Cookie lovers, you have to try these chewy, gooey Almond Flour Banana Cookies with walnuts and chocolate chips. They balance just the right amount of sweetness with a tender, satisfying texture — a grain-free cookie that might become your new favorite.
If you haven’t baked cookies using bananas before, you’re in for a treat. I had some very ripe bananas on the counter and wanted a cookie inspired by banana bread. I adapted my Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts by replacing the butter with mashed banana.
The result is a soft, slightly banana-flavored cookie studded with pockets of melty chocolate and crunchy nuts. Think banana bread in cookie form: rich, moist, and full of flavor without needing added butter.
Ripe mashed banana provides moisture so these cookies don’t require extra fat. Almond flour brings healthy fats and a naturally rich taste, so you don’t sacrifice flavor. This is a simple one-bowl recipe that doesn’t require special equipment or chilling — mix and bake.
Ingredients for Almond Flour Banana Cookies:
Ripe banana: Use one large, very ripe banana (lots of brown spots). If bananas are small, use 1½–2. Overripe bananas add natural sweetness and moisture, eliminating the need for butter or oil.
Pure maple syrup: Adds a touch of extra sweetness. You’ll only need a few tablespoons.
Egg: One large egg helps create a soft, slightly fluffy texture and holds the cookies together.
Vanilla extract: A teaspoon enhances warmth and aroma; optional if you don’t have any.
Finely ground almond flour: This replaces wheat flour. Super-fine almond flour produces the best texture; coarse almond meal can make the cookies grainy.
Baking powder and baking soda: Both help the cookies rise and prevent spreading.
Cinnamon and sea salt: Cinnamon reinforces the banana-bread profile. Salt amplifies the overall sweetness and richness, so include it.
Chocolate chips and walnuts: Optional but recommended. The melted chocolate and crunchy walnuts complement the banana perfectly.
Recipe Customizations:
- Swap walnuts for pecans or omit nuts altogether.
- For lower sugar, use dark or sugar-free chocolate chips.
- I don’t recommend swapping almond flour without experimenting. Cassava or gluten-free all-purpose flour might work but quantities will differ; coconut flour is not a direct substitute.
- Maple syrup can be replaced with coconut sugar, brown sugar (add a little melted butter), or a sugar-free sweetener.
- Try different add-ins: varied chocolate, nuts, or dried fruit like raisins or cranberries.
- I haven’t fully tested a flax egg in place of the regular egg. It may work, but cookies could be crumblier.
- To add coconut flavor, fold in 1/2 cup shredded coconut and reduce almond flour to 1 1/3 cups.
With the ingredients covered, let’s bake these wholesome cookies.
How to Make Almond Flour Banana Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mash the banana in a bowl until smooth. Add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla, then stir to combine.
Add the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.
Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined sheet. The dough won’t spread much during baking, so shape into mounds for rounded cookies or use a spoon to flatten slightly if you prefer.
Bake on the center rack for 10–15 minutes, until edges are golden and cookies are set. Twelve minutes works well for a soft center.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a rack or serving. Warm cookies can be fragile, so allow them to cool until they hold together.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavor deepens after a day, when the banana note becomes more pronounced.
There you have it: a butter-free, grain-free cookie the whole family will enjoy. These Almond Flour Banana Cookies are a great way to use overripe bananas and make an easy, healthier sweet snack.
If you like mindful cookie recipes, explore more options and keep this one in rotation when bananas start to brown on the counter.
Explore More Cookie Recipes:
- Keto Cowboy Cookies
- Paleo Morning Glory Cookies
- No-Bake Nutty Banana Cookies
- Nutty Blueberry Banana Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Banana Cookies
Banana cookies for life!
Almond Flour Banana Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe banana, mashed
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups almond flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mash the banana until creamy. Add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- Stir in almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon until combined. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared sheet. Shape into mounds for rounded cookies or flatten slightly if desired.
- Bake on the center rack for 10–15 minutes, until edges are golden. I bake for 12 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring. Warm cookies can be fragile.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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