These soft and chewy healthy banana cookies are the perfect way to get your sweet fix with no added sugar! Made with oatmeal, peanut butter, and bananas, they’re naturally sweetened, nutritious and great for all ages! (Gluten-free, vegan & no added sugar)

Healthy Banana Cookie Recipe

These healthy banana cookies are one of our top go-to snacks for our toddler. They’re made without any added sugar and contain plenty of nutrients, but you’d never guess that they’re healthy!

Not only are these easy banana cookies freezer-friendly and portable, they’re also relatively mess-free so they’re perfect for taking on the go…and especially handy to pack if you’re looking for a snack that’s not overly crumbly and messy!

With the combination of peanut butter, banana and oatmeal, these cookies have a soft and chewy texture that’s perfect for little ones. They aren’t just limited to kids though. Adults love them too! They’re great served as a healthier treat or breakfast cookie!

For more healthy and portable snacks, be sure to check out these mini almond butter muffin bites and nut-free apple oat energy bites.

Why This Cookie Tops My List of Healthy Banana Recipes

There are a few reasons why we’ve been making these flourless banana cookies on repeat lately!

They are:

Easy to make
Portable
Soft and chewy
Naturally sweetened
Not messy
Easily customizable
Great for kids and adults
The perfect way to use up those overripe bananas!

Ingredients for Healthy Banana Cookies

Bananas: It’s best to use overripe bananas in this recipe. They’re naturally sweeter and contain more antioxidants than under ripe ones. We want all of the sweetness we can get from the bananas since they are what primarily sweeten these cookies.
Oats: Oats add a great texture to these cookies and plenty of fibre too! It’s best to use rolled or large flake oats for extra chewiness. Quick oats will work in a pinch, but it’s best to avoid steel cut since they will be too hard and chewy.
Peanut butter: We used natural peanut butter, which means that the only ingredient on the list should be “peanuts.” No salt, added sugar, hydrogenated oils, or other funky ingredients manufacturers like to add. You can also sub in another type of nut butter or seed butter if you wish to make them nut-free.
Applesauce: Applesauce replaces the egg in this vegan cookie recipe. It helps to bind the ingredients together as well as incorporate additional sweetness. Go for unsweetened applesauce or sub in homemade if you have some on hand.

How to Make this Banana Cookie Recipe

There aren’t too many recipes out there that you can whip together as fast as this banana cookie recipe and it only requires one bowl!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Next, mash two overripe bananas in a large bowl and add in the other ingredients.

Combine everything together and fold in any optional add-ins and mix until evenly distributed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a large spoon, form twelve cookies, leaving about an inch or so between each cookie. Gently push a banana slice into the centre of each cookie.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside.

Banana Cookies Recipe Tips

Use overripe bananas for best results since they tend to be naturally sweeter. Since there is no added sugar in this cookie recipe, you’ll want as much sweetness as possible coming from the bananas.
When mixing the ingredients together, make sure that the mashed banana and applesauce get evenly distributed throughout the batter since these ingredients are what will sweeten the cookies.
If you prefer a sweeter cookie, you may wish to add the optional chocolate chips and/or a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
The cookies will still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven, but will harden up slightly as they cool. Keep in mind that the texture of these cookies is supposed to be quite soft and slightly chewy, like a breakfast cookie, not hard and crunchy.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use steel cut oats or quick oats instead of rolled oats for these cookies?

For the purpose of this recipe, steel cut oats would not be a good option since they tend to be more hard and chewy. Not the consistency we’re going for with these cookies.

Quick oats would work as a substitute, just keep in mind that the cookies won’t have as much texture or be as chewy. However, they’ll still turn out just fine if you go with quick instead of the rolled oats.

How do you get bananas to ripen quickly?

The best way to speed up the ripening process is to place the unripe bananas in a paper bag such as a brown paper lunch bag or grocery bag along with a ripe banana or apple and then loosely fold the paper bag closed. The ethylene from the fruit can help speed up the ripening process.

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes, for sure! These cookies are one of my favourite ways to put those overripe frozen bananas to good use! Just make sure that you allow them to thaw prior to mashing them so that the banana is evenly distributed throughout the cookie mixture.

Storage guidelines

After baking, these banana cookies should last in the fridge stored in an air-tight container for about four days. Beyond that, I would recommend freezing them to preserve their freshness.

Are these cookies freezer-friendly?

Yes! Once they’re baked, allow the cookies to fully cool.

Place them in a large ziplock bag or air-tight container to freeze. Place in the fridge or at room temperature overnight to thaw.

The cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.

Can I make these cookies nut-free?

Definitely! Don’t you love recipes that are easily customizable?!

Instead of the natural peanut butter, you can sub in sunflower, pumpkin seed butter or Wow butter! You can also replace the optional nuts with Hemp hearts or seeds, or leave them out all together.

Can babies and toddlers eat these banana cookies?

Yes! They’re amazing cookies for babies and toddlers since they are easy to chew and don’t contain any added salt or sugar. Due to their soft texture, they are especially great for baby-led weaning or served as a teething biscuit.

However, it’s recommended that you stick to the base of the recipe and avoid add-ins such as large chunks of nuts and seeds as these can be a choking hazard for little ones under the age of four.

Are these cookies suitable for older children and adults?

Absolutely! These would be great to pack into your children’s lunch box (you can sub in sunflower/pumpkin seed butter or Wow butter to make them nut-free).

Similarly, for adults, they’re a great way to get that sweet fix without the added sugar. You can even add a scoop of protein powder for a higher protein option that also serves as a suitable pre or post workout snack!

Totally my kind of cookie!

What makes these banana recipes healthy?

Every ingredient used in these banana oatmeal cookies adds a dose of nutrients, making it very hard to argue about their health benefits.

Cookies with benefits? Sign me up!

Oats – source of soluble fibre, B vitamins, magnesium, iron and zinc
Natural peanut butter– source of healthy fats, vitamin E and protein
Banana – source of potassium, fibre, and also provides plenty of natural sweetness so no added sugar is required
Cinnamon – provides antioxidants and can also help to manage blood sugar levels
Unsweetened applesauce – provides plenty of vitamin C and once again provides a dose of sweetness to avoid the use of added sugar

These vegan gluten-free cookies are also suitable for those with dietary restrictions and are easily customizable to meet a variety of nutritional needs!

Recipe variations

There are a number of ways you can spruce these peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies up! Feel free to add in any of the following ingredients, depending on what you’re feeling:

Mini dark chocolate chips
Chopped walnuts
Pumpkin seeds
Hemp hearts
Raisins
Vanilla or unsweetened protein powder (can use vegan or whey)

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This recipe was originally posted in October 2019 and was updated April 2021 to include better tips and photos.

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