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Minimalist, yet magnificent, healthy chocolate banana oat cookies! Vegan, gluten-free and oil-free, they are also low in sugar and only 56 calories each.
Do you remember chocolate no-bake cookies? I did not have them in childhood, but in graduate school. There, at Indiana University, they were (and still are) a favorite offering at the Sugar & Spice bakery.
Recipes for chocolate no-bakes vary, but most follow this basic format:
- Melt peanut butter, margarine, canned evaporated milk, a bit of cocoa powder, and a truckload of white sugar in a saucepan.
- Add a few oats to promote solidification of said sugar concoction.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper to cool.
A Healthy Chocolate Oat Cookie Recipe
I like the combination of chocolate and oats, but decided to make a better option. Namely, a healthier, more-chocolatey cookie with a fraction of the sugar. I like my sweet tooth; I’d rather it not fall out.
They’re my Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies, and they’re pretty great!
What Makes These Cookie So Healthy?
These healthy chocolate lovelies are:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free (use certified gluten-free oats, as needed)
- Oil-free
- Refined sugar free (sweetened with a banana and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar)
- Easy
- Only 56 calories per cookie
The cookies are not no-bakes; I tried, but each batch produced mounds of oatmeal. Not bad, but also not cookies. I recalibrated and made a baked cookie, instead. It is still very fast and easy and begins much like a non-bake chocolate oat cookie.
How to Make the Cookies (it’s Easy!)
First, make a chocolate fudge base with the following ingredients:
Mashed (very ripe) banana, water, cocoa powder, coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice), creamy nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut, cashew, sunflower seed), and optional fine sea salt.
Make A Fudgy Base
Whisk the ingredients together until they are smooth, and then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, whisking, for 1 minute longer (the mixture will begin to thicken).
Add the Oats
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (if using; it adds a big flavor boost, but no worries if you do not have any on hand). Add 1 cup of oats and stir until blended.
I prefer the texture of quick-cooking oats in this recipe, but old-fashioned work perfectly, too.
Let the Dough Stand for 5 Minutes
Let the oat mixture stand for 5 minutes, to thicken, and then stir in 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Stir vigorously to evenly distribute the baking soda.
Scoop & Bake
I used my small cookie scoop to create 12 cookies; a small spoon will work, too. Last, I dotted the tops with a few miniature chocolate chips.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 9 to 10 minutes, just until the surface of the cookies appears dry and set. The cookies will look more dry when they first emerge from the oven, but they will take on a warm, slightly glossy hue as they cool.
Hello, delicious.
Each cookie is 56 calories, with only 3.7 grams of sugar–great for snacking, dessert, or even breakfast.
BTW: If you are not a banana fan, or have a banana allergy, don’t worry: I have an applesauce option in the recipe notes.
Happy baking!
Other Easy & Amazing Oat Cookies to Try:
- Blueberry Oat Breakfast Bars
- Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Overnight Oatmeal Cookies
- 2-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies

Healthy Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}
Minimalist, yet magnificent, chocolate banana oat cookies! Healthy, vegan, gluten-free and oil-free, they are also low in sugar and only 56 calories each.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) mashed very ripe banana
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) water
- 2 and 1/2 tablespoons (13 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon smooth nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut, almond, sunflower seed)
- Optional: 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, whisk the banana, water, cocoa powder, sugar, nut butter, and (optional) salt until blended. Bring to a low boil, whisking, over medium-high heat; boil 1 minute longer.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in (optional) vanilla and oats. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the baking soda until completely blended.
- Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the dough into 12 equal mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops of cookies with a few chocolate chips.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes until surface of cookies appears dry. Transfer cookies from sheet 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 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Banana options: Replace the banana with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. The applesauce is less sweet than bananas, so increase the sugar to a total of 2 and 1/2 tablespoons, or to taste.
Sweetener Options: An equal amount of other granular or liquid sweetener can be used in place of the coconut sugar.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 cookieAmount Per Serving Calories 56Total Fat 1.6gSaturated Fat 0.3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 43mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 1.2gSugar 3.7gProtein 1.6g
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Beth
Wednesday 16th of September 2020
Hi, Can I omit the nut butter completely. I am on a nut free oil free and dairy free food plan. ( to prevent and reverse heart disease) I am always looking for an oatmeal and cocoa powder recipe for a crunchy cookie. Thank you, Beth
Camilla
Friday 18th of September 2020
Hi Beth, I think you can get by with that for this recipe since there is only 1 tablespoon. Perhaps add 1 more tablespoon of mashed banana. These are soft, not crunchy, cookies. It is going to be difficult to create a crunchy oat cookie in the absence of added fat of some kind.
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