Banana bread cookies with chocolate chips are little pillows of puffy sweetness.
When you don’t want to wait for a loaf to bake, these easy vegan cookies are ready in just 20 minutes!
This weekend I decided to make a batch of my vegan banana bread cookies with chocolate chips.
They are so pillowy and light with a kiss of banana flavor.
They don’t overwhelm with sweetness. So it’s easy to eat two or three.
The chocolate pairs with the banana wonderfully.
(I bet they’d also be good with walnuts if that’s how you prefer your banana bread.)
I adore banana bread. But I don’t always feel like waiting 45 or 50 minutes for it to bake.
These banana bread cookies are ready from start to finish in just 20 minutes!
How to find vegan chocolate chips
Dairy-free chocolate chips are easy to find.
In fact, a lot of the chips on the market are accidentally vegan.
When buying them, look for the words “dark chocolate” or “semi-sweet.”
And of course, you’ll want to read the ingredient label.
They sell vegan chips in the bulk bin at my local co-op.
And at Trader Joe’s, you can buy bags of the semi-sweet variety that are vegan.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Combine all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl:
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl:
- Smashed ripe banana
- Agave syrup (or maple syrup)
- Applesauce
- Vanilla
- Canola oil
Add wet ingredients to dry. Gently combine into a dough ball.
Add in chocolate chips.
Use a Tablespoon to scoop the dough into balls & put them on parchment.
Bake for 10 minutes.
What to do with leftover applesauce
This recipe calls for just three Tablespoons of applesauce.
If you have leftovers, use some of it in vegan peanut butter oatmeal cookies and/or apple cinnamon pancakes.
Or grab single serving snack packs of applesauce for this recipe! They’re handy to keep on hand for when you just need a small amount.
Need a substitution?
If you don’t have applesauce, you can replace it with a flax egg instead.
Whisk 3 Tablespoons of water with 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseed.
Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes gelatinous. Then add it to the wet ingredients.
📖 Recipe
Banana bread cookies with chocolate chips
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ medium-sized ripe banana
- 2 Tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons applesauce*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder with a fork until combined.
- In a separate bowl, smash a banana with a fork until mostly smooth. Add agave syrup, applesauce, vanilla extract, and canola oil and combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix until it becomes a dough. Be careful not to overwork it. Add the chocolate chips and combine.
- Using a Tablespoon, scoop the dough onto two parchment paper-covered baking sheets. Lightly press on each cookie, slightly flattening it.
- Bake for ten minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, and carefully put the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Content and photos updated May 2020. Originally posted December 2012.
Laura C.
Really love these cookies. I made them yesterday to help me through election stress, and made the mistake of eating one 5 minutes after they came out of the oven. Next time I’ll know to let them cool down, they were much more flavorful after they had time to just sit. I guess it’s like banana bread, you really wouldn’t cut into it 5 minutes after pulling it out of the oven.
Will be making these again, thanks!
Cadry
That’s a good note, Laura! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies, and I hope they at least somewhat eased that election stress. Hope you made a double batch! 😉
Laura VZ
Thank you for this recipe! These cookies are delicious and I find them super easy to make. I never have applesauce or agave, so I sub flax meal/water and maple syrup. It’s honestly the perfect way to use up overripe bananas.
Cadry
Thank you, Laura! I’m delighted to hear how much you enjoy them. Great tips on the substitutions!
Arpana
The recipe looks so delicious and easy! Is there anything I can use to substitute the applesauce with? I don’t have any. 🙁 I was thinking yogurt, milk, or a bit of extra mashed banana? I have flaxseed and chia seeds too?
Cadry
Thanks, Arpana! I haven’t made these cookies without applesauce. The applesauce contributes moisture and binding. So the same amount of mashed banana or yogurt would probably work here. Let me know if you try it!
Jennifer
Made these this morning and they’re really simple and yet terrific! Wonderful taste and texture.
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear it, Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know!
Jewel Polson
These look great!
Cadry
Thanks, Jewel!
Don Gallagher
Love these cookies. A great blend of two of my all-time favorites…banana bread and chocolate chip cookies. Thanks Cadry for this sweet treat.
Cadry
Thanks, Don! I’m always so happy to see them in your Instagram feed. I’m glad they’ve become a favorite for you.
Sarah De la Cruz
Your new photos are so beautiful! Love them! And these cookies look delicious! I know two little boys who would love to make these with me 🙂
Cadry
Thank you, Sarah! I don’t usually do a lot of photos with a white background, but I think I’m going to try that more often.
Chrissie
Ah, I have the bananas, I have the carob and chocolate chips, so can do either…I have gluten-free flour to experiment with…I think I am ready to try this…but at 8:28 pm, it can wait until tomorrow. 🙂 Thank you!
And my homemade Christmas cards are sitting next to me, unsent, again. This will be my first baking since I came back from helping at the retreats after our youth camp closed for the season – got back in early November…yep, about time to bake for: ME! 🙂 (and the family of course, lol)
Cadry
I’ve never tried this recipe with gluten free flour. So you will have to let me know how it goes, Chrissie! There’s always next year for those Christmas cards. 😀
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
Pillowy is the perfect description! And I love how they look like they contain plenty of chocolate chips. Yum!
P.S. I didn’t send out any cards this year either. There’s always Valentine’s Day!
Cadry
Yes, plenty of chocolate chips per bite for sure! That’s a necessity. That’s a great idea about sending cards for Valentine’s Day instead. I always love valentines.
Susan
These look great!!
I haven’t sent out Christmas cards in years. We are not having a tree this year due to renovations, and I haven’t done any baking, watched any Christmas movies or gone to see any lights. Eh.
Cadry
Ah, it sounds like you’re having a very Christmas-light holiday season as well. Some years are like that.
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, these are gorgeous!! I love banana bread and love the look of these little bites.
Cadry
Thank you, Becky!
Don Gallagher
Oh my, perfect timing for this post to arrive. I have 3 ripe bananas just waiting for a recipe like this one.
Thank you so much.
Cadry
I’m glad that the timing lined up! I hope you enjoy the cookies.