Vegan Coconut Flour Banana Cookies: A Healthy & Delicious Treat

Craving a sweet treat that won’t derail your healthy eating habits? Look no further! These soft, chewy Vegan Coconut Flour Banana Cookies are the perfect solution. Made with simple ingredients and bursting with banana flavor, they’re a guilt-free delight you can enjoy any time of day. And the best part? They’re grain-free, gluten-free, and surprisingly easy to make!

These cookies are a fantastic option for those with dietary restrictions or anyone looking for a healthier alternative to traditional cookies. We skip the traditional flours and starches, relying on the natural sweetness and binding power of bananas and coconut flour. This results in a cookie that’s not only delicious but also packed with nutrients.

Why You’ll Love These Coconut Flour Banana Cookies

• Naturally Sweetened: We use just the right amount of coconut sugar to enhance the banana’s natural sweetness.
• Easy to Make: With just a few simple steps and one bowl, you can whip up a batch of these cookies in no time.
• Perfect for Breakfast or Snack: Healthy enough for breakfast, satisfying enough for a snack, these cookies are incredibly versatile.
• Allergen-Friendly: These cookies are naturally vegan, grain-free, and gluten-free, making them a great option for those with dietary restrictions.
• Low in Calories: Each cookie contains only 49 calories, so you can enjoy them without the guilt!

The Secret Ingredient: Slightly Under-Ripe Bananas

Many banana bread and cookie recipes call for overripe bananas, prized for their intense sweetness and soft texture. However, for these coconut flour cookies, we’re using a slightly different approach: slightly under-ripe bananas. Why?

The key is the starch content. As bananas ripen, their starch converts into sugars. By using slightly under-ripe bananas, we retain more of that starch, which acts as a natural binder in the cookie dough. This is crucial because coconut flour, while incredibly versatile, can be a bit tricky to work with. It’s highly absorbent and can easily lead to dry, crumbly baked goods. The starch from the under-ripe bananas helps to create a softer, more cohesive cookie texture.

Understanding Coconut Flour Baking

Baking with coconut flour presents unique challenges compared to traditional wheat flour. Coconut flour is exceptionally absorbent, requiring more liquid than other flours. It also lacks gluten, the protein that provides structure and elasticity to baked goods. This is why many coconut flour recipes rely heavily on eggs to provide binding and structure. However, in this recipe, we’ve successfully created an egg-free version by carefully balancing the ingredients and utilizing the starch from the under-ripe bananas.

The process involved some trial and error, but the end result is a cookie that’s both delicious and accessible, even for those with egg allergies or dietary preferences.

How to Make Vegan Coconut Flour Banana Cookies: Step-by-Step

Ready to bake? Follow these simple steps to create your own batch of delicious vegan coconut flour banana cookies:

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup a breeze.

Step 2: Mash the Bananas

Select bananas that are mostly yellow with a hint of green. Avoid bananas with significant brown spots. Mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork until they are smooth and broken down. You should aim for about 1/2 cup (130g) of mashed banana.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine the mashed banana, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. The flaxseed meal acts as a binder, helping to hold the cookies together in place of eggs. Whisk the ingredients until they are well combined.

Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients

Add the coconut flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Stir until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet ingredients. The dough will be quite stiff at first. Let the dough stand for a few minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb the liquid. This will help to create a more cohesive and manageable dough.

Step 5: Portion the Dough

Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion the dough into small mounds. Place the mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. A small cookie scoop will yield approximately 14 cookies.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are set. The cookies should feel firm to the touch.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from breaking apart.

Storage Instructions

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Freezing is a great way to preserve the cookies and enjoy them at your convenience.

Creative Variations

Want to add a personal touch to your coconut flour banana cookies? Here are a few delicious variations to try:

• Spices: Enhance the flavor with a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
• Chocolate Chips: Add a handful of your favorite chocolate chips for a decadent treat.
• Nuts and Seeds: Incorporate chopped walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds for added texture and nutrition.
• Dried Fruit: Raisins, cranberries, and chopped dried apricots can add chewiness and flavor.
• Extracts and Zests: Enhance the flavor profile with vanilla extract, almond extract, or lemon zest.

Related Recipes for Banana Lovers

If you’re a fan of banana-based treats, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream (Vegan, No-Churn, 3-Ingredients)
• High Protein Pumpkin Seed Banana Cookies (3 Ingredients)
• Vegan Oat Flour Banana Bread (Oil-Free, Nut-Free, GF)
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies (Vegan, Oil-Free, GF)
• Vegan Almond Flour Banana Bread (Oil-free, Grain-free)

Recipe: Vegan Coconut Flour Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (130g) mashed slightly under-ripe banana
• 2 tablespoons (13g) flaxseed meal
• 2 tablespoons (18g) coconut palm sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (37.5g) coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine mashed banana, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, oil, and vanilla.
3. Add coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until blended. Let stand for 2-3 minutes.
4. Scoop 14 mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until set at the centers and surface of the cookies appears dry.
6. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Recipe Notes:

• Using under-ripe bananas helps with the cookie’s structure, as they contain more starch.
• About 1 very large or 2 small bananas will produce 1/2 cup mashed banana.
• Safflower oil is used here, but you can use any oil or melted coconut oil. If using melted coconut oil, combine the banana mixture and flour before adding the melted oil to prevent clumping.
• Brown sugar or cane sugar can be used in place of the coconut sugar.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition (per cookie):

• Calories: 49kcal
• Carbohydrates: 6g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 2.6g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4g
• Sodium: 46.2mg
• Fiber: 2.1g
• Sugar: 3.2g

Enjoy your delicious and healthy Vegan Coconut Flour Banana Cookies! Let us know in the comments below how they turned out!