Gluten Free Banana Cookies

These Gluten Free Banana Cookies marry banana bread and cookies for a soft, chewy, chocolate chippy, and easy-to-make banana bread cookie. They’re an awesome way to use up overripe bananas!

These cookies were first published January 2020 and were re-tested and re-published January 2024.

Banana Bread Cookies That Are SO Good & Easy!

• They’re a delicious hybrid between banana bread and cookies – with chocolate! You can’t go wrong!
• They’re easy to make.
• They’re a healthier cookie.
• Kids love them!

Gluten Free Banana Cookies Ingredients

• Bananas
• Brown sugar
• Greek yogurt
• Butter
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Gluten-free flour (I use both King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 All Purpose Flour.)
• Old-fashioned oats (certified gluten-free oats if needed)
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Mini chocolate chips

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Mash bananas by placing them in a stand mixer (or bowl with a hand mixer) and mixing them 30-60 seconds on low until smooth.
2. To the mashed bananas add brown sugar, melted butter, greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla. Mix on medium-low speed for a minute, or until smooth and evenly combined.
3. Add dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt) and mix on medium-low speed for a minute, until smoothly combined.
4. Mix in mini chocolate chips. You can reserve two tablespoons of chocolate chips to sprinkle a few on top of each cookie if you’d like, or just mix them all on.
5. Using a small cookie scoop, portion batter onto prepared baking sheets about two inches apart – cookies will slightly spread while cooking. I put 12 cookies on each baking sheet and bake two rounds of cookies since there is a high yield of cookies.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until just starting to turn slightly golden brown and the dough know longer looks wet.
7. Let cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
8. Bake the remainder of the dough the same way.

Troubleshooting Tips to Make These Cookies

Under-ripe bananas: If they’re not ripe yet, roast them in their peels at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, then let cool enough to handle, peel, and then follow the recipe. You can also take borderline ripe bananas and peel them, placed them in a bowl, and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds.

No stand mixer: No problem, you can still make the cookies, even if you just have a fork and a bowl. Just mash really well to get a smooth, even consistency.

Dry cookies: This recipe is fairly forgiving since it creates such a soft cookie (like banana bread!), but be sure not to pack your flour when measuring. Spoon flour into your measuring cup, then use the flat surface of a knife or spatula to scrape excess flour from the top off.

Tips to Freeze Cookies

Since these cookies make 42 smaller cookies, I like to leave a dozen or so out for my family to enjoy and freeze the rest for later.

Freezing Baked Cookies

Place the cooked cookies on a silicone mat lined baking sheet, then place in the freezer for an hour to flash freeze them. They likely won’t be fully frozen at this point, but the exteriors should be frozen enough to now combine all the cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container and they won’t stick to each other.

Return to freezer and keep up to 3-4 months (longer in a deep freezer).

Freezing Cookie Dough Balls

You can also scoop the dough onto a lined baking sheet and flash freeze. Having cookie dough ready in the freezer is perfect for you if you love the fresh-baked cookie experience! Let the cookie dough thaw on the cookie sheet while the oven preheats. Depending on how long your oven takes to preheat, you may be able to keep the cooking time the same, or you may need to add 1-2 minutes.

Are They Healthy?

Because these cookies have whole grains, fruit, less added sugar, and use fat-free Greek yogurt in place of half of the butter, as a registered dietitian, I would generally consider these to be a healthier cookie option.

But remember – “healthy” is super subjective. Foods that help one person maintain their health (i.e. gluten-free) may help, do nothing, or even hinder someone else’s health. And that’s normal!

Eat in a way that honors your body and makes you feel good – physically and mentally. And know, too, that it’s your overall dietary pattern that matter most – and a cookie or two can absolutely fit into that.

Equipment:

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• Mixing Bowls with spoon (or a stand mixer or hand mixer)
• Silicone Baking Mats
• Cookie Dough Scoops

More Glute-Free Treats You’ll Love:

• The BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Spinach Banana Muffins
• Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream

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