3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan, Oil-Free}

Blissful 3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies made with nothing more than almond flour, bananas & baking powder. They are vegan, grain-free, oil-free, & Paleo.

I have been having fun stretching the possibilities of super-minimalist almond flour cookies in recent months. It started with my 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies, but has expanded to include my Chocolate Almond Flour Cookies, Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies, and 4-Ingredient Almond Flour Biscotti.

It’s time to add another to the list. Like its predecessors, this new recipe is easy, delicious, and versatile, yet still very healthy. In other words, a perfectly paradoxical cookie: equally ideal for holiday baking and for the healthy New Year to come.

Introducing my 3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies!

What is the Taste & Texture of These Cookies?

Here are the essential stats for these cookies:

Texture: Soft and tender, with a bit of crispness at the edges. Homey and refined in one fell swoop, they do not taste like “special diet” cookies in any way.

Flavor: The banana flavor is subtle, balanced out by the nuttiness of the almond flour.

Sweetness: Perfectly sweet! The almond flour amplifies the sweetness from the bananas. Truly no need to add extra sweetener.

Nutritional Highlights of 3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies

The cookies are also:

• Vegan
• Paleo
• Grain-Free
• Gluten-Free
• Oil-Free
• Added Sugar-Free

Add Your Favorite Flavors and Stir-Ins 

The basic recipe is nothing more than blanched almond flour, mashed ripe banana, and baking powder (plus optional salt).

However, the options for variation are vast!

For example, you can add flavorings (e.g., extracts, zests, spices), chopped nuts or seeds, chopped dried fruit, flake coconut, or miniature chocolate chips. I’ve included some ideas in the recipe below to get your creative juices flowing.

How to Make the Cookies

As simple as these cookies are to prepare. there is one critical ingredient and step I need to emphasize in order to ensure your success.

It’s the mashed banana.

First, it is essential that you use a very ripe banana, i.e., one with ample brown spots on the peel, but not one that is so far gone that it is starting to ooze/weep in any way.

Under-ripe or just-ripe bananas are still fairly starchy, which will work against success in tow ways: (1) the dough will be too dry (because the banana is stiff), and (2) the cookies will not be sweet enough (the stiff starch has not converted to sugar).

Second, you need to give the banana a vigorous mashing with a fork. I mean it. Work it with the fork until it is almost liquid, like so:

That is the only fussy part of the recipe. Otherwise, it will be smooth–and oh so delicious–sailing, each and every time you make these!

Oh, and in case it needs mentioning: although these taste decadent enough for dessert, they are more than healthy enough to savor as snacks and breakfast, too. That’s my kind of cookie!

Happy baking, everyone!

Happy baking, everyone!

More Grain-Free & Vegan Almond Flour Cookies to Try

1. Almond Flour Graham Crackers
2. 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan, Oil-Free, Keto Option}
3. 4-Ingredient Chocolate Almond Flour Cookies
4. 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
5. Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies
6. Sweet Potato Almond Flour Cookies
7. 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies