Name: Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal; 3 tablespoons water; 1 cup all natural peanut butter (*); 2 large very ripe bananas (each broken in half); 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract; 2 cups old fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (dairy free if necessary)

These Peanut Butter Banana Cookies are chewy and loaded with chocolate chips. Bonus: they’re vegan, naturally sweetened, and healthy enough for breakfast, but decadent enough for dessert.

General
Ingredients
How to make
Get the recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
What peanut butter to use
How to store
Nutrition information

These peanut butter banana cookies may be vegan, gluten free, and healthy enough for breakfast, but they’re also insanely delicious, chewy, and packed with pools of melty chocolate. These cookies truly are the best of both worlds.

Ingredients

These healthy refined sugar free vegan cookies use every day ingredients that I bet you already have on hand!

Flax Egg: Ground Flaxseed Meal and Water – eggs are used in cookies to provide structure (aka keep the cookies from falling apart) and promote a chewy texture. I wanted these cookies to be vegan, so we needed an egg replacement. Enter: a flax “egg”. Ground flaxseed meal is mixed together with water then sets in the fridge to gel. Flax eggs provide structure, just like “real” eggs. They also do have some amount of fat which will promote a chewy texture.
Peanut Butter – look for an all-natural creamy peanut butter, not a processed variety like Jiff. If you’re looking for an oatmeal cookie recipe using processed peanut butter, check out our peanut butter oatmeal cookies. All natural peanut butter has a runnier texture which is necessary for these cookies. They also don’t contain added sugars or oils, which keeps this recipe more nutritious.
Bananas – 2 large very ripe bananas are called for in the original recipe. As bananas ripen, they get softer and sweeter. Because this recipe uses very little additional sweeteners, it’s important to use ripe bananas to provide enough sweetness.
Maple Syrup – our all-natural sweetener which is brimming with vitamins and minerals. Just a touch of maple syrup provides additional sweetness to compliment the bananas.
Vanilla Extract – adds a sweet flavor and depth. Without it, the cookies will taste bland. Feel free to use pure or imitation vanilla.
Old Fashioned Oats – aka rolled oats. Old fashioned oats provide a chewy texture while also adding structure which gives the cookies shape. Be sure to use oats that are certified gluten free if necessary.
Baking Soda – our leavening agent. Baking soda gives these cookies a “lift” and prevents them from becoming too dense. It also promotes a nice, chewy texture.
Cinnamon and Salt – this combination of spices gives a warm, cozy flavor and also helps to balance out the sweetness from the bananas and maple syrup. Feel free to use a store-bought seasoning blend like “pumpkin pie spice” to replace the cinnamon if you like very spiced cookies.
Chocolate Chips – use semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate. Chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate may also be used. Be sure to use a dairy free or vegan variety, if necessary.

Pro tip

Be sure you’re using an all-natural variety of peanut butter where the ingredients are just peanuts or peanuts and salt. You’ll also need to be sure to stir it thoroughly to reincorporate the oil before measuring it out for the recipe.

How to make

Because these cookies have no flour or eggs, the batter is perfectly safe to eat raw! Don’t forget to save some for baking. 😉

Make a flax “egg” by stirring together flaxseed meal and water until combined. Chill for 15 minutes then proceed with the recipe.
Place the flax egg into a food processor with peanut butter, bananas, maple syrup, vanilla, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then process until no banana chunks remain.
Stir in the chocolate chips, then place mixture into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Use a large cookie scoop to scoop 12 dough balls onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet then bake in preheated oven for 8-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Cool, then enjoy chilled in the fridge, room temperature, or warmed in the microwave.

Pro tip

Cook time depends on the texture you’re going for. 8-10 minutes will get you a denser, fudge-y, banana bread texture and 12 minutes becomes drier and more cake-like. We like 8-10 minutes.

What peanut butter to use

Use a drippy all-natural creamy peanut butter for the best results. The ingredients should be “peanuts” or “peanuts and salt”. Because we’re using all-natural peanut butter, separation is very normal. Simply stir the peanut butter until thoroughly combined before measuring it out for the recipe.

The specific brand shouldn’t matter.

How to store

Cooled cookies will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 2-3 months. Because these cookies are so moist, I don’t recommend leaving them out at room temperature for more than a day.

These cookies are great served chilled straight from the fridge (they taste like a dense banana bread) or warmed in the microwave.

– Jennifer

Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Ingredients

How to make

What peanut butter to use

How to store