Are you looking for a gluten-free recipe for oatmeal cookies? Look no further! These oatmeal banana almond cookies are easy to make but are also packed with flavors and beautiful textures.
This recipe features almond flour instead of regular flour, unsweetened coconut flakes, vegetable oil instead of butter, and mashed bananas instead of sugar for a healthier version of the classic oatmeal cookies.
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Low in sugar and filled with nutrients
Oatmeal cookies are always a delight to make, and everyone likes them. They have beautiful textures, are versatile, and once you get a basic recipe under control, you can play with it in many ways by adding or replacing ingredients based on your preferences.
This recipe is slightly different because it doesn't have the regular items you might find in a standard oatmeal cookie.
Bananas replace the sugar, giving the cookies a subtle sweetness. Instead of regular flour, we will use almond flour and transform these beauties into gluten-free cookies.
We will also use oil instead of butter to make these cookies soft and delicious. And finally, chocolate, because this is an ingredient that works in a lot of cookies.
Why Do I Love These Cookies
They are chewy, nutritious, easy to make, and healthy. Quite a few reasons to make them, right?
Ingredients
- Old Fashion Rolled Oats: The recipe requires old-fashioned oats because they will give you that chewy texture. You can also use quick oats, but they are ground up, and the cookies will have less texture.
- Bananas: Ripe bananas are perfect for the recipe. The benefit is that you can utilize those humble bananas abandoned on the kitchen counter and make cookies with them. Or you could make banana bread, doughnuts, or even a coffee cake. The main idea is not to throw them away as there are so many things you can do with them.
- Almond flour: We are using blanched almond flour here.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: Shredded coconut comes in many forms and shapes. In this recipe, I prefer to use unsweetened shredded coconut. I do not recommend the use of sweetened coconut in this recipe. This product is moist and very sweet, which will change the texture of the cookies. By definition, these cookies are soft and moist, so adding more moisture to them will make them fall apart.
- Chocolate: I like dark chocolate in these cookies. If you prefer semi-sweet chocolate, use it; there is no harm in doing so. You can also use either a bar of chocolate that you chop (this is what I did) or chocolate chips.
- Oil: There is no butter here, just oil. Use a neutral oil that has a mild taste. I like to use sunflower oil, but canola or even a milder olive oil works. If you prefer coconut oil, you can use it.
- Vanilla extract: Use the best vanilla you can afford.
- Salt and baking powder: Salt is a magical ingredient that combines and enhances all the flavors. Please don't skip it. Baking powder helps the cookies rise a bit in the oven.
- Cinnamon: Spices are important in recipes. Cinnamon, in particular, is versatile and can be used in savory dishes (like stews or soups) and sweet recipes, like cookies, bars, pies, cakes, or breakfast granolas and pancakes.
Blanched Or Unblanched Almond Flour
Blanched almonds are almonds with the skin removed. If you look at a raw almond, you will notice it is covered in dark red-brown skin. The blanched flour is made after the skin is removed from the almonds. The unblanched almond flour is made from almonds, with the skin not removed.
You will find both types of flour in the stores. However, the unblanched almond flour has a different texture and will darken the final product. If you don't mind, both types of flour can be used interchangeably.
I highly prefer the blanched flour as I notice that the unblanched one can make the final product bitter.
How To Make Oatmeal Banana Almond Cookies
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or baking silicone mats and set them aside. Also, chop the chocolate if you are not using chocolate chips.
Step 2. Combine dry ingredients: oats, almond flour, coconut, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 3. In a large bowl or a stand-up mixer, mash the bananas, and add vanilla and oil. Add the dry ingredients to the bananas and stir until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 4.The dough should be pretty wet and look like this:
Use a small cookie scoop or drop the dough by tablespoonful onto cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
Press the tops gently to flatten them.
Step 5. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
Allow these almond flour oatmeal cookies to cool on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
These healthy oat cookies are filled with nutrients and are an important energy source. Will you make them?
Recipe FAQs
I keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are very soft and a little bit moist, so I prefer to refrigerate them. You can keep them for up to four days.
Yes, you can. Keep the cookies on the tray and freeze them individually in a single layer so they don't stick together. Remove them from the tray and place them in Ziploc bags back in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Yes, you can add ¼ cup of any nuts you like. I would choose slivered or shaved almonds to keep the same almond profile.
More Recipes To Love
- Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Easy Banana Bread With Sour Cream
- Cranberry Orange Banana Bread
- Buttermilk Honey Cookies
- Easy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
- Mocha Walnut Butter Cookies
📖 Recipe
Oatmeal Banana Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil like sunflower oil canola, olive oil
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ⅔ cup gluten-free almond flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips , 8 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with baking mats or parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add vanilla and oil to them.
- Separately, combine the oats, coconut, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add the mixture to the bananas and stir until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a small cookie scoop or drop the dough by tablespoonful unto cookie sheets , spacing them 1 inch apart. Press the tops gently to flatten them.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown around edges. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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