Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps. The riper they are, the sweeter and moister your cookies will be.

Add the wet ingredients: stir in almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until creamy and well combined. The mixture should look glossy and thick.

Stir in the dry ingredients: add oats, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder. Mix until the oats are evenly coated and the dough holds together. It will look like a thick, sticky batter rather than traditional cookie dough.

Fold in your add-ins. A handful of dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts gives great texture. Keep it to 1/2–3/4 cup total so the cookies hold together.

Scoop and shape: use a heaping tablespoon or cookie scoop to place mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press each mound to about 1/2-inch thickness since these cookies don’t spread much.

Bake for 12–15 minutes until the edges feel set and the tops look dry with light golden spots. Avoid overbaking, which can make them dry.

Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. They firm up as they cool and become easier to handle.

Taste and adjust next time: if you’d like them sweeter, add another tablespoon of maple syrup next round. If you want more chew, increase oats slightly.