These amazing almond flour banana cookies are so easy and made using only 3 simple wholesome ingredients. You can customize them and add some chocolate chips, nuts and spices, plus they are naturally vegan, dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free. Perfect healthier treat or snacking cookie recipe for when you crave something sweet and satisfying!
These 3-ingredient almond flour banana cookies are my latest favorite snacking cookie recipe.
I shared a while back this 3-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe made with almond flour that everyone loves. It is still one of my most popular recipes on the blog! And now I am excited to share another way to make vegan almond flour cookies that's super simple, quick, easy and delicious.
These banana almond flour cookies make for the perfect cookies for when you have a sweet tooth but still want to enjoy a healthy snack.
You can whip up a batch within minutes using only almond flour, mashed bananas and baking powder. You can leave them as is, or flavor them the way you want with vanilla extract, cinnamon, nuts, shredded coconut or our favorite, chocolate chips. So fun!
They make for tasty soft cookies that are amazing for snacking, but also great as a satisfying dessert. They are naturally packed with fiber, plant-based protein and healthy omega-3 fats, thanks to the almond flour. Using almond flour also keeps this recipe completely gluten-free!
They are also made without any added sugar or sweetener! Their mildly sweet flavor comes from the banana's natural sweetness, although we like them a little sweeter so we usually add some chocolate chips too.
You will love how filling these cookies are and they make for such perfect healthy banana cookies to prepare when you need to use up your overripe bananas!
Let me know if you gave them a try! ❤️
Why you should try this recipe
- Very fast and easy to make
- Uses only 3 simple ingredients
- Flavorful cookies that have a soft texture and crispy edges
- Can be customized with extra flavoring ingredients of your choice
- Great for kids!
- Mild banana flavor and slightly sweet without any added refined sugars
- Filling and nutritious cookie recipe
- Secretly healthy and packed with nutrition
- 100% vegan, dairy-free, oil-free, egg-free and gluten-free
What you will need
- Almond flour: you will need fine almond flour that's blanched. Blanched almond flour means that the skin from the almonds was removed before grinding the nuts. You cannot use almond meal for making these cookies. I used the blanched super fine almond flour from the brand Bob's Red Mill.
- Ripe banana: the riper the better! Look for black-spotted bananas if possible. Using ultra-ripe bananas helps bring more moisture and sweetness to your cookie recipe. I haven't tried using frozen bananas. You will need ½ cup of well-mashed bananas, which is about 1 ½ banana.
- Baking powder: to help puff the cookies slightly.
Extra flavoring ingredients (optional)
You can use this basic recipe and add 1-2 of these ingredients to flavor the cookies as you wish:
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips (mini chocolate chips work better)
- Shredded coconut
- Chai spices or pumpkin pie spices
- Chopped walnuts
- Lemon zest
- Sea salt
- Ground ginger
- Poppy seeds
How to make 3-ingredient almond flour banana cookies
These cookies can be ready within 20 minutes!
Start by preheating the oven to 350º and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Make the cookie dough
Mash the banana and then measure the ½ cup that you need.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond flour with the baking powder, then add the mashed banana. Stir until combined and uniform.
Flavor the dough (optional)
Then, you can add the flavoring ingredients (such as cinnamon or chocolate chips) and combine.
Bake
Divide the batter into 7 equal parts (you can roughly make balls) and place on the prepared baking sheet. I like using my medium size ice cream scoop for this.
Then, you can slightly flatten the cookies using your fingers or the back of a spoon. I like to wet my fingers just a little before pressing on the dough so it doesn’t stick too much. Also, don't press them too much either (see the quick video in the recipe card).
Bake in the oven until they turn golden brown, about 13-15 minutes.
Once done baking, then let the cookies rest for another 5 minutes before enjoying.
Baking tips
- As mentioned above, you will need bananas that are very ripe for making this recipe or the cookies might end up too dry or not sweet enough.
- Mash the banana very very well, until smooth and almost saucy, so the moisture is well distributed within the cookies.
- For a sweeter cookie recipe, then you can include chocolate chips or sprinkle some brown sugar over the cookies before baking them.
- The healthy cookies won't spread much while baking, so that's why I recommend gently pressing on them before baking so they can be cooked more uniformly.
- This recipe makes for 7 cookies only, so feel free to double the recipe!
Variation and serving suggestions
Other than adding more flavoring ingredients, this healthy cookie recipe is so versatile you can tweak the ingredients and serve the cookies differently:
- Thumbprint cookies: make a cavity in the middle of the cookies and add a spoonful of jam. This blueberry chia jam would be great!
- Sugar-coated: you can roll the dough into balls in between your hands and then roll them into some coarse sugar or coconut sugar. Place on the baking sheet, press on the cookies and bake.
- Chocolate drizzle: instead of adding chocolate chips to the batter, you can also melt some chocolate and drizzle it over the cooked cookies. Or, dip half of the cooked cookie into the chocolate and let it set on a cooling rack.
- Frosted: you can top the cookies with a frosting when serving for a special treat! This tahini caramel is delicious and probably the quickest and easiest option, but these cookies would be especially amazing with a dark chocolate frosting or a quick peanut butter frosting.
Storage tips
Let the cookies completely cool down first and then transfer them to an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature for 24-48 hours, but then transfer them to the fridge for longer storage. You can also freeze them!
FAQs
Can I use regular flour or a different kind of GF flour?
No, I don't recommend it. All flour absorbs moisture differently and since I didn't try making this recipe with a different flour, then I don't recommend swapping the almond flour for something else.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, you can! It is a great recipe to make a large batch of and freeze for later. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
More vegan almond flour recipes
- Almond flour matcha bites
- Almond flour thumbprint cookies
- 3-ingredient peanut butter almond flour cookies
- Almond flour banana muffins
More recipes like this to try
- Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Matcha white chocolate cookies
- Vegan red velvet cookies
- Vegan sandwich cookies
- Coffee bean cookies
- Raw oat flour chocolate chip bites
- Vegan lemon cookies
📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Banana Cookies (3-Ingredient, Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1½ cup almond flour - blanched and fine (not almond meal)
- ½ cup overripe banana - mashed very smooth
- ½ tsp baking powder
Optional adds-in
- 2-3 tbsp vegan chocolate chips - I like these mini vegan chocolate chips
- 2-3 tbsp shredded coconut
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp maple syrup - for sweeter cookies
- 2-3 tbsp nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds) - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the banana until very smooth (it should be very saucy).
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour with the baking powder. Then, add the mashed banana and stir until combined and uniform. Stir in the flavoring ingredients, if using, and combine.
- Divide the batter into 7 equal portions (an ice cream scoop works well for that), place them on the prepared baking sheet and then use your fingers to flatten the balls slightly.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before enjoying.
Video
Notes
- Storage: let the cookies cool down first and then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, then transfer to the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them.
- It is important to use overripe bananas for the best result. This will ensure the cookies are moist and sweet enough.
- Be sure to check out the blog post for more customization ideas!
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
I only added chocolate chips. They are delicious!!!
Hi Olivia, thanks so much for your comment, I'm glad you liked them! 😊
I make these all the time! I've been using craisins or dried cherries. today I add flaxseed. it was great texture and healthy!
Hi Anne, thank you so much for sharing! 😊
Simple and tasty!
These look amazing!!! I'm allergic to everything but I can eat every ingredient in these. I am looking forward to trying them!
Hi Valerie! I'm glad you will be able to try them. Let me know how they turn out! 😊
What is the carb count on one cookie?
Hi Genevieve! Per cookies (approx): 7.4 g carbs, 5.3 g protein, 13.8 g fats, 160 calories. 😊