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A crave-able dessert that doubles as a nutrition bar (or breakfast on the go)! It is my quick and easy, 5 ingredient vegan oil-free banana blondies. Made with a combination of oat flour & almond flour, they are also gluten-free and have no added sugar.
Looking for an easy vegan dessert recipe that does overtime as a grab-and-go option for busy mornings and pre-workouts?
You have found it with these gluten-free banana blondies (which also happen to be vegan, oil-free, and easy to make with only five ingredients). They will satisfy your sweet tooth and power you along in one feel swoop.
Table of Contents
- Recipe Benefits
- Ingredients
- How to Make Vegan Oil-Free 5 Ingredient Banana Blondies
- Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Pan
- Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
- Step Three: Stir in the Wet Ingredients
- Optional: Add Chocolate Chips
- Step Four: Spread Batter into Prepared Pan
- Step Five: Bake
- Step Six: Cool and Chill the Bars
- FAQ
- How Do I Store the Vegan Oil-Free 5 Ingredient Banana Bars?
- What is the Taste & Texture of the Bars?
- What Can I Use in Place of the Mashed Bananas?
- Can I Replace the Almond Flour with a Different Flour?
- Can I Make My Own Oat Flour with Rolled Oats?
- Are These Blondies Better with One Type of Nut or Seed Butter?
- Can I Add Other Flavorings to the Blondies?
- Are There Other Add-In Suggestions (Besides Chocolate Chips)?
- Related Posts
- Vegan Oil-Free Banana Blondies (5 Ingredients, GF) Recipe
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Oil-free
- Gluten-free
- No added sugar
- 5 ingredients
- Made in 1 bowl
- Easy to make and bake
- Lots of room for add-ins and variations
- Delicious!
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
The wholesome ingredients for these blondies are as follows:
- Almond flour or almond meal
- Oat flour (ready made, or make your own homemade oat flour using rolled oats)
- Mashed, very ripe bananas (use overripe bananas, with lots of dark spots for sweeter blondies)
- Smooth nut butter or seed butter (e.g., almond butter, sunflower seed butter, natural smooth peanut butter)
- Baking soda
- Optional: Semisweet chocolate chips (I have more add-in suggestions below, and in the recipe card)
The fat from the almond flour, plus nut/seed butter, and plenty of mashed banana, makes these blondies moist and tender, without the addition of any oil.
Note: f you need the blondies to be 100% gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour, or certified gluten free oats to make your own oat flour.
How to Make Vegan Oil-Free 5 Ingredient Banana Blondies
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Pan
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Coat the interior (bottom and sides) of an 8-inch (20 cm) baking ban with nonstick cooking spray or oil/grease (e.g. coconut oil, avocado oil) of your choice.
If you wish, or need, to keep the blondies 100% added oil-free, use a nonstick baking pan and or line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper.
Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the almond flour, oat flour, and baking soda until blended.
Step Three: Stir in the Wet Ingredients
Add the mashed bananas and nut butter to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until completely combined.
Do not worry about over-mixing the batter. There is no gluten in the recipe, so it is ok if you stir with vigor.
Optional: Add Chocolate Chips
If you like, add chocolate chips to the batter. Stir until combined.
Step Four: Spread Batter into Prepared Pan
Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the batter in an even layer, smoothing the top.
Step Five: Bake
Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until set at the center and golden brown at the edges. (Note: ovens and environments vary, so check at the earliest time and bake longer–even beyond the the max time–as needed).
Step Six: Cool and Chill the Bars
Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for one hour (or place in the freezer for 15 minutes). Chilling the bars will make them easier to remove from the baking dish.
Once chilled, cut into 16 bars or squares.
Yum!
FAQ
How Do I Store the Vegan Oil-Free 5 Ingredient Banana Bars?
Store the cooled bars in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 day, in the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
What is the Taste & Texture of the Bars?
The bars are firm and lightly moist. The combination of almond flour and oat flour produces a result that is similar (arguably, better!) than all purpose flour.
Almond flour (plus nut or seed butter) provides natural oils, without the addition of oil, lending these vegan blondies a tender, slightly chewy texture.
What Can I Use in Place of the Mashed Bananas?
An equal amount of unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree can be used in place of the mashed bananas. Keep in mind that the bars will be far less sweet with either of these options. As such, you may want to add a small amount of sweetener, such as coconut sugar or maple syrup, to taste.
Can I Replace the Almond Flour with a Different Flour?
An equal amount of my DIY Sunflower Seed Flour could be used in place of the almond flour. I have not tested it, but it should work fine.
Important: If using sunflower seed flour as a substitute for almond flour, use 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed) in place of the baking soda. This will prevent the blondies from turning green (a natural occurrence of sunflower seed flour in combination with baking soda. The green color is not harmful).
Can I Make My Own Oat Flour with Rolled Oats?
Yes! Place an equal weight of rolled oats in a blender and process until the oats are completely broken down into a fine flour.
A food processor can be used, in a pinch, but it is not the best option. The results will have a rougher grind that is more like oat meal than oat flour.
Are These Blondies Better with One Type of Nut or Seed Butter?
Yes. These blondies are best when made with a nut or seed butter that is runny (loose). So whether it is cashew butter, almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter, aim to use a version that is runny as well as smooth.
If your chosen butter (nut or seed) is stiff, heat it for a very brief time in a microwave until it loosens.
Can I Add Other Flavorings to the Blondies?
Yes! I have provided the minimalist version of the blondies, but you can enhance them with flavorings of your choice. For example:
- Extracts: Vanilla extract or almond extract (about 1 teaspoon for vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon for almond)
- Spices: Such as a small amount ground cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg or ginger
- Grated Zests: For example, lemon, lime or orange
- Sweeteners: Such as a small amount of coconut sugar or maple syrup.
Are There Other Add-In Suggestions (Besides Chocolate Chips)?
If you want to add something extra to the blondies, other than chocolate chips, consider adding an equal amount of one of the following:
- Dried fruit (e.g., dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries, or chopped dried apricots)
- Chopped nuts or seeds (e.g, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pepitas)
- Cacao nibs (use 3 to 5 tablespoons instead of 1/2 cup)
- Vegan white chocolate chips
Happy Baking!
Related Posts
Vegan Oil-Free Banana Blondies (5 Ingredients, GF)
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour, (see notes for making your own)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1.33 cups mashed very ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup 128 g smooth nut butter (e.g., almond butter, peanut butter)
- Optional: 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, see notes for more options
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Coat the interior (bottom and sides) of an 8-inch (20 cm) baking ban with nonstick cooking spray (see notes for alternative nonstick options).
- Add the mashed bananas and nut butter to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until completely combined. If you like, add chocolate chips to the batter. Stir until combined.
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the batter in an even layer, smoothing the top.
- Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until set at the center and golden brown at the edges. (Note: ovens and environments vary, so check at the earliest time and bake longer–even beyond the the max time–as needed).Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for one hour (or place in the freezer for 15 minutes). Chilling the bars will make them easier to remove from the baking dish.
- Once chilled, cut into 16 bars or squares.
Notes
Almond Flour Alternative: An equal amount of my DIY Sunflower Seed Flour can be used in place of the almond flour. Use 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder in place of the baking soda or else the sunflower seed flour will make the blondies green (a harmless chemical reaction). Nonstick Pan Options: Instead of nonstick cooking spray, use the oil/grease (e.g. coconut oil, avocado oil) of your choice to coat the pan. If you wish, or need, to keep the blondies 100% added oil-free, use a nonstick baking pan and or line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper.
These came out fantastic. I followed the ingredients as written and I used almond butter and date chocolate chips. Delicious!
I am so glad you like the blondies, Shellie!
Any thoughts on replacing oat flour?
Hi Erin,
You may be able to replace with chickpea flour, or almond flour + coconut flour (use an equal amount of almond flour less two tablespoons. Add two tablespoons coconut flour). Cheer.
YUM, these are so good.. I love that there is no added sugar. I will make these again..
I am so glad that you like them, Linda !
I am completely obsessed with these! My whole family is loving them so we have made them about 20 times since school started . Thank you so much!!!!
I am so glad that you and the whole family are loving them, Maria!
Out of curiosity, could tahini be a substitute for the nut butter?
It looks delicious and so much more versatile than the usual banana bread I make. Thank you!!
Hi M! Yes, you can definitely use tahini in place of nut butter 🙂
Hi hi, could I use applesauce instead of bananas? If so, the same amount?
Hi Danielle,
I think that should work fine (same amount as bananas), with a caveat: the bananas add the sweetness to the blondies. If using unsweetened applesauce, the blondies will have minimal sweetness. If adding other items, like chocolate chips or dried fruits, that should be fine. But if keeping them plain, you may want to add a bit of sweetener (e.g., coconut sugar, maple syrup , or sugar alternative).
I made these last minute for Fourth of July–they were great! I added chocolate chips, as suggested and the sweetness was just right without having to sweetened the batter. They were enjoyed by everyone!
That’s wonderful, Ada, thank you for sharing and so glad you like them 🙂