freshly grated
- ¾ cup quick cooking oats, not instant
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, toasted chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup mashed banana, lightly packed
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- ⅓ cup confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips and/or cranberries(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Adjust oven rack to top third position
- 2
Prepare ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet
- 3
Mix flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and orange zest in bowl
- 4
Add oats and nuts to flour mixture and stir until thoroughly blended
- 5
Beat softened butter until creamy in separate bowl
- 6
Add brown sugar, egg white and vanilla to butter and beat until creamy and light
- 7
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir by hand until well blended
- 8
Add mashed banana and stir until blended
- 9
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheet
- 10
Bake 12 minutes at 375, turning tray after 7 minutes
- 11
Cool slightly then remove from tray to wire rack
- 12
Mix orange juice and confectioners sugar for glaze
- 13
Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies
Tips
Use very ripe bananas for best flavor and natural sweetness in the cookie dough.
Turn the baking sheet halfway through cooking to ensure even browning on all cookies.
Let cookies cool completely before glazing to prevent the orange glaze from melting off.
Good to Know
Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week
Cookies can be baked 1 day ahead, store unglazed and add glaze before serving
Best served at room temperature, glaze should be set but not hard
Common Mistakes
Use softened not melted butter to avoid flat cookies
Don't overbake or cookies become hard instead of chewy
Wait for complete cooling before glazing to prevent runny glaze
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
Gluten-Free Swaps
may need extra liquid
Nut-Free Alternatives
FAQ
Can I use old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats?
Yes, but pulse them briefly in food processor first or cookies may be too chewy and oats won't integrate well with other ingredients.
What if I don't have orange juice for the glaze?
Substitute with milk, water, or lemon juice. Orange juice gives the best citrus flavor but any liquid works for consistency.
How long do these cookies keep fresh?
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Glaze may soften slightly over time but cookies remain good.