Banana Bread Cookies

The cakey texture of these soft Banana Bread Cookies will get you hooked at first bite. You’ll never believe they are also healthy, gluten-free and diet-friendly!

Banana bread + chocolate chip cookies = Banana Bread Cookies!

I’m combining two of my favorite desserts to make what I like calling Banana Bread Cookies. This recipe is perfect for when you have ripe bananas but crave something different from the same pancakes or banana bread.

Why you will love banana bread cookies

When I say that this is my BEST cookie recipe ever, I mean it. Soft and subtly sweet, these cookies feel like eating banana bread. But as a cookie, with chocolate chips and a healthy Greek yogurt frosting on top!

Honestly, you will never guess that these banana bread cookies are also good for you. Made with oat and almond flour, they are free from refined flours, high in fibers, rich in nutrients and gluten-free.

I’m pretty sure you will love them too, because they are:

• Soft and cakey
• Banana bready
• With chocolate chips
• Topped with a healthy yogurt frosting
• Healthy and nutritious
• Without refined flours or sugars
• Gluten-free
• Vegan-friendly
• Naturally sweetened
• Super easy to make
• A 1-bowl cookie recipe

…Simply Banana bread + Cookies. Soft and Cakey!

The ingredients

This banana cookie recipe is so simple. You only need a handful of basic ingredients that you probably already have at home. And don’t worry if something is missing. There are plenty of substitute options waiting for you!

• Banana: the riper the banana, the better. Look for a brown-ish banana, with dark spots all over its skin. Unripe bananas, instead, are less sweet and do not mash that well.
• Egg: use a large fresh egg, or replace with one flaxseed egg for vegan cookies.
• Oat flour: you can use homemade or store-bought oat flour, gluten-free if it is necessary. As an alternative, replace with any other flour, such as wholewheat or all purposes flour.
• Almond flour: this improves both taste and texture, making these cookies taste like banana bread. Although I do not recommend it, almond flour can be substituted with more oat flour.
• Maple syrup: this is a healthier and more natural sweetener. As a substitute, you can use honey, agave syrup, date syrup or coconut sugar. As they will change the dough consistency, this recipe does not work with granular sweeteners.
• Vegetable oil: for the best taste, use a vegetable oil with a neutral flavor. My recommendations are canola oil (probably the best), avocado oil or a very mild olive oil. If you prefer, you can also use melted butter.
• Banana bread spices: vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and a pinch salt will make your healthy banana cookies taste like a cake! 
• Baking powder and baking soda: besides working as leavening agents, used together, these ingredients improve the texture of the banana cookies and make them soft. If you don’t have baking soda, feel free to omit it.
• Chocolate chips: for healthier banana bread cookies, this recipe uses extra dark chocolate chips. Replace with any type of chocolate chips you like, remembering that the darker the healthier.

Healthy Greek yogurt frosting

But these are not simple banana cookies. These are Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies with Frosting! A healthy frosting made with Greek yogurt, cream cheese and powdered sweetener. For fewer calories, I used low fat yogurt and cream cheese. But any other option works, also dairy-free alternatives. What truly matters is that the chosen yogurt has a firm (thick) texture. If you don’t have powdered sweetener (calorie-free & sugar-free), replace with normal powdered sugar.

Vegan banana bread cookies

This healthy banana cookie recipe is also vegan friendly. For vegan cookies, replace the egg with one flaxseed egg or chia egg. Moreover, you will need to make the frosting with dairy-free yogurt and cream cheese. But keep this mind: choose a plant based yogurt that has the same consistency of Greek yogurt. It should be as thick as the original, otherwise your icing won’t come out.

Protein powder banana cookies

If you are like me and always look for ways to sneak in protein powder into your recipes, keep on reading. To make high protein banana bread cookies, replace part of the oat flour with protein powder. But be careful, you should not exaggerate with protein powder otherwise it will spoil the texture of your cookies. My recommendation is to substitute no more than 30 grams (1/3 cup) of the flour with a protein powder of your choice. Ideally it should be a vegan protein or casein, as they do not dry out like whey.

How to make Banana Bread Cookies

Step 1 – Mix the moist ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe banana and once smooth beat with the egg. Add the maple syrup, the oil, the vanilla extract, the ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir well, until all the moist ingredients come to form a smooth mixture.

Step 2 – Make the cookie dough. Sift into the wet mixture the oat flour, the almond flour, the baking powder and the baking soda. Mix until you get a smooth dough, then fold in the the chocolate chips.

Step 3 – Refrigerate. After mixing, refrigerate the dough for at least 20 minutes. Don’t skip this step, otherwise the dough will be sticky and you won’t be able to form the cookies.

Step 4 – Bake. Scoop out some dough and shape the cookies, then line over a parchment paper covered baking sheet, spacing them apart. Bake in hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes – for soft and cakey Banana Bread Cookies, do not overbake. When they are ready, remove from the oven and let cool before frosting or serving.

Step 5 – Frost. In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese with Greek yogurt, powdered sweetener (or powdered sugar) and vanilla extract until creamy. Only before serving, top your (cooled) banana bread cookies with the healthy frosting.

How to store banana cookies

After baking, let the healthy banana cookies cool at room temperature. Once cool, seal in an airtight food container without adding any frosting. At room temperature, they will last for up to 3 days. 

For a longer storage, freeze your cookies (not-frosted) in an airtight food container or in a zipping bag for up to 3 months. Before serving, pop in hot oven and reheat for a couple of minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe tips

Here are a couple of tips on how to make the BEST banana bread cookies ever.

• Use a ripe banana. A ripe banana will make your cookies sweeter and softer.
• Opt for a neutral vegetable oil. If the oil has a strong flavor, it will alter the taste of your cookies. My recommendations are canola oil and avocado oil. Olive oil, instead, is too strong for me.
• Don’t skip the oil. It’s just a tablespoon, but it makes the difference. Please, don’t leave it out just to save some calories.
• Don’t replace almond flour. Almond flour will give these healthy banana cookies their unique banana bread taste!
• Use both baking powder and baking soda. A must for softer cookies!
• Don’t skip the resting time. After sitting in the fridge for about 20 minutes, the dough will be firmer and more manageable. This will make it much easier for you to shape the cookies afterwards.
• Don’t overbake. Keep an eye on the baking time, otherwise your cookies will get dry. And don’t worry if they feel too soft. They biscuits get firmer after cooling.
• Frost before serving. Make sure that you frost your banana cookies only before serving, otherwise they will absorb the moisture and get soggy.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

More healthy cookie recipes

• Blueberry oatmeal cookies
• No bake chocolate oatmeal cookies
• Oatmeal protein cookies
• 3 ingredient breakfast cookies
• Banana protein cookies with egg whites
• Oatmeal protein cookie dough bars

Video recipe