Vegan Banana Bread Cookies (Gluten-Free)
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the affiliate disclosure here.
These vegan banana bread cookies taste like a slice of your favorite banana bread! They’re soft, tender, loaded with chocolate chips, and entirely vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
Got more ripe bananas? Try my healthy banana bread recipe next! It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site and the inspiration behind these cookies.
Quick Look: Vegan Banana Bread Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 12 cookies
- Calories: ~184 per cookie
- Key Ingredients: Ripe banana, oat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, walnuts, chocolate chips
- Dietary Info: Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free
- Texture: Soft, tender, and cake-like
These vegan banana bread cookies truly taste like banana bread in cookie form. They’re soft, tender, and loaded with chocolate chips… as every cookie should be!
If you love my vegan banana bread or healthy banana bars with chocolate chips, these cookies are the perfect in-between. That ripe banana on your counter is calling!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Banana bread meets chocolate chip cookies: All the cozy flavor of banana bread, baked into a soft and tender cookie
- Soft, moist, and tender: With melty chocolate chips and crisp edges
- No complicated steps: No chill time, no mixers. Just mix → scoop → bake → dig in!
- Naturally sweetened: All the sweetness comes from one ripe banana and coconut sugar for a better-for-you treat
- Simple, wholesome ingredients: Vegan, gluten-free, and made with pantry staples
Ingredients You’ll Need
These vegan banana cookies are made with a few simple ingredients to keep them gluten-free and refined sugar-free. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Banana: The riper, the better. The same is true in my healthy banana muffins recipe. It adds natural sweetness and replaces the need for eggs in traditional cookies.
- Coconut Sugar: My go-to refined sugar-free sweetener. I also use it in my classic chocolate chip cookies.
- Vegan Butter: Adds moisture and a rich flavor to the cookies.
- Oat Flour: My go-to gluten-free flour for a soft, tender texture. It’s the same flour I use in my vegan banana muffins and vegan and gluten-free banana bars.
- Almond Flour: Keeps the cookies soft and tender.
- Baking Soda: For slightly crisp edges.
- Vanilla Extract: Just a drop adds a hint of vanilla flavor.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg give that cozy banana bread flavor.
- Salt: A pinch to enhance all the flavors.
- Chopped Walnuts: For a bit of crunch.
- Vegan Chocolate Chips: A cookie essential!
Scroll down to the recipe card to get the full recipe with measurements!
Substitutions
- Coconut Sugar: Keeps this recipe refined sugar-free, but you can swap in date sugar, brown sugar, or cane sugar.
- Vegan Butter: An equal amount of melted coconut oil would work.
- Flour: Unfortunately, I don’t recommend substituting the oat flour or almond flour since they give these cookies their soft texture.
How to Make Vegan Banana Bread Cookies (Step-by-Step)
- Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk the mashed banana, coconut sugar, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Step 2: Add in the almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a dough forms.
- Step 3: Fold in the chocolate chips and crushed walnuts until just combined.
- Step 4: Use a cookie scoop (about 1-2 tablespoons sized) and scoop the dough into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I usually do 6 balls per sheet.
- Step 5: Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, until golden around the edges for that soft and moist banana bread texture we’re going for. Once done, let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.
- Step 6: Sprinkle with more crushed walnuts and flaky sea salt, if desired. Enjoy, and be sure to try my 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies or vegan chocolate chip cookies next!
Megan’s Tips
- Use a ripe, spotty banana: The darker, mushier, and spottier your banana, the better!
- For the best texture, use store-bought oat flour: Since store-bought oat flour is professionally milled, it gives the cookies a super soft texture.
- Don’t over bake them: Watch that timer! Over baked cookies will be dry.
- Want perfectly round cookies? Once they’re done baking, take a round cookie cutter (or cup with a wide mouth) and swivel around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool: I know it’s tempting, but this step matters! Since the cookies are made with almond flour, they’ll come out very soft and need time to properly set.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using underripe bananas: If your bananas aren’t ripe and spotty, your cookies won’t have that rich banana flavor. The riper, the better here!
- Overbaking: Bake just until set, they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.out dry.
FAQs for Vegan Banana Bread Cookies
How do I get the best banana flavor in these cookies?
Use a very ripe, brown banana. Underripe bananas won’t be sweet or moist enough.
Are banana bread cookies healthy?
Since this recipe is made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients and naturally sweetened, these cookies are definitely a better-for-you dessert option.
Do I have to chill the cookie dough?
Nope! These banana bread cookies require no chilling. Just mix and bake!
Why are my banana bread cookies dry?
They were likely over baked, didn’t have enough banana, or your banana wasn’t ripe.
Can I freeze these banana bread cookies?
Yes! Store the cookies an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
More Banana Recipes You’ll Love
If you have more ripe bananas on your counter, try these recipes next!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ★★★★★ star rating below. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Vegan Banana Bread Cookies (Gluten-Free)
These vegan banana bread cookies taste like a slice of your favorite banana bread! They're soft, tender, loaded with chocolate chips, and entirely vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
Equipment
Ingredients
wet ingredients
- ½ cup mashed banana, = one medium banana
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup melted vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dry ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour, use certified GF if needed
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, coconut sugar, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add in the almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a dough forms. Then, fold in the chocolate chips and crushed walnuts.
- Scoop the cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1-2 tablespoons sized) and scoop the dough into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart. I usually do 6 balls per sheet.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Once they're done baking, I like to take a round cookie cutter (or cup) to swivel around the edges to create a perfect circle.
- Let cool: Once you remove the cookies from the oven, let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Since they're made with almond flour, they need time to set and firm up. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. I sprinkled mine with crushed walnuts and flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use a ripe, spotty banana: The darker, mushier, and spottier your banana, the better!
- For the best texture, use store-bought oat flour: Since store-bought oat flour is professionally milled, it gives the cookies a super soft texture.
- Don’t over bake them: Watch that timer! Over baked cookies will be dry.
- Want perfectly round cookies? Once they’re done baking, take a round cookie cutter (or cup with a wide mouth) and swivel around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool: I know it’s tempting, but this step matters! Since the cookies are made with almond flour, they’ll come out very soft and need time to properly set.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Serving: 1 cookie, Calories: 184kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 138mg, Potassium: 83mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 7IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @booboosbakeryy with hashtag #booboosbakery on Instagram. We love to see what you make!
These banana bread cookies seriously taste like a slice of banana bread!! Warm, soft, chewy, full of flavor, and ready in a fraction of the time as a loaf of banana bread!