Healthy Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies {vegan, oil-free, GF}

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:

1. Melt peanut butter, margarine, canned evaporated milk, a bit of cocoa powder, and a truckload of white sugar in a saucepan.
2. Add a few oats to promote solidification of said sugar concoction.
3. 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