Vegan Oatmeal Banana Walnut Cookies (Oil-Free)

The recipe is made with wholesome ingredients, including ripe bananas, rolled oats, oat flour, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and walnuts.  The banana oat cookies are not only vegan but also oil-free and gluten-free.  They're made with just a few simple ingredients, making them perfect for a snack or a lightly sweetened dessert. 

If you need more inspiration for using ripe bananas, I also have a recipe for vegan banana bars with chocolate chips.  For more oat-based recipes, try carrot cake bliss balls, apricot energy balls, date peanut butter balls, or raisin oatmeal bars.

Recipe features

• Vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free, and egg-free!
• Easy and quick to make!
• The recipe uses simple ingredients!
• Easily customizable!
• No peanut butter, and the walnuts can be skipped for a nut-free version!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

The vegan banana oatmeal cookie recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list and exact measurements.

Bananas - Use ripe bananas with brown spots for this recipe.  They'll add sweetness to the oatmeal banana walnut cookies.  You'll need ¾ cup, which will be around 2 medium-sized bananas.  If you add more than ¾ cup of mashed banana, you may need to add more flour to thicken the dough.  If you are short on ¾ cup of mashed ripe banana, then you can add unsweetened applesauce to make up the difference.

Rolled oats - I used old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe.  I only tested with rolled oats, so I can't say for sure if quick cooking oats will work.  If you substitute rolled oats for quick cooking oats and the dough comes out too wet, add a little more oats or oat flour to thicken the dough.  If they come out too dry, add a splash of dairy-free milk to thin out.  Steel-cut oats can't be used for this recipe.

Most rolled oats brands I've tested are pretty much the same, but I tested with a store brand of old-fashioned oats that was much thinner than most other brands.  This can alter the recipe slightly.  See the frequently asked questions section below if the dough is too wet or too dry.

Oat flour - The flour will help bind the oats and bananas together.  Oat flour or all-purpose flour will work for the recipe.  I didn't test with whole wheat flour.  If you do substitute oat flour with whole wheat flour and the dough is too thick, add a splash of dairy-free milk.

Maple syrup - The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, but this amount can be adjusted as needed.  If you prefer the cookies to be less sweet, reduce or skip the maple syrup.  Date syrup can also be used instead of maple syrup.

Walnuts - Chopped walnuts can be substituted with chopped pecans or dairy-free chocolate chips.  The maple syrup can be left out or reduced if you use raisins instead of nuts.

Tips

• Bake on a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking to a baking tray.  The cookies brown more on parchment paper versus a silicone mat.
• The batter will be sticky, so scoop it out into mounds.  The back of a fork works great to flatten the cookies, then use slightly damp hands to press down and shape them to resemble a cookie. 
• If your baking powder clumps, sift it so you don't get baking powder clumps in the cookies.
• The cookies don't spread much.
• If you prefer the cookies for breakfast and a little less sweet, leave out the maple syrup.

Variations

The recipe can be customized to add your favorite flavors.

• Cranberry pumpkin seed - Substitute the walnuts with half dried cranberries and half raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
• Chocolate chip - Substitute all or half of the walnuts for dairy-free chocolate chips.
• Raisin - Substitute all or half of the walnuts for raisins.
• Coconut - Add unsweetened shredded coconut instead of walnuts.

How to make vegan banana oatmeal cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mash two very ripe (brown spotted) bananas well and measure out ¾ cup.

3. In a large bowl, stir together ¾ cup mashed bananas with maple syrup and vanilla. 

4. Add the oats, oat flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the banana/maple syrup mixture.  

5. Stir to combine, then fold in the chopped walnuts.

6. The dough will be wet and sticky, scoop out your dough (about 1 ½-2 tablespoons per cookie) and place it on the prepared baking tray.

7. Then shape the dough mounds into cookie shapes.  I recommend using a little water to get your hands damp to prevent sticking or a fork to lightly flatten the cookies.

8. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, or until the tops are firm to the touch.

Frequently asked questions