Wholesome & Delicious: Gluten-Free Avocado Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Imagine starting your day with a truly delightful treat that’s not just delicious, but also incredibly good for you. Our Avocado Banana Cookies are exactly that – a revolutionary way to enjoy cookies for breakfast! Far from being an indulgent dessert, these cookies are thoughtfully crafted to be a healthy, energizing start to your morning or a satisfying mid-day snack. Each bite is bursting with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas, complemented by the rich flavor of chocolate chips, and fortified with wholesome oats. What truly sets these breakfast cookies apart is their commitment to dietary inclusivity: they are completely gluten-free, dairy-free, and oil-free, making them suitable for a wide range of dietary needs. Beyond their delicious taste, they are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with healthy fats from avocado and a generous amount of fiber from oats, ensuring you feel full and energized throughout your entire morning.

This post was originally published in August 2017. It has been thoroughly updated with fresh photos, enhanced text, including invaluable tips for our readers, and minor adjustments to the recipe to perfect its texture and flavor. (An original photo is included at the end of this post, inviting you to compare the “before and after” transformation!).

In today’s fast-paced world, finding quick, healthy, and satisfying breakfast options or mid-morning snacks is more important than ever. With many facing challenges like flour shortages, I decided to revisit the archives of Crumb Top Baking to bring these incredible banana avocado cookies back into the spotlight. These cookies offer a brilliant solution, being entirely flourless. Instead, they harness the goodness of rolled oats and almond flour, delivering a chewy, satisfying texture without relying on traditional wheat flour.

True to their health-conscious nature, these versatile cookies are not only flourless but also naturally gluten-free (when using certified GF oats), dairy-free, and oil-free. Crafted from a selection of simple, pantry-friendly ingredients, they are incredibly easy to whip up. This means you can effortlessly prepare a batch of these wholesome cookies today, ensuring you have a stash of nutritious, grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks ready for the entire week ahead. They’re perfect for busy mornings, fueling your body with sustained energy and delicious flavor.

Essential Ingredients for Wholesome Gluten-Free Oatmeal Avocado Cookies

Let’s dive into the core ingredients that make these avocado banana oatmeal cookies so special and nutritious:

• Avocado: This star ingredient plays a crucial role, replacing traditional oil or butter in these cookies. It’s not just about removing unhealthy fats; it’s about infusing the cookies with an abundance of nutrients and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. You’ll use approximately one cup of chopped avocado, which is enough to contribute a wonderfully soft and chewy texture without imparting an overwhelming avocado flavor. The sweet banana taste remains delightfully pronounced. For convenience, I often opt for frozen avocado chunks, but fresh, ripe avocado works just as beautifully. Just ensure it’s soft enough to blend smoothly.
• Banana: Overripe bananas are essential here. They provide natural sweetness, reducing the need for excessive added sugars, and act as a fantastic binding agent. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more easily it will blend, contributing to that perfect cookie consistency and prominent banana flavor.
• Coconut Sugar: As a healthier alternative to refined white sugar, coconut sugar offers a caramel-like sweetness with a lower glycemic index. It complements the banana and chocolate chips beautifully, enhancing the overall flavor profile without being overly sweet.

• Oats: This recipe specifically calls for gluten-free rolled oats to ensure the cookies remain safe for those with gluten sensitivities. However, if gluten is not a concern for you, regular rolled oats can be used interchangeably. For those seeking a grain-free option, buckwheat flakes are an excellent substitute. They boast a very similar texture to rolled oats and perform wonderfully in many recipes, making them a versatile alternative.
• Almond Flour: You have the flexibility to use either fine almond flour or slightly coarser almond meal in these cookies. Almond flour is typically made from blanched almonds with the skins removed, resulting in a very fine, uniform texture. Almond meal, on the other hand, is made from almonds with their skins on, giving it a slightly more rustic and coarser consistency. Both work well, though almond flour may yield a slightly smoother cookie. If you find yourself without either, you can easily make your own by finely grinding raw or blanched almonds in your blender or food processor until a flour-like consistency is achieved. Just be mindful not to over-process, as you’ll quickly venture into almond butter territory!
• Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips: These add a lovely touch of indulgence and complement the banana and avocado beautifully. Ensure you choose a certified dairy-free brand if you are adhering to a dairy-free diet.

Baking Your Perfect Batch of Banana Avocado Oatmeal Cookies

Crafting these healthy avocado banana cookies is surprisingly simple. Follow these steps for a perfect batch every time:

• Prepare Your Avocado: If you’re using frozen avocado chunks, a quick defrost in the microwave is recommended. This softens them slightly, allowing them to blend seamlessly into a smooth, creamy base for your cookie dough.
• Blend the Wet Ingredients: Combine your softened avocado, ripe banana, and coconut sugar in a high-powered blender. Blend on high until the mixture is incredibly smooth and free of any lumps. This step is crucial for the cookies’ consistent texture. While a blender is ideal for this, an electric mixer can also achieve a smooth consistency, just ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Next, add the eggs and vanilla extract to the blender. Blend again, just until these ingredients are fully incorporated into the smooth avocado-banana mixture.
• Add Dry Ingredients (Carefully!): Introduce the almond flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt to the wet mixture in the blender. Blend on a low setting or pulse just until these dry ingredients are combined. Be careful not to over-blend at this stage, as overworking the almond flour can lead to a tougher cookie.

• Fold in Oats and Mix-ins: Transfer the blended batter to a large mixing bowl. Now, gently fold in the gluten-free rolled oats, dairy-free chocolate chips, and unsweetened coconut. The key here is to fold them in by hand or with a spoon, rather than blending them, to maintain their texture and prevent the oats from breaking down too much.
• Form and Shape the Cookies: Using an ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons per cookie) ensures uniform sizing. Drop mounds of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about an inch apart. These cookies don’t spread significantly during baking, so gently flatten the tops of each mound with the back of a spoon to achieve your desired cookie shape. You should yield approximately 12 large, satisfying cookies.
• Bake to Perfection: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are set. Keep an eye on them, as oven temperatures can vary.

Frequently Asked Questions About Avocado Breakfast Cookies

Here are answers to common questions about these wholesome avocado banana oatmeal cookies:

• How do you store oatmeal cookies made with avocado? How long will they last?
  To maintain their fresh taste and texture, store your avocado oatmeal cookies in an airtight container. At room temperature, they will stay fresh for 2-3 days. For those who prefer a firmer and chewier cookie, storing them in the refrigerator is highly recommended; they will last deliciously for 5-6 days.
• Can you freeze avocado oatmeal cookies?
  Absolutely! Freezing is one of the best ways to enjoy these healthy breakfast cookies as part of your meal prep routine. Once cooled completely, arrange them in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe container. For stacking, place sheets of parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply defrost them in the refrigerator overnight, or warm them briefly in the microwave for a fresh-baked feel.
• Can I make these cookies vegan?
  Yes, with a simple substitution! To make these cookies entirely vegan, replace the two large eggs with “flax eggs” (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, allowed to sit for 5 minutes until gel-like). This will maintain the binding properties and keep the cookies dairy-free and oil-free.

Expert Tips & Smart Substitutions for Your Perfect Breakfast Cookies

Maximize the success and enjoyment of your avocado banana oatmeal cookies with these handy tips and creative substitutions:

• Equipment Versatility: While a blender makes quick work of the wet ingredients, an electric mixer or even a food processor can be used. The crucial factor is that your chosen appliance is powerful enough to blend the avocado, banana, and sugar into a perfectly smooth, uniform mixture, which is key to the cookies’ soft texture.
• Maintaining Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Status: To ensure these cookies remain gluten-free, always opt for certified gluten-free rolled oats. If you’re looking for a completely grain-free option, buckwheat flakes are an excellent, texture-comparable substitute for oats.
• Flavor & Texture Variations: This recipe features delicious chocolate chips, but don’t hesitate to get creative with other mix-ins! When I first developed this recipe, I often used dried blueberries and pecans for a different flavor profile. Other fantastic additions include chopped walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg for a cozy twist.
• Baking Sheet Wisdom: A little general baking advice: always use a lighter-colored sheet pan when baking cookies. Darker pans tend to absorb more heat, which can cause the bottoms of your cookies to brown (and sometimes burn) more quickly than the tops. A lighter pan ensures more even baking and a perfectly golden finish.
• Overripe Bananas are Key: Don’t underestimate the power of an overripe banana! Those bananas with brown spots are not just sweeter; their softer texture blends much more easily, contributing to the perfect consistency of the cookie dough and the natural sweetness of the finished product.

Explore More Healthy Avocado Breakfast Cookie Recipes

If you’ve fallen in love with these wholesome cookies, you might also enjoy exploring these other nutritious breakfast cookie ideas from our kitchen:

• Grain-Free Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies
• Avocado Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

We hope these avocado banana cookies become a staple in your healthy eating routine. They prove that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for health, offering a satisfying and nutrient-dense option that’s truly a joy to eat. Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you try this recipe – we’d love to hear your thoughts and see your creations!

HUNGRY FOR MORE?  Don’t forget to sign up for the Crumb Top Baking
Newsletter and follow along on
Instagram,
Pinterest and
Facebook!

Print Recipe