Vegan Banana Bread Cookies
These vegan banana bread cookies are soft, lightly spiced, and made with just one banana. They have that classic banana bread flavor, but in cookie form, which honestly makes them easier to make and easier to eat.
If you’ve ever had a banana get a little too ripe and didn’t feel like committing to a full loaf of banana bread, this is what you make instead. Same flavor, same cozy cinnamon smell, just faster and way easier to grab off a tray.
They come out soft in the center, lightly golden around the edges, and have that warm banana + cinnamon combo that makes your kitchen smell like you’ve been baking all day… even though you really haven’t.
Ingredients for banana bread cookies
Banana
The banana adds moisture and gives the cookies that banana bread flavor.
Vegan Butter
Using melted vegan butter keeps the cookies soft and gives them that rich, bakery-style texture.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is what gives these cookies that deeper, almost caramel-like sweetness you expect from banana bread.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla rounds everything out and makes the banana flavor stand out more.
Flour
All purpose flour gives the cookies structure while still keeping them soft.
Baking Soda
Helps the cookies spread just enough and bake evenly.
Cinnamon
This is what pulls everything together and gives that classic banana bread flavor.
How to make banana bread cookies
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients
In a bowl, mash your banana, then measure out ¼ cup.
Add the melted vegan butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk for about a minute until everything is smooth, combined and fluffy.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Once you don’t see streaks of flour anymore, stop mixing.
Step 3: Let the dough rest
Let the dough sit for 10 minutes.
While it rests, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
This short rest time makes a difference, it helps the flour absorb the moisture so the cookies bake up soft instead of flat.
Step 4: Scoop
Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and place the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie.
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 11 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and underbaked.
Step 6: Cool
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them.
They’ll set up slightly as they cool.
The 3 things that actually matter with these cookies
1. Use a ripe banana
If your banana has spots, it’s perfect. That’s where the flavor comes from.
2. Don’t skip the 10 minute rest
This is what keeps the cookies soft instead of spreading too much.
3. Pull them out a little early
They should look slightly underdone in the center. That’s how you keep them soft.
Can you make these ahead of time?
Yes, and they actually hold up really well.
You can make the dough, scoop it, and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Just let it sit out for a few minutes so it softens slightly before going in the oven.
You can also freeze the baked cookies and let them thaw at room temperature.
How to store banana bread cookies
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.
Because of the banana, they stay soft, but they’re best within the first couple of days.
Vegan Banana Bread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mashed banana
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mash the banana, then measure out ¼ cup.
- In a bowl, whisk the banana, melted vegan butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until combined and fluffy (about 1 minute).
- Add the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon and stir until a soft dough forms. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. While it rests, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough using a 1 tablespoon scoop and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 11 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are soft. these will look underbaked but will set as they cool.
- Let cool before transferring to a rack.
