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Healthy Vegan Cookies – 4 Ingredients!

by Sarah McMinn / Posted: / Updated: / Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Total Time: 15 mins

Healthy vegan cookies are made with just 4 ingredients – banana, oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips for a quick and healthy snack you can feel great about giving the kids. Vegan and gluten-free!

Finished heathy vegan cookies stacked in a small white dish with a jar of milk in the background.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

You’re going to love these healthy vegan cookies! They are chewy, sweet, and filled with flavor in every bite. They are so good, you’re not going to believe that they are made with just 4 easy ingredients!

Yep, these cookies are made from a combination of peanut butter, oats, bananas, and chocolate chips for a delicious and healthy treat that you can feel great about eating.

And best of all? This vegan cookie recipe is highly versatile! Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips for peanuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, or cranberries. Whatever you do you are going to love these easy vegan cookies.

Table of Contents show

Step-by-Step Recipe Video

Recommended Ingredients & Equipment

Nothing fancy to see here! This vegan cookie recipe requires only 4 easy-to-find ingredients; most of which you probably already have on hand! And this recipe offers a ton of variation!

Here is everything you’ll need:

Peanut butter, chocolate chips, bananas, and oats measured out on a white marble countertop

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Old Fashioned Oats – Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to brand of rolled oats and the only one I recommend. They offer a great selection of non-GMO whole grains to support healthy lifestyles for all. Read all about why I love Bob’s Red Mill below. Note: If you are gluten-free, make sure to look for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats.
  • Bananas – Use overly ripe bananas. This gives the recipe more sweetness and flavor while also being easier to mash and incorporate with the other ingredients.
  • Natural Peanut Butter – Allergic to peanuts? No problem! This can be replaced with any nut or seed butter.
  • Vegan Chocolate Chip – Feel free to swap these out for raisins, cranberries, or a variety of nuts and seeds.

My Go-To Oats

Bob's Red Mill oats on a white marble countertop

Bob’s Red Mill is a 100% employee-owned company, one of only 8,000 companies in the US to achieve this spectacular feat. If that weren’t enough to celebrate, they also have one of the largest lines of organic whole grain foods in the country.

For over three decades, the company has been committed to providing people everywhere with the best quality, whole grain foods available. All of their products are certified Kosher and made with ingredients grown from non-GMO seeds. Their minimally processed foods are about as close to nature as you can get, and they package everything in clear bags so you can see the quality of their products for yourself!

And you can taste the difference! These oats are thick, rich in flavor, perfectly textured, and simply the best on the market.

Find Bob’s Red Mill at your local grocery store to see why I’m such a huge fan of their fabulous product line.

Recommended Equipment

For this cookie recipe, you will need a mixing bowl, basic kitchen equipment, a baking sheet, silicone baking mats, and a wire cooling rack. (<<affiliate links)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One – Mash the Banana

Side by side: Full bananas on a marble countertop. Mashed bananas in a white bowl.

First, place the bananas in a bowl and mash them with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until mostly smooth. A few lumps are okay!

Pro Tip: Use overly ripe bananas. This gives the recipe more sweetness and flavor while also being easier to mash and incorporate into the remaining ingredients.

Step Two – Combine Ingredients

Cookie batter mashed together and in a whit bowl

Next, add the oats and peanut butter. Stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips or your preferred mix-ins.

Taste and adjust. If the dough is too dry, add a little more peanut butter. If the dough feels too wet, add 1/4 cup more oats.

Step Three – Bake the Cookies

Raw cookies measured out and placed on a parchment lined baking sheet

Finally, drop spoonfuls of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown on the outside with a thin crust.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Serving and Storing

Serving – Serve immediately as an afternoon snack or evening dessert. These cookies are healthy, delicious, and kid-approved!

Storing – Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let thaw for 30 minutes before enjoying.

Tips and Tricks

  1. Make sure to use very ripe bananas. This adds sweetness to the recipe. Ripe bananas are also easier to incorporate into the batter.
  2. I use natural peanut butter which tends to be looser than conventional peanut butter. If you are using conventional peanut butter, consider adding 1/4–1/2 more banana.
  3. These cookies are delicious on their own but also make a great base for so many add-in options. A few of my favorite add-ins are raisins, chia seeds, nuts, and vanilla extract.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! For a gluten-free cookie, use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Oats which are certified gluten free!

Can I replace the peanut butter?

For sure! If you have a peanut allergy, or simply don’t like peanut butter, you can swap it out for any other kind of nut or seed butter.

Why is my dough falling apart?

Because all nut butters have slightly different consistencies and bananas are different sizes, you may just need to make minor adjustments to get the right texture of the dough. If the dough is too sticky, add extra oats. If it’s falling apart, you will need to add a little more nut butter. In the end, the dough should hold together easily without sticking to your fingers.

Can I omit the chocolate?

For sure! This recipe is highly versatile! Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips for raisins, peanuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.

More Vegan Cookie Recipes

Healthy Vegan Cookies

Healthy vegan cookies are made with just 4 ingredients – banana, oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips for a quick and healthy snack you can feel great about giving the kids. Vegan and gluten-free!
4.79 from 32 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies
Calories: 77kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place the bananas in a bowl and mash them with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Mash them until the bananas are mostly smooth. A few lumps are okay.
  • Once the bananas are mashed, add the oats and peanut butter, stirring until everything is well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Taste and adjust. If the dough is too dry, add a little more peanut butter. If the dough feels too wet, add ¼ cup more oats.
  • Drop bite-sized spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Until lightly brown. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Notes

Serving and Storing –Serve immediately as an afternoon snack or evening dessert. These cookies are healthy, delicious, and kid-approved! Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. 
Recipe Tips
  1. Make sure to use very ripe bananas. This adds sweetness to the recipe. Ripe bananas are also easier to incorporate into the batter.
  2. These cookies are delicious on their own but also make a great base for so many add-in options. A few of my favorite add-ins are raisins, chia seeds, nuts, and vanilla extract.
  3. If you have a peanut allergy, you can swap it out for any other kind of nut butter
  4. For gluten-free cookies, make sure to look for gluten-free oats. 
Variations – For a gluten-free version, use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats.
Troubleshooting – Because all nut butters have slightly different consistencies and bananas are different sizes, you may just need to make minor adjustments to get the right texture of the dough. If the dough is too sticky, add extra oats. If it’s falling apart, you will need to add a little more nut butter. In the end, the dough should hold together easily without sticking to your fingers.

Nutrition

Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.5mg
@mydarlingvegan on Instagram
If you give this recipe recipe a try, snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Make sure to tag @mydarlingvegan so I can see your creations!

Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest and read more about me here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. mounira elsamra says

    When I use this recipe I love to puree the bananas and put the oats through a coffee grinder before using them it really gives the dough a completely different texture.Also if you like your cookies a little bit more on the sweet side add agave its a much more healthy alternative then suger or honey.

    Reply

  3. Patrick says

    Just made these with almond butter, cinnamon oatmeal, and a dash of Nutella instead of chocolate chips! They are delicious! Thank you

    Reply

  6. Jon says

    Hey Sarah,
    Arianne just made these and they’re already almost gone. Our GF family members were very appreciative and everyone loved them!
    -Jon

    Reply

  7. Veggie Loops says

    Just made my second batch of these and they are fantastic! As a novice in the kitchen, they were not intimidating at all and they turned out wonderfully. Thank you!

    Reply

  10. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says

    I love how easy these are! I’ve baked the 2 ingredient oats and banana cookies before and loved them so I know I will love these – they might just be the perfect snack! 😀

    Reply

  11. ELLEN says

    I wonder if it would work if I substitute almond meal for the oats and almond butter for the peanut butter? I’m going to give it a try 🙂

    Reply

  15. Laura Black says

    These look brilliant! I love simple recipes. If I see a long list of ingredients on a recipe I am interested in, I won’t use it. I’ll make these this weekend for my grandkids. They are low-sugar vegans. Thanks! 🙂

    Reply

  16. Caitlin says

    these look so moist and delicious! i love that you went the opposite route and instead made minimalist cookies- that’s my kind of recipe! i think i’m going to go home and make these tonight! i wonder how they’d taste with tahini…

    Reply
4.79 from 32 votes (1 rating without comment)

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