I really think the problem with most healthy cookies is the lack of oil. I love some “muffin top” type cookies that are soft and fluffy and like muffins and I’ve successfully made some of those that are really good with very minimal added fat. Unfortunately, your average cookie needs something more. And with these cookies, it’s not too much. You don’t feel weighed down after eating a couple of these like you do with traditional cookies. It’s only a few tablespoons(plus the peanut butter) for a big batch of cookies. A pretty fair amount for some super yummy cookies, I think 
You could even substitute some dried fruit for the chocolate chips if you really wanted to. And the original recipe had no added maple syrup so I’m sure you could leave it out(and add another tbsp of oil) and they would still be fantastic
So I went a little crazy with the picture taking for these. Seriously? I brought out a coconut and a banana(and hid that picture at the bottom, haha). I’m not sure what I was thinking(who thinks a brown hairy coconut looks attractive anyways?) but the picture was clear so I added it. Oh well. I had no idea cookies were so photogenic, but these ones were for sure. And not just photogenic. So yummy! My husband doesn’t like banana baked into anything, but excluding him, everyone in the house absolutely loved them. And by everyone I mean myself and the two kids. They didn’t last long enough to share with anyone else 
Recipe slightly adapted from Kitchen Karate
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen small cookies
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 1/2 C peanut butter
- 3 tbsp coconut oil(or substitute any flavorless oil like canola)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 C old fashioned rolled oats(certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1/3 C shredded coconut
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 C chocolate chips
- up to 1/2 C other add ins(dried fruit, nuts, or more chocolate chips) Optional
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mash the bananas in a large bowl and combine with peanut butter, liquified oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients and then add to the banana mixture and mix well. Add in the chocolate chips and anything else you want to add in and stir just till everything is evenly dispersed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop cookies by spoonfuls 1″ apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes just till set. I baked mine till the edges of the oats on top turned golden.
Make sure they’re completely cool before putting them in an airtight container. I’d even recommend leaving them on the counter for a couple hours because the bananas in them will make them soft if they’re covered too soon.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
I absolutely love cookies that are sweetened with bananas. My very first “healthy cookie” I made was this type and I’ve been addicted ever since. I’ll bet the chocolate chips make these really delicious.
Me too! Although it was a different recipe. So yummy
These look amazing! We were definitely on the same wave-length today
I agree completely on the healthy cookies thought. I’m totally fine with muffin tops baked on a cookie sheet…I’m not totally fine with calling them cookies! lol. Besides, some coconut oil is not going to hurt you. It might even help you, and definitely makes a better cookie
Yeah we were, haha. Awesome!
Same, muffin tops are muffin tops. Good, but not my kind of cookie. I’m finding coconut oil does make really good cookies
I’m totally drooling right now!!! I’ve bookmarked this and will definitely make some this week!! I don’t have enough bananas, but I’ll be able to make half a batch at least, and since I’ve given up processed sugar for Lent, I’ll use agave nectar instead of maple syrup.
I can’t wait to make them! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! I love that I can eat cookies and it still be healthy for me.
Actually that’s what I did with these cookies originally – made half a batch. It worked great
I really hope you enjoy them!
Hey, new reader here! I just had to comment on these amazing looking cookies. I’m big on trying to find healthier solutions for the sweets I just cannot live without, and these look like a they’d work perfectly! Mmmm and bananas.. so good in cookies!
Welcome! Thanks so much for the comment
I love finding healthier recipes or ideas for sweet things too 
I cannot live without sweets either, but it’s so much nicer to have naturally sweet things.
These look very yum!
:O I love just the title of these cookies. They look perfect!
Such beautiful pictures of some YUMMY looking cookies
Love that these are a healthy treat! They look sooo tasty!
Mary
Delightful Bitefuls
I’m so happy you tried them and were able to adapt them in to a vegan recipe. They look great!
Thank you for the original recipe, I know we’ll be making these again and again! Actually your recipe was vegan as long as chocolate chips without dairy in them are used
I love it! I am always looking for delishus healthy cookies! I will have to make these for my lil monkies
Hey – these look FANTASTIC! I’m not, though, a fan of coconut in anything. Do you think they would work just leaving out the coconuts, or do you have a suggestion for an alternative?
Thank you! You could probably just use more oats in place of the coconut
bananas make the best cookies and I love that these are GF!
Yum! These look amazing, I love coconut! Plus peanut butter and bananas, you can’t go wrong!
Dying to try these! They look divine!
I have to tell you how I found your blog! Someone was on mine and saved a post to their pinterest site, which was found through another pinterest site, so I decided to looking through their saved foods, and found this pic of your cookies, which interested me….small world. anyway, can’t wait to try these. Happy blogging!
Delicious! They look and also taste delicious! I love healthy food and this little ones are perfect for breakfast.
Hi! We made the cookies and they were delish (thanks!) but they didn’t hold together very well. I didn’t have coconut flakes on hand, and just left them out. I added some raisins also. Do you have any ideas for how they might hold together better? Now that I think about it maybe I should have added more oats in place of the coconut flakes…
Hmmm… Mine held together really well. I was actually surprised. I think making sure the wet to dry ratio is the same will make a difference when you try them next time so if you don’t have coconut, add more oats. I’m glad you liked them even if they didn’t hold together well.
Hi! I just found this recipe after searching for quite a while for a gluten free, vegan cookie recipe. I just made a batch and they are DELICIOUS. I used honey instead of maple syrup and they turned out great!
I saw that a few readers asked about how to get the dough to hold together better. Mine was a bit liquidy at first, but then I let the dough sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the oats to absorb some of the moisture, and it thickened right up!
Hi, I just made them – and they are delicious!!! Thank you soooo much for this recipe! Greetings from the Czech Republic
Hey! I just made these, and everyone loved them.
Except mine were not crispy at all and were “Muffin Top” like, like fat free cookies.
I had used frozen bananas, could this be the cause?
Tahnks so much!