Blissful 3-ingedient banana almond flour cookies, made with no 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!
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.
The cookies are also:
*Vegan
*Paleo
*Grain-Free
*Gluten-Free
*Oil-Free
*Added Sugar-Free
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.
As simple as these cookies are to prepare. there is one crtical 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!
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Banana Cookies {Vegan, Grain-Free}
- Prep Time: 2 mins
- Cook Time: 16 mins
- Total Time: 18 mins
- Yield: 10 cookies 1x
Description
Blissful almond & banana cookies, made with 3 ingredients: almond flour, bananas & baking powder (salt is optional). Sweet, tender and crispy at the edges, they are oil-free, Paleo & vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/3 cup very mashed, very ripe banana
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together the almond flour, baking powder and optional salt. Add the banana, stirring until completely blended.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough in mounds, spacing 2 inches apart, on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes until golden brown at edges and centers of cookies feel firm to the touch. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Notes
Storage: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at (cool) room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 5 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Banana Tips: In order for this recipe to work well, it is important to (1) use a very ripe banana to create the mash (softer, higher sugar content than less ripe bananas); and (2) very finely mash the banana with a fork so that it is almost liquid (see photo above).
Variation Ideas:
Simple Additions: Add 1 teaspoon of lime zest, vanilla extract or almond extract to dough, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, allspice or pumpkin pie spice.
Sugar Sparkle: Gently roll dough into 10 balls. Gently press top of each dough ball in a shallow dish of turbinado (raw) sugar.
Coconut: Gently roll dough into 10 balls, Gently press top of each dough ball in a shallow dish of finely chopped unsweetened flake coconut.
Peanut Butter Thumbprints: After scooping dough onto cookie sheet, make a shallow indentation in each dough mound and fill with about 1/4 teaspoon peanut butter before baking.
Cinnamon: dd 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the dough along with the banana.
Chocolate Chip: Add 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips to the dough. Alternatively, prepare dough as directed and press the chocolate chips into surfaces of scooped dough.
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 71
- Sugar: 1.3 g
- Sodium: 24.5 mg
- Fat: 5.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
We needed something to nibble on, and these we perfect! The plain recipe was good, but when I added the peanut butter on top … Oh my gosh, delicious! I found that 12 minutes was a perfect cooking time for my oven.
★★★★★
From a fellow nibbler: hooray! So glad these were a success, Mary!
I assume one “serving” is one cookie — is this correct? Thanks. Can’t wait to try.
t”
Eek, sorry about that Beth! Yes, it is one cookie–I have corrected my oversight 🙂
Tried these and taste amazing. Did thump prints with chunky peanut butter and another with a go paper jelly. In Florida they tend to get soggy after a day they tend to get soggy. Any suggestions? I’ve put in refrigerator to help
★★★★
Hi Carol, so glad you like them! Yes, storing them in the refrigerator or freezer (they thaw quickly) is best in humid weather 🙂
These are simply perfect!!! Thanks for another great recipe 😊
★★★★★
Wonderful to hear they worked so well for you, Jamila!
I know this is probably a question that will be puzzling, but my son cannot eat bananas. This sounds like an amazing recipe, one that I would love to try. By any chance, is there any alternative ingredient for the banana?
I have a recipe , just for you, publishing it today Susan! Using apple instead of banana.
Hi, how many bananas equals 1/3 cup?
Looking forward to making these.
Thabks.
About 1 large 🙂
Just made the cookies. they are super sweet and tasty. 😋most importanty healthy.😊Thank you for the recipie. I will definitely make it again😊
You are so welcome, Anna!
Thank you for this recipe! It is everything you boast it to be. I can’t keep them longer than an hour when my grandchildren are here.
Can I use thawed frozen bananas?
Hi Karen! Oh, that’s wonderful, so glad they are a hit :). And yes, you can definitely use frozen bananas. I do that all the time!
Made them for brunch last weekend and going to make them for a dinner party for this weekend! So versatile- love the hint of banana sweetness!
Wonderful, Mia!!!
Is it 1/3 of a cup mashed banana or 1/3 of a banana?
Thank you so much for catching that, Sheena! It is 1/3 cup. I have made the correction. THANK YOU!!!
Wow! Made these spur of the moment for an afternoon snack for the kiddos since I had a very ripe banana on the counter. Amazing!!! I have a hot oven so it only took 12 minutes to get them set. Both kids loved them, even the one who is not crazy about bananas. I’ll be making these again, thank you!
I am so happy to hear that you tried and liked these, Angel (and the kids, too!) 🙂
I loved the taste of these cookies and want to make them for some friends that have a special diet. I followed the directions and used almond meal and even bought a cookie scooper! After 14 minutes the cookies were still in a ball and hadn’t flattened out. I flattened them with a fork and cooked a little while longer but they don’t look anything like the cookie picture on your blog. Any suggestions?
Hi Pat! Thanks so much for taking the time to try these–and getting a cookie scoop! Regarding the latter, I guarantee you will use it countless times (they are great for portioning mini muffins and pancakes, too).
Ok, on to the cookies! Glad you liked the flavor. Now about the shape: you mention that you used almond meal. The recipe actually calls for blanched almond flour. Blanched almond flour is much finer and lighter than almond meal because the skins are removed prior to grinding. The added fiber from the skins will make baked goods heavier, darker (the skins) and sometimes stiffer–for these cookies, it would make them stay in a ball, like you described.
I hope you give these aother try wih the blanched almond flour! I think you will have 100% success! And thanks so much for commenting–I will make a note in the recipe not to use almond meal 🙂 Thanks, Pat!