2-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies

Welcome to the wonderful world of 2-ingredient recipes. They may not sound like much, but these banana oat cookies are way better than the sum of their (very low number of) parts.

They're sugar-free. They're gluten-free. They're devoid of egg, dairy, flour, oil, and basically anything that isn't just oats and bananas. It'll take you less than 20 minutes to make them and they can be stored for several days.

I don't think there's any need to dress them up, but you could easily add in a variety of different ingredients if that's what you fancy. Think chocolate, peanut butter, raisins, nuts, or jam. Whatever works for you.

I like to think of this as a vegan breakfast recipe, so if you fancy more of those then check out this vegan breakfast hash and these mashed potato pancakes.

Can I really make these without sugar?

Yup! The mashed banana acts as both a binder and natural sweetener for the mix, meaning you'll have cookies with a nice texture and flavour without the need for any refined sugar.

Are they healthy?

There's nothing more than oats and bananas in the basic recipe, with each cookie weighing in at just 65 calories.

The cookies are also free from oil and butter (and therefore very low in fat) provided you use a non-stick baking sheet or line your sheet with greaseproof paper or a non-stick baking mat.

Which oats are best?

You'll want to use rolled oats for this recipe. Sometimes referred to as 'porridge oats' or 'quick oats', these oats have been rolled flat into thin flakes and will cook relatively quickly.

'Steel-cut' or 'pinhead' oats won't work in the same way as they require more cooking time – these are better off used in traditional porridge or recipes like this ultimate vegan haggis or vegan cranachan.

Are oats gluten-free?

Oats are naturally gluten-free, however they may sometimes be processed in an environment where there’s a risk of cross-contamination. To ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use oats that are certified GF.

What you'll need

It really is this simple:

• Ripe bananas that are easy to mash
• Rolled oats a.k.a. porridge oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)

How to make vegan banana and oat cookies

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).

Peel the bananas and add to a large bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork until you have a thick liquid consistency (1).

Add the oats (2) and mix well to create a batter (3).

Using a fork or spoon (or your hands), divide the mixture into roughly 8 even balls and space these out on a non-stick baking sheet. If you don't have a non-stick baking sheet, use a sheet lined with greaseproof paper or a non-stick baking mat.

Use a fork or spoon to flatten the balls into round discs and tidy up the edges. The shape won't change much during cooking, so decide on the size at this stage.

Bake in the oven for around 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are set and starting to turn slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before eating.

Other additions for oat banana cookies

You could also include any of the following when making the batter:

• Vegan chocolate chips
• Raisins or sultanas
• Dried cranberries
• Peanut butter or another nut butter
• Ground flaxseed
• Sunflower seeds
• Chopped nuts
• Fruit jam
• Chopped dates
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg
• Agave syrup

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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You can also check out my full list of vegan snack recipes.