Soft Vegan Banana Oat Cookies {gluten-free, oil-free}

Soft vegan banana oat cookies with have an old-fashioned taste but a healthy, modern profile. Easy-to-make with ingredients you have on hand, they are gluten-free, oil-free, and perfect for sweet treats, snacks, breakfasts or workout fuel.

Homestyle & Healthy Banana Cookies

Today, I’m sharing a recipe that tastes like your favorite banana bread in cookie form. In fact, I probably should have called them banana bread cookies (in my defense, it is Monday, and I have only had one cup of coffee). 

No matter how hectic your Monday turns out to be, I suspect you will want to grab a bowl later today and make a batch of these soft, satisfying, and sweet (but not too sweet) cookies. They are great for packing into lunches, satisfying a sweet tooth, and fueling up before or after a workout. All that from one humble cookie!

Recipe Benefits

In addition to being delicious, the cookies are also: 

• Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free}
• Oil-free
• Gluten-free
• Low in calorie (56 calories per cookie)
• Packed with 100% oats
• Low in sugar (3.3 grams per cookie)
• Easy to make (and customize, too!)

What You Need for the Banana Oat Cookies

These cookies are so satisfying–any time, for any reason–and very simple to make. If you love, soft, old-fashioned cookies, you will love them. The basic cookie is made with very humble ingredients, but you can add any number of extras, if you feel inclined.

Here is what you need, most (or all) of which you likely have on hand:

The 5 key ingredients are:

1. Rolled Oats. Old-fashioned or quick-cooking, & certified gluten-free as needed. Ready-to-use oat flour can also be used.
2. Very Ripe Bananas.
3. Smooth Nut or Seed Butter. Any smooth nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter) will work in the recipe. I used my DIY sunflower seed butter. 
4. Coconut Sugar. Brown sugar, or the granulated sweetener of your choice, can also be used.
5. Baking Powder.

I also like to add the following (however, the recipe will work without these extras)

• Vanilla Extract.
• Ground Cinnamon. Feel free to use the spice, or combination of spices, you prefer.
• Salt. A bit of salt enhances the flavors and sweetness of the cookies, but it can always be omitted.

Step by Step Instructions

The dough for these cookies comes together quickly, so before you mix and whisk, preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1: Combine the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, stir or whisk the mashed bananas, nut or seed butter, coconut sugar, and vanilla until blended and smooth.

Step 2: Grind the Oats

Place the rolled oats in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process the oats until they resemble a fine flour. Pulse in the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined.

If using ready-to-use oat flour, simply whisk or stir the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl until blended.

Step 3: Combine the Wet and Dry into a Dough

Add the oat mixture to the banana mixture and stir until completely blended and the dough comes together into a smooth, thick dough.

Step 4: Scoop the Dough

Using a medium cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, scoop rounded mounds of dough, placing 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 5: Bake!

Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes until golden brown, puffed and just set at the centers.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Can I Add Extra Ingredients to the Cookies?

Yes! The cookies are simple perfection as they are, but that does not mean they cannot be adorned with extras, such as the following:

• Whole natural almond, pecan half or walnut half
• Natural sprinkles
• Chocolate chips or chunks
• Chunky monkey assortment (chocolate chips, chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit)
• Jam, jelly or preserves (make an impression after scooping the dough, fill with jam for thumbprint cookies)
• Chopped dried fruit or raisins

Press ingredients directly into the surface of the unbaked cookie dough portions before baking in step 4. Alternatively, stir 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit into the dough in step 3 , before portioning.

Happy baking, everybody!

More Vegan Gluten-Free Oat Cookies to Try (& Love)

1. Overnight Oatmeal Cookies {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}
2. Healthy Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies {vegan, oil-free, GF}
3. Oat Banana Coconut Oil Energy Cookies {vegan, GF}
4. 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cookies {vegan, oil-free, GF}
5. Vegan Oat Thumbprint Cookies {gluten-free, flourless}
6. 2-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies {gluten-free, vegan}
7. Vegan Double Chocolate Oat Cookies {gluten-free}

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