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These vegan banana chocolate chip cookies have the perfect combination of chewy edges and a soft center. They’re packed with flavor, thanks to the mashed ripe banana and warm cinnamon, and the chocolate chips add just the right amount of gooey, rich sweetness! 

Best of all, they taste just like banana bread in cookie form, making them the ultimate treat for any banana bread fan.

vegan banana chocolate chip cookies on a wire rack.

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies 

These vegan banana chocolate chip cookies are so delicious and incredibly easy to make. If you’re a fan of vegan chocolate chip cookies or banana chocolate chip muffins, you’ll love these banana bread cookies. Here are a few reasons we love them and you will too!

Emily’s Recipe Notes:

  • The Best Banana Bread Flavor (in cookie form): The combination of mashed ripe bananas and vegan butter gives these cookies a subtle banana flavor and a rich, buttery taste. 
  • Texture: Soft with the perfect slightly chewy texture on the edges.
  • Your New Go-To Way to Use Up Bananas: This recipe uses 1 whole ripe banana. Double or triple the recipe and freeze the cookies to use up all your excess, ripe bananas!
  • Difficulty: Super easy- mix everything up in 1 bowl because we all want fewer dishes.

Why We Love These Cookies: I love how the chocolate chips add a touch of sweetness and a gooey, melty texture when warm. These cookies are perfect for an afternoon snack, a dessert, or even as a sweet breakfast or morning treat! Honestly the best combination of chocolate chip cookies and banana bread out there.

Watch How to Make Them

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Ingredients:

ingredients like flour, melted vegan butter, chocolate chips and brown sugar.

Ingredient Highlights & A Few Substitutions

To make these vegan banana chocolate chip cookies, you’ll need the following simple ingredients:

Vegan Butter

I love using Violife Plant Butter in cookies. It helps create the best ‘buttery’ texture. Try to use brands that have an oil percentage of around 78-79%. If you’re curious, you can learn more about which vegan butter brands are the best for baking here!

If you don’t have vegan butter, you can substitute it with coconut oil or vegetable shortening. However, keep in mind that the flavor and texture of these vegan banana cookies may be slightly different. You’ll want to add about 1/4 tsp of salt if you’re not using salted vegan butter.

Light Brown Sugar

This is my sweetener of choice. It creates a caramel flavor and helps with that slightly chewy texture. Be sure to use light brown sugar, not dark brown sugar.

While I don’t recommend subbing the light brown sugar for dark brown sugar (this will make the cookies spread too much), you could try substituting white sugar or coconut sugar. However, the cookies may have a thicker or cakey texture.

All-Purpose Flour

In almost every baking recipe on the blog, I use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour. If possible, I highly recommend measuring by weight in grams – it’s the most accurate way to get consistent results.

TIP: Too much flour can make baked goods dense or overly cakey. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t pack it down) and level it off with a butter knife. Avoid scooping straight from the bag, since that can compact the flour and add 2-4 extra tablespoons per cup!

Cinnamon

If you’re not a fan of cinnamon, you can leave it out or substitute it with a different spice, like nutmeg or cardamom. 

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Swap chocolate chips for chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks. You can also add in some chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, for some extra crunch. Another idea! Add about a 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats for banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!

Ripe Bananas

For this recipe you’ll want to use ripe bananas with just a few brown spots on them. You can use bananas with a more spots on them than the ones pictured below! You can definitely use very overripe bananas, however, the cookies will be much sweeter.

a bunch of ripe bananas on a rustic wooden surface.
the ripe bananas

Helpful Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Baking Tray, lined with parchment paper
  • Cookie Scoop
  • Digital Scale, to accurately measure the flour

Step By Step Guide

🎥 Video Tutorial is in the Recipe Card Below!

Make the Vegan Banana Cookie Dough

brown sugar and melted vegan butter combined in a bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted vegan butter and the brown sugar until well combined.

the mashed ripe banana and vanilla mixed with the butter and sugar.

Add the vanilla extract and mashed ripe banana and whisk again until well combined.

the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients.

Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt on top of the wet ingredients.

the thick vegan banana cookie dough.

Then, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

TIP: The dough should be VERY thick and sticky. This is the way it’s supposed to be. Don’t add more flour or the cookies will have a cakey texture. If the dough is too sticky to hold it’s shape when scooped, chill it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Bake the Cookies

the vegan banana cookie dough with chocolate chips mixed in.

Fold in the dark chocolate chips with a spatula or wooden spoon.

the scooped vegan banana chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a parchment lined metal baking sheet.

Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some space between the cookie dough balls. 

TIP: Add some chopped chocolate or more vegan chocolate chips on top of the scooped dough for the best gooey, puddles of melted chocolate!

Then all you have to do is bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. When you remove the baking sheet from the oven, smack the tray on the counter or stovetop 2-4 times. This helps deflate the cookies and makes them less puffy with perfect chewy edges!

the best vegan banana chocolate chip cookies on a wire rack.
the baked vegan banana chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack

Serving & Storage

Let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

These vegan banana chocolate chip cookies are best served warm and fresh out of the oven. They’re perfect with a glass of almond milk or a cup of coffee. You can also serve them with some vegan ice cream for an extra treat.

  • Room Temperature Storage: If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • Freezer Storage: You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. Place them in an airtight freezer bag and squeeze the air out. Then just pop them in the freezer! Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying or microwave them for a few seconds to reheat.
a focus shot of the texture of the vegan banana bread cookies with melted chocolate chips.
gooey vegan banana chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven

Helpful Tips For Amazing Vegan Cookies


  1. Make sure to use lightly spotted, ripe bananas: These will give the cookies a stronger banana flavor and a perfect soft texture. Avoid using super ripe or very brown bananas, as the cookies will be too sweet.
  2. Weigh out the ingredients: I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale for this recipe. Weighing the ingredients, especially the mashed banana, will make sure you have cookies with the best texture.
  3. Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake: To get soft and chewy cookies, avoid over-baking them. I used about 2 tbsp of dough per cookie, and baked them for exactly 12.5 minutes! Keep a close eye on them in the oven and take them out when the edges are lightly golden brown. The tops should look soft and a bit puffy, but they shouldn’t look gooey or wet.
  4. If you want to make larger or smaller cookies, adjust the baking time accordingly: If only using 1 tbsp of dough per cookie, bake them for closer to 10-11 minutes. 
  5. For thinner cookies with chewy edges: Try tapping the pan on the counter after baking. This helps the cookies spread out and creates a thinner, chewier texture on the edges.
a stack of chewy vegan banana bread cookies on a white speckled ceramic plate with a jug of milk in the background.
a stack of chewy vegan banana bread cookies

Troubleshooting

  • Cakey Cookies: If the cookies have a puffy or cakey texture, too much flour may have been added. Use a digital scale or the spoon and level method when measuring the flour and avoid packing it into the measuring cup to avoid adding too much flour.
  • The Banana Cookies Spread Too Much: If your cookies spread too much in the oven, the dough may be too wet. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before baking to help prevent spreading.

TIP: Use a glass or circular cookie cutter to shape the cookies after removing them from the oven. If the cookies spread more than intended, you can use a large glass to shape the cookies back into a circle while still hot!

  • The Cookies Are Too Crispy: If your vegan banana cookies are too hard or crispy, they may have been over- baked. Try reducing the baking time or lowering the oven temperature slightly.

More Ways to Use Up Bananas!

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Did You Make These Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies ?

I’d love to know! Leave a star rating and comment below!

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 11 votes
Rate this Recipe
By Emily
When you combine chocolate chip cookies and banana bread… you get these gooey, vegan banana chocolate chip cookies! They're full banana flavor, a touch of warm cinnamon and lots of melty chocolate chips. Plus, they can be made in 1 bowl!
8 large cookies, 12 smaller cookies
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 8 large cookies, 12 smaller cookies
8 large cookies, 12 smaller cookies

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup melted salted vegan butter, (60g) cooled not hot
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, (150g) packed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup mashed ripe banana, (100g) about 1 medium banana but I highly recommend weighing it out
  • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, (150g) for the best results use gram measurements or spoon the flour into the measuring cup & leveled it off
  • ¼ tsp baking soda, (1g)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon, (5g)
  • tsp salt
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, (50g) dairy-free

Instructions

  • Note: For the best results, measure the flour and banana with a digital scale! Or spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off the top. Scooping flour directly from the bag can lead to 2-4 extra tablespoons which will create cakey cookies.
  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix the melted vegan butter and brown sugar until it forms a paste-like consistency (about 1-2 minutes). Make sure butter is not too hot, as you don’t want to melt the brown sugar.
    ¼ cup melted salted vegan butter, ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • Add the banana and vanilla on top. Mash the banana well so there are no large lumps.
    1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ cup mashed ripe banana
  • Sprinkle the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt on top of the wet ingredients. Sift dry ingredients with a fork then mix them into the wet. Add the chocolate chips and mix to combine.
    The dough will be VERY thick and sticky, but should still be able to be scooped. If it’s too sticky, chill the dough in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
    1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp cinnamon, ⅛ tsp salt, ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Scoop 1-2 tbsp of dough and space the cookie dough balls about 2” apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Top the cookies with more chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
  • Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 11-13 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. I baked mine (about 2 tbsp of dough per cookie) for 12.5 minutes.
    The edges should look lightly golden brown. The tops should look soft and a bit puffy, but they shouldn’t look gooey or wet. 
  • When you remove the baking sheet from the oven, smack or tap the tray on the counter or stovetop 2-4 times. This helps deflate the cookies and makes them less puffy with perfect chewy edges! Use a large, circular cookie cutter or large glass to shape the cookies back into a circle if they spread unevenly. 
    Let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Video

Recipe notes

  • Weigh out the ingredients: I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale for this recipe. Weighing the ingredients, especially the mashed banana, will make sure you have cookies with the best texture.
  • Make sure to use lightly spotted, ripe bananas: These will give the cookies a stronger banana flavor and a perfect soft texture. Avoid using super ripe or very brown bananas, as the cookies will be too sweet.
  • For thinner cookies with chewy edges: Try tapping the pan on the counter after baking. This helps the cookies spread out and creates a thinner, chewier texture on the edges.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 166kcal

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Cookies
Cuisine American

© Thank You Berry Much. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this blog post is encouraged and appreciated, copying or pasting full recipes to any social media, website or print is strictly prohibited.

a stack of chewy vegan banana bread cookies on a white speckled ceramic plate with a jug of milk in the background.

Did You Make This?

Leave a star rating and a comment below to let others know how it turned out for you!

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Recipe Rating





5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

2 Comments

  1. Hi! If I were to use oat, almond, or a combo of both flours like you mention above, what are the weights needed? Or is it the exact same as the all-purpose flour? Thanks!

    1. Hi Meg, I haven’t tested this recipe with flours other than all-purpose flour. If you’d like to try another flour, I recommend using oat flour (150g) first as it will give a texture more similar to all purpose. Again, I haven’t tested this exact substitution, so if you give it a try please let me know how it goes!

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