These banana bread cookies are vegan, gluten-free, and taste just like little bites of banana bread (with lots of chocolate and walnuts)!
The combination of wanting to bake while staying home has resulted in some interesting ingenuity. Honestly, I can stay that I kind of like the challenge that has come with using what I have on hand and forcing myself to be less wasteful. This week I was desperate for a sweet treat, but since I'd be the only one eating it (with my better half currently eating differently than me), I didn't want to make a whole loaf or cake for myself. Cue problem-solving!
These cookies rely on an overripe banana for sweetness, tahini for fat, coconut sugar for sweetness, and some light buckwheat flour for structure. But they should be flexible to work with whatever you have.
Ingredients
- tahini
- 1 ripe banana
- coconut sugar
- vanilla
- baking powder
- light buckwheat flour
- walnuts
- chocolate chunks
Method
These cookies are super simple to make, come together quickly, and use one bowl.
Begin by mashing the banana. Combine it with the tahini, coconut sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix until a smooth paste is made.
Next, add the flour, baking powder, and sea seal. Stir until combined.
Stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts.
Using wet hands (the dough is super sticky) form the dough into 10 balls. Lightly press down to flatten each ball into a disk. If your hands being to get sticky, just wash them again and get them slightly damp before handling the mixture.
After shaping, top each cookie with a few extra chocolate chunks, walnuts, or even flaked salt for that extraness.
Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes at 350°, or until puffed and golden. Let cook on tray for around 10 minutes before moving them to a rack.
The banana bread cookies will be cakey first day, but after a day in an airtight container they will become more banana bread like.
Tips + Notes
- Try making extra banana bread cookies and freezing them for a later date
- If you use frozen bananas to make your cookies, be sure to thaw and drain them well before using.
- Baked cookies will last about 5 days kept in an airtight container.
Substitutions
- No tahini? Use almond butter or peanut butter, or cashew butter.
- No coconut sugar? How about brown sugar?
- No light buckwheat flour? Try a gluten-free mix or even a light spelt.
- Try using other nuts or ship them all together
- Other additions like soft dried bananas would be very nice!
Recipe
Banana Bread Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini or almond butter, cashew, or peanut
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 1)
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup light buckwheat flour
- ½ cup crushed walnuts
- ½ cup chocolate chunks
- More chocolate walnuts, or flakey sea salt to garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the mashed banana, tahini, coconut sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and sea seal. Stir until combined.
- Stir in chocolate and walnuts.
- Using wet hands (the dough is super sticky) form the dough into 10 balls. Lightly press down to flatten each ball into a disk. If at any times your hands stick to the dough, just wash them again and get them slightly damp before handling the mixture.
- If you desire, top each cookie with a few extra chocolate chunks, walnuts, or even flaked salt.
- Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes at 180°C (350°F), or until puffed and golden. Let cook on tray for around 10 minutes before moving them to a rack.
- Cookies will be cakey first day, but after a day in an airtight container they will become more banana bread like.
Would it work if I left out the sugar?
It will definitely change the texture. I think a natural sugar alternative like monk fruit would work though 🙂
Wonderful! So easy to make and a great texture. I’m often looking for a solution to use the lonely overripe banana. This is it.
thanks, Renée! So happy you enjoyed them <3
I made these today and they're delish! Thank you! Is it possible to use almond flour instead of buckwheat flour?
Hey Maral, so happy you liked them! I often sub the flour called for with almond, so, I don't see why this wouldn't work. You might want to start with 1/2 cup and slowly add more as needed <3