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.
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- Sugar-free 🍭
- Nutrition 🌱
- Oats 🌿
- Gluten-free ✅
- Ingredients 📋
- Step by step 📷
- FAQ ❓
- Additions 🔀
- Recipe 👨🍳
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, vegan white pudding, 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.
Recipe FAQ
Once cool, I'd recommend storing these in an airtight container and consuming within a couple of days.
I don't usually freeze these, but it's certainly okay to do so. For the best results, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to another container.
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
Keep in touch
Subscribe below to get your free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips, featuring 10+ pages of personal experience and advice to set you up for success with your plant-based cooking. 👇
More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
- Eggy Scrambled Tofu
- Vegan Haggis Toastie
- Vegan Haggis Fritters
- Sweet Potato Pancakes with Chilli and Lime
- Crispy Baked Falafel
- Vegan Cranachan
You can also check out my full list of vegan snack recipes.
2-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary, see notes)
- 2 ripe bananas
Instructions
- 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.
- Add the oats and mix well to create a batter.
- 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.📸 Recipe steps >📖 Table of contents >
Notes
- Vegan Potato Hash
- Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
- Eggy Scrambled Tofu
- Vegan Haggis Toastie
- Vegan Haggis Fritters
- Sweet Potato Pancakes with Chilli and Lime
- Vegan Cranachan
Nutrition
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Jessie
Okay, I was SUPER skeptical of this... But it works! I managed to get 11 cookies out of it, which is funny because when I'm following a recipe for cookies or muffins, I tend to yield much less than it says I will. But that's fine, because even if I eat the entire batch, we're talking 500 calories. I mean, what in the name of cookie miracles?! Thanks so much for the share! Keeping this one, for SURE.
The Pesky Vegan
Yep, they're almost too easy – cheers for the review!
Amber.
Brilliant
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed, cheers!
Shellie
These came out perfect. Thanks!
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear it, thanks very much for the review!
Sheena
So so yummy and easy… added a few chopped dried figs and sprinkle of cinammon… thank you!
The Pesky Vegan
Those sound like great additions, thanks very much for the review!
Martha
Better then 5 star. I have made them every day since I first tried this recipe last week. I don't even bother to store them - left on thee kitchen counter on a plate and they disappear! They are wonderful for a portable breakfast.
I added just a tiny bit of salt which made them perfect. I also have been having great fun with add-ins - chia seeds, extracts, currants, etc.
Thanks again
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the rave review - I don't tend to store them either as they quickly disappear!
Vivien Haines
Brilliant and 😋 yummy..thank you so much for this recipe Alistair..so quick to make and bake ..then eat.😄.
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for the review!
Donna Barski
With oats and bananas in stock, I baked these cookies right after reading this week's recipe post! These naturally sweet gluten-free cookies are indeed delicious. They are a satisfying healthy quick breakfast food for me, along with a hot cup of black coffee, of course. Thank you for this recipe!
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks Donna, glad you enjoyed them with your coffee!
Donna Bee
I forgot to mention in my note that I added cinnamon and my favorite Mexican vanilla to the mix of oats and bananas. (Blue Cattle Truck Trading Company!). The vanilla IS the best I've ever used and I'm fussy.
Thanks again for sharing this so easy to make, tasty and healthy cookie recipe, Alistair
Donna
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the handy tips Donna!
Honey
You are amazing! I'm not that fussy on bananas but with oats, what's not to like? Thank you for a guilt free nibble x
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers!