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Nutrition-packed banana energy cookies, for breakfasts, snacks & dessert! They are vegan, gluten-free, & have no added sugar.
Flourless & Vegan Banana Energy Cookies
A batch of homemade drop cookies may not sound particularly Halloween-esque. Yes, I’ve given these beauties an ample dose of fall flavor in the forms of cinnamon and cranberries, but I haven’t fashioned them into mock tarantulas, ghosts, goblins, or monsters.
But according to my husband, the prospect of a sugar-free, gluten-free, egg-free cookie is nothing short of terrifying.
These cookies changed his mind. They are tender, delicious, and perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth. But even better, they make you feel great. Specifically, energized, thanks to the wholesome ingredients that comprise them. You can (and dare I say should?) eat them for breakfast, and/or before or after workouts, too.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Added sugar free (sweetened by fruit only)
- Easy to make
- Made in one bowl
- Perfect for snacks, treats or breakfast on the go
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
- dried cranberries (see notes for options)
- walnuts (see notes for options)
- mashed very ripe banana
- virgin coconut oil, melted
- vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon (see notes for options)
- fine sea salt
- baking soda
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, cranberries, and walnuts
- In a medium bowl, combine the banana, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda until well-blended.
- Add the banana mixture to oat mixture, stirring to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.
- While the oat mixture stands, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets.
- Bake 14 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden-brown.
- Let cool on sheets 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool completely.
FAQ
- How should I store the banana energy cookies? Store the cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for for up to 3 months.
- Can I make these cookies without oil? Yes! Replace the coconut oil with runny nut butter or seed butter, such as almond butter, tahini, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter.
- What is a good substitute for walnuts? Almost any chopped nuts or seeds of your choosing can be used in place of the walnuts. You could also use a combination. For example, pecans, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seed kernels, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), or hemp hearts.
Variations
- Other Spices: Replace the cinnamon with your favorite spice, such as nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice. Or add a combination of spices (no more than 1 teaspoon total).
- Other Dried Fruit: Replace the dried cranberries with other chopped dried fruit, such as raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries, dried blueberries, or dried figs.
- Chocolate: Replace the dried cranberries with chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, or add 2 to 3 tbsp cacao nibs. Alternatively, dip, glaze or drizzle the cooled cookies with melted dark chocolate.
- Extracts or Zests: Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract or lemon extract. Or add one to two teaspoons of finely grated lime zest, lemon zest or orange zest.
Happy baking!
Related Recipes
- Zucchini Oat Breakfast Cookies
- 2-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies
- Coconut Flour Zucchini Cookies
- Healthy Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies
- Overnight Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Vegan Double Chocolate Oat Cookies
- Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Banana Energy Cookies (Vegan, GF)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 1.5 cups mashed very ripe banana
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, cranberries, and walnuts
- In a medium bowl, combine the banana, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda until well-blended.
- Add the banana mixture to oat mixture, stirring to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.
- While the oat mixture stands, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets.
- Bake 14 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden-brown.
- Let cool on sheets 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool completely.
Sounds like a great recipe. which I would like to try out. What can be substituted for the mashed banana?
Thank you
Hi Agnella! Bananas are a central part of the recipe (1 and 1/2 cups) so the cookies will be quite different if the banana is replaced with something else (I have not tried it). You could try applesauce or unsweetened pumpkin, but the cookies will not be sweet (the bananas sweeten the cookies), so you will likely need to add some sweetener to taste.
Thank you Camilla. I will try the pumpkin instead of mashed bananas.
I added unsweetened coconut flakes. My kids loved them. Thank you!
Wonderful, Stacey!!! 🙂
So glad I found this recipe! My first batch was TEArrific!! A great compliment to a nice cup of herbal tea. Truly tasty.Thank you for creating a super healthy version of an old favorite. I have been playing with a cookie recipe with similar ingredients trying to reduce flours and sugars, and your creation is Spot On. I did add 2 tblspns of flax meal to mine.
Its a winner…..Family approved!
That’s wonderful, Eileen! Thank you SO MUCH for letting me know 🙂
Just baked a batch and added a spoon of organic raw cacao powder and some chopped sugar free chocolate (didn’t use cinnamon) and used dates as my dried fruit.
Absolutely delicious!!! Great recipe!! Will definitely make more!!!
Yippee! Sounds delicious, Maura!
I just wanted to thank you for being a genius. I have made these 20 times and I literally can’t screw them up. I make them for breakfast all the time, and it’s amazing how something so easy, vegan, gluten free and sugar free can be so delicious. Thank you thank you THANK YOU!
Nora! You made my day, my week 🙂 I am thrilled to know you are enjoying these so much!!! I have been meaning to develop some more, similar cookies… 🙂
Thank you I was looking for something for Christmas as a treat for my keep fit class that did not use sugar or alcohol, this fits the bill perfectly.
We can of course have all the sugar and alcohol over the holiday season!
I like the way you think, Carol!!!
I am soo excited to have stumbled on your blog when I was looking for a coconut flour recipe, since they now stock it at Costco. I’m now able to use the large container of coconut oil; chia, hemp, and flax seeds; and quinoa I’d bought there – which had all been sitting in the pantry. This recipe is delicious and very easy to make! I love that it’s sugar-free and not too banana-y. No more throwing overripe bananas away!! I used one of the many packets of cranberry/pumpkin seeds I had unused from Costco’s chopped kale salad. It was exactly the right amount for this recipe. I’m telling all my friends about your blog. Thank you for your work!!
So so happy to hear, Jerry-ko! 🙂
Great recipe… they turned out super! I played with the ingredients for the second batch and all went well. These are perfect for my son as he can not eat soooo many foods. THANK YOU!
Wonderful, Jill! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have a strictly sugar free diet and these are perfect! I omitted the dried fruit and used almonds instead of walnuts. TASTY! (and they make a great treat for the dog too).
i made these and they were a hit! thank you so much for this recipe! is there a way to figure out the calories per cookie?
Looks yummy!
Do you happen to know any of the nutritional values? Calories, fat, etc.?
These sound excellent – I am so excited to try these, especially with the fall coming up! How big of a batch does this yield?
Lisa: Oh, so glad you both enjoyed them! I, too, have been known to eat several in quick succession (esp when still warm from the oven :)) I’ll post some of my new sugar free cookies soon!
Thanks sooooo much for this recipe! My husband and I are sugar free for lent (he also foolishly gave up gluten). These totally hit the spot for something sweet!!!! We just stood at our oven and ate about four each. Love them and will totally make them again, and again…Might add a squirt of honey next time and some ground flax! Thanks again!
Hi Anne,
They do! But my tip for packing in lunches (mine and son’s): I’ll freeze them and put one or two in a container (or whatever you like to use, baggies, parchment, etc). They are perfectly thawed in an hour or 2! Thye are not crumbly, but are very moist which is why they do well with that extra chill . Enjoy!
Oh! These look delightful. Do you think they would travel well? We are getting ready to go to the Bahamas and I always take snacks.
Anne Dovel
These look great! Would they travel well ?
Anne Dovel
Thank you so much BrattyD and anonymous–it is still always a thrill to know that these recipes are being used and enjoyed, so thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
This recipe is such a winner, I’ve shared this blog page with my employees in our company newsletter! I’ve used pumpkin and sweet potatoe in place of bananas, also almond slivers instead of walnut. Over baked, underbaked, fresh, days old; it doesn’t matter, still delicious! THANK YOU for this bit of magic!
THANK YOU!!! I used raisins, but I also added some flaked coconut for texture so mine aren’t entirely sugar free either. Still, SUCH a better choice than store bought granola bars!!
Hi Janet!
Phooey, so sorry they did not turn out 🙁 I should mention (will add to the above)–you can halve the recipe if you don;t have enough bananas! May the next batch be stellar 🙂
Sadly, once my bananas became ripe, I mashed them and only had 1 cup. I proceeded with the recipe anyhow, though… they were tasty but didn’t stick together very well, which I imagine is because I didn’t have enough banana. I will try again though because I still liked them, crumbly and all. 🙂
I think I am going to try with additional Dried fruit, maybe raisins, instead of the walnuts. I can’t eat nuts or seeds but I LOVE oatmeal cookies :):)
I think I am going to try with additional Dried fruit, maybe raisins, instead of the walnuts. I can’t eat nuts or seeds but I LOVE oatmeal cookies :):)
Sorry, disregard my previous message. I know the answer now after READING the directions.
How long can these be stored? In the fridge?
Christy and Janet: so glad to have a recipe that suits you both! 🙂
Hi Dreaming!
I’ve been working on my channeling…:)
Wow – you have answered my recipe dilemma. I have been looking for an oatmeal raisin cookie and this is it! I can’t wait to try it once my bananas are uber ripe! 🙂
I think my MIL (who’s gluten free) and my daughter will love these. Thank you!!
You knew exactly what I had in my pantry didn’t you! Thank you for another great post at just the perfect time.