Healthy banana cookies are decadent enough to be an after-dinner dessert but nutritious enough to enjoy for breakfast. Kids love that they’re sweet and look like treats, moms love that they are serving a healthy cookie without the hassle.
Do you know what’s the cutest thing to hear in the world?
A 2 year old saying ‘cookie’. Right now when Owen says it, it sounds something like “KEE-KEE” and you guys. Heart melting.
And, you know what’s undeniably LESS cute?
A 2 year old saying “KEE-KEE” over and over and over and over and crying and screaming, because he’s 2 and doesn’t quite get that cookies aren’t a breakfast food.
Enter: healthy banana cookies!
Thankfully, another thing I’ve learned as a mother is that life is made of compromises.
These healthy banana cookies are the perfect treat – sugar free, full of whole grains, fruit, and healthy fats. You can release the mom guilt and serve them as a breakfast recipe for kids.
Tips for making healthy banana cookies:
- The riper the banana, the more sugar it has. We buy tons of bananas a week. I just freeze any that start to get into questionable territory, saving them for cookies, banana bread, and, of course, veggie smoothies.
- You can use all honey or all maple syrup for this. I like to mix it up and use both because why not. Remember that babies under 1 cannot eat honey.
- Feel free to use or omit the nut butter. You can also use a seed butter to avoid nut allergies. I’ve done both and likes both.
- Use any combination of nuts and chips you’d like – you can completely leave the nuts and chocolate chips out, or stick to dark chocolate.
- For easy portioning, use a small cookie scoop to get the batter to a cookie sheet. If you don’t have one, just scoop with 2 spoons, as the batter is sticky.
Substitutions for these banana cookies:
Make your healthy banana cookies fit your family’s diet by using some substitutions. The best part is how versatile this recipe is!
- Nut butter: you can use any nut or seed butter you’d like or omit altogether. Omitting will make it a fluffier cookie.
- Chocolate: you can omit, use dark chocolate for reduced sugar, or use a vegan variety to make it dairy-free. Cacao nibs would also be a nutrition-packed option. Mini m&ms would also be a fun substitution.
- Butter: use coconut oil to make dairy free. Just melt it down the same way you would with butter.
- Gluten: Use certified Gluten Free oats to make sure these cookies are GF.
- Mix ins: Omit any nuts (or use whatever kind you like) for seeds or another favorite mix in, or leave them out all together. Try chopped dried fruit or mini candies!
You may need….
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I love using cookie scoops to help with everything from portioning cookies to meatballs. This one from OXO is my favorite and makes the perfect sized cookies.
