3 ingredient cookies with NO gluten, grains, dairy, eggs, or added sugar! These moist and fudgy detox cookies come together in a snap! They only require a bowl and spoon to make. And they’re gluten free, vegan and paleo-friendly if you switch the peanut butter for your favorite nut or seed butter!
Move over 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies chock full of white sugar. Step aside, shortbread and that butter cookie recipe that melts in your mouth but leaves a gross film of cheap butter on your tongue for, like, 36 hours. You may have tried other 3-ingredient cookie recipes before, but not like these.
This simple recipes produces literally the easiest, healthiest cookies you will ever make or eat. Ready to bake the perfect cookies (healthy edition)?
They only require three ingredients, and you already have them all on hand: peanut butter or almond butter, bananas, and cocoa powder.
Even if you don’t usually keep cocoa powder on hand, I’ll bet you have some left over from your Christmas cookie recipes, right?You probably also have a few perfectly overripe bananas that got, shall we say, overlooked in the midst of all the holiday cookies and cakes and pies. They’ll do just fine and, in fact, the riper the better. Ripeness means sweetness, and sweetness makes bananas the perfect sugar substitute in these cookies.
The last ingredient is peanut butter, and don’t even try to tell me you don’t have peanut butter! It’s best if it’s the unsweetened, natural, creamy kind, but use what you have. After all, these are basically just simplified peanut butter cookies, so use the kind that you’d use for those kind with the criss-crossed fork marks on top. Whatever peanut butter you use, make sure it is at room temperature when you incorporate it into the batter. Sounds strange, I know, but I just found out that some people keep natural peanut butter in their fridge!
And finally, there’s the sea salt which, I suppose, is technically the 4th ingredient. Wait, don’t go! You can skip the salt if you want, but the cookies won’t taste the same.
The salt is what pulls the whole cookie together, making the cocoa taste more robust and bringing out the sweetness of the bananas. The salt is actually pretty important, even though it doesn’t technically go in the cookie.
Use the course kind, and try to find the best quality you can manage. Believe it or not, different kinds of salt have different flavors and the more premium kinds have a more complex flavor than the homogenized kind that comes in a can labeled “table salt” (or whatever). That’s why it’s worth what might seem like a little bit of an indulgence, but you can actually find some pretty good quality course sea salt in the food aisle of TJ Maxx or Marshall’s. It will last you awhile, too, since it’s not something you typically use for more than a garnish.
The cookie dough is actually more of a batter, which is good news (because the salt sticks to the top well), but also – well, not bad news, just unexpected. You haven’t done anything wrong. Just scoop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet (the sticky cookie dough is why it is essential to line the sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick pad) and swirl it around a little bit as it drops off of the spoon to make the little flourish-y peak you see in my photos. Or don’t! Even shaped like blobs, these are still going to be great cookies 🙂
How To Make 3 Ingredient Cookies With Minimal Effort and Maximum Flavor
Anyway, these cookies are as easy to make as they are to eat. The batter will come together with just one bowl and a fork or spoon, then drop it on a baking sheet and it will become cookies after only 8-9 minutes in the oven.
Sound too good to be true? I promise they aren’t! They’re chocolatey, moist, and cakey, and they might be just a little ugly, but they taste pretty darn good, despite being refined-sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free. (But if you’re not in it for the detox aspect, feel free to melt some chocolate chips and drizzle it over the top of the cookies!)
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t eat healthy and still have cookies. Better make a double batch!
For a quick recipe video, click here for our new web story!
Fudgy 3 Ingredient Cookies
3 ingredient cookies with NO gluten, grains, dairy, eggs, or added sugar! These moist and fudgy detox cookies come together in a snap! They only require a bowl and spoon to make. And they're gluten free, vegan and paleo-friendly!
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, about 1 1/2 cups puree, mashed or pureed until smooth
- 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter. Substitute almond butter for paleo or Whole30 compliance., unsweetened
- 1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
- handful coarse sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to thoroughly combine the first three ingredients until it reaches a smooth and uniform consistency.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a greased or lined cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a pinch of sea salt.
- Bake for 8-15 minutes (see note) until cookies lose their sheen.
- Allow to cool and set on the cookie sheets for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you're having trouble with them getting too sticky in the container, store them uncovered in the fridge, or covered in the freezer. They won't freeze solid. They're become very dense and fudgy (and extra delicious) when frozen!
- Yield: About 2 dozen cookies.
Troubleshooting tips:
- If your cookies are too lumpy, try running the dough in the food processor for 30-60 seconds.
- The moisture content of the dough may vary (for example if your large banana is bigger than they ones I used). If the batter is too thin and watery, you can try two things: add more cocoa to absorb the moisture, and/or bake for longer.
- Make sure you thoroughly stir your peanut butter. If it is too oily (such as from the top of a new jar), that might be another reason why your batter could be too runny.
- On the other hand, if your PB is the right consistency, it can be tough to stir into the batter. Try microwaving it for 15-20 seconds until it's smooth and easier to work with.
- Depending on the moisture content of your bananas, your baking time could vary from 8 minutes to 15 minutes.
- If your dough is more like a thick batter, just plop the portions of dough on the cookie sheet and they will spread out by themselves. No need to flatten with a fork.
- If you don't want to garnish your cookies with salt, add a pinch to the batter.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 53Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 941mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g
Jocelyn says
My dough was the consistancy of mashed bananas, not nearly doughy enough to form balls. When I baked them the cookies never formed a solid texture either. Any ideas as to what went wrong?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you! Without having seen your ingredients and dough, it’s hard to say exactly but my guess would be that your nut butter was too runny/oily which threw off the balance of wet to dry ingredients in the mixture. The other alternative is that maybe your bananas were especially large, which would have, again thrown off the moisture content. If you run into the problem again, I’d suggest adding coconut flour or oat flour (which you can make at home) 1 tsp at a time, until the dough reaches a familiar cookie-like consistency. Hope that helps!
-Nora
Jocelyn says
Thank you for the tip! I ended up putting my “cookies” in the freezer and they ended up being a fudgy consistency. Still absolutely delicious!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s a great idea Jocelyn! I am going to try it!
Gayla Marcum says
Hi wow so easy! I figured out the peanut butter had to take longer for the moisture I even took a 5 minute break and mixed it again. Awesome. I also added 1/4 cup of almonds and sea salt and pinch of sugar on top. Thank you.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oh great! I’m so glad you’re enjoying them!
Paige says
So I’ve already made these twice and loved them! My boyfriend and I are doing whole 30 and really needed something to curve our sweet tooth. However, the consistency was not firm enough to make cookies so I just poured the mixture into a cupcake sheet and baked them for 13-15 mins and they were awesome! I actually thought that this was a better method to baking them rather than into cookies because they fluff up and keep moisture. I also tossed in some unsweetened coconut to add more texture and balance, I’m sure there many other creative things you could do – I was thinking puréed strawberry filling for the middle or something!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oooh I’d love to hear how the strawberry filling turns out! Yum!!
Rebeca says
I don’t know what I did but they tasted really bad. Maybe it was the cocoa powder?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
It could have been either the cocoa powder, or your bananas weren’t ripe (sweet) enough.
melanie lindley says
Delicious! I cooked mine closer to 20 minutes, but so yummy!!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So glad you enjoyed this!
Susan Renaud says
I try many vegan recipes..most are a hit…this one not so much ????
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Sorry it wasn’t for you.
Prachi says
Hi. I just wanted to know what’s the fat content?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’ve just updated the nutrition info at the bottom of the recipe for you!
Joy Holmes says
Nora
I’ve made these cookies 4 or 5 times now.
They were delicious, easy and healthy.
I liked the salt on-top.
Thank-you
Joy
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That is amazing to hear! Thank you!
Maya says
I tried the recipe out, and they ended up tasting super bitter and no one in my family liked them or could even finish one. I don’t know where I messed up, they also looked like actual poop.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m sorry to hear that! Your bananas probably weren’t ripe enough (that’s where all the sweetness comes from).
Shauna says
These are just not very good. They are good for people on a diet who want to have a “cookie” ..but i tried to make them as a healthy alternative to cookies… but noooo. Its strange . Like its almost okay..its edible. Thats the best i can do. Woth added sugar
But if you want a cookie… go for a cookie. This should be called maybe like cocoa goo balls. Then you wouldn’t psyche yourself up for a cookie.
For people struggling with the dough.. i would not go by number of bananas. Go by amount.
Shauna says
I read it wrong and did 1 cup banana… worked
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks for clarifying!
Kathryn says
This sounds delicious! I just finished my first whole30, am currently in the reintro phase, and am looking forward to continuing to eat mostly paleo. I love the idea of having a compliant, natural and healthy treat waiting for me in the cookie jar!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Congrats on finishing your first Whole 30, Kathryn! That’s awesome! I hope you enjoy these cookies. If you’re interested, there is also a cinnamon raisin version –> https://acleanbake.com/frosted-cinnamon-raisin-spice-detox-cookies/ Just replace the PB with almond butter or another nut/seed butter to make it paleo compliant 🙂
Jennifer says
These sound good! What is the detox part though?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
They are free of gluten, dairy, eggs, and refined or added sugar, plus you can adapt them to be nut free (by using sun butter) if necessary, depending on what your body can handle (or what elimination or detox diet you’re on). No matter how you make them, you’re still giving your body a wholesome treat without any of the common inflammatory/allergen foods!
Ryn says
Hi.. may I know 1/2 cups equal to how many grams??
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/cup-to-gram-conversions/
Jenna says
This may be a dumb question, but do they taste banana-y?
Thanks!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Jenna! Not a dumb question at all 🙂 Hm, so, I don’t want to say that they don’t taste banana-ey at all, but they certainly don’t taste BANANA-Y if that makes sense. In my opinion, you taste peanut butter, chocolate, sweetness and then the banana. But if you are very sensitive to banana flavor, then I probably wouldn’t recommend these.
Lindsay says
Hi Jenna, these look great and I love that they only require 3 healthy ingredients. However, I don’t really care for bananas in cookies, do you think I could use pure pumpkin puree, or would they be too watery?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I haven’t tried it but my gut instinct is that pumpkin would likely be to watery. If you want to try it, you might need to add some coconut flour or something to soak up the excess moisture.
PS: Who’s Jenna? 🙂
Lindsay says
Oh gosh, sorry, I just realized I thought I was on a different blog.
Thank you for answering my question. I’m going to try it with the coconut flour. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Haha, it’s no problem! You’re welcome! I would love to know how it turns out 🙂
Lauren says
These look delicious Nora! Those pictures are really mouthwateringly (word?) fudgy! 🙂
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you, Lauren! Mouthwateringly is TOTALLY a word!
Helena says
Hiya,
How many calories per cookie? They look amazing b.t.w
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Sorry, Helena, I’m actually not sure how many calories. I don’t really track, so I don’t bother with the calculations for my recipes. If you google calorie calculator, you can find one that will allow you to put in all the ingredients and then just divide by the yield. Hope that helps!
kylie gusset says
Hi Nora, could you please remove any mention of whole30 from this cookie recipe? It’s not whole30 compliant, and no ingredient will make it whole30 compliant, because it’s a cookie. From the whole30 rules:
“Do not try to re-create baked goods, junk foods, or treats* with “approved” ingredients. Continuing to eat your old, unhealthy foods made with Whole30 ingredients is totally missing the point, and will tank your results faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” Remember, these are the same foods that got you into health-trouble in the first place—and a pancake is still a pancake, regardless of the ingredients. – See more at: http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/#sthash.qviK8Wsa.dpuf ”
Thank you.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I see where you are coming from, but a lot of people use these as a transition off of Whole30.
Liz R says
I thank you for this recipe…It’s nice to have a compliant option for Dessert when hosting a gathering. While I agree on a daily basis we shouldn’t be trying to recreate A cookie, But on a special occasion. This is certainly better than cheating with cake!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I couldn’t agree more! This is certainly not an every day recipe if you’re doing a Whole30. 🙂
Christy says
I completely agree with you! There is no such thing as a Whole30 cookie, and no, it is not better to eat this than cake. People are missing the point of the program if they think this is okay!
I hope people don’t get the wrong idea about my comment. I am not trying to be mean, but if you read “It Starts With Food” you will understand that this is not allowed. I also think that by posting something like this and calling it Whole30 compliant you may confuse some people.
Sarah says
Hi there! Just wondering why this wouldn’t be whole30 compliant if it’s eaten in moderation and almond butter is subbed for peanut butter? Sorry, I don’t have time to read a book right now due to school /work.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Well, it depends on who you ask. If you’re strictly following the Whole30 rules, you’re supposed to abstain not just from any forbidden foods but from anything resembling a hidden food. They call healthy-ified cookies and similar foods “Sex With Your Pants On” (SWYPA).
However, there are plenty of people who have a hard time with Whole30 and need something to help them stay on track.
Kendra Lawyer says
seriously??
Hillary says
Could you sub out the peanut butter for nutella?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oh, you probably could but I haven’t tried it. If you can tolerate eggs, you might consider using this recipe instead: https://acleanbake.com/midnight-chocolate-peanut-butter-cookies/ Either way, let me know how it goes! 🙂
Stephanie says
Best recipe ever! Just finishing up my batch! Did the almond butter instead of peanut butter! Perfectly sweet and the salt just adds the extra kick you want. I’ll be baking these up more often. I’ll use it for my nieces instead of them eating real junk food. Thank you so much for sharing. I don’t even feel guilty that I ate two.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Stephanie! I am thrilled that you loved them and I hope your nieces do too!
Angie says
Absolute favorite cookies! I gave the bananas a turn in the food processor before mixing everything, and they turned out perfectly smooth and fudgy. The entire batch was gone before we knew it. I’ll definitely be making these again! Thanks so much for the recipe, Nora.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks wonderful! I’m so glad they turned out so well for you. The food processor is a great way to ensure an amazing texture. 🙂
Keri says
Ok I hate to post something negative, but these were horrible. I’m so sorry – I was so excited. My entire family spit them out & the batch went in the trash 🙁
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Don’t be sorry, Keri. I want to hear all feedback, positive and negative! I’m so sorry these were not a success for you. Was there anything in particular that made these unpleasant? I’m happy to help troubleshoot the recipe if you want! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Dawn says
What are the nutrition values of these? Thank you
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Unfortunately, I don’t have nutrition info available at this time. You can feel free to plug the recipe into a nutrition calculator (I recommend My Fitness Pal) and then divide by 24 to get the nutrition info per cookie.
Daniel Holloway says
I made these and they were amazeballs at the end of week 2 on the Whole 30 plan! I used almond butter and they turned out perfect. You may have to have been on the Whole 30 for a bit in order to truly enjoy them as they are not to be compared with a typical cookie that has sugar, butter and flour. However, they are fabulous if you have been consistent on the Whole 30 plan. It’s a frickin’ fudgy dark chocolate cookie!
To the naysayers who say this is counter to the Whole 30 plan in trying to imitate treats with approved ingredients, they can call them “Salted Banana Cocoa Baked Blobs” for all I care. This is a marvelous, Whole 30 complaint dessert option that works as a breakfast pastry as well. Thank you again for this wonderful recipe.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks for the note, Daniel! I completely agree that they’re not SUPER sweet, but I’m glad you enjoyed them. And seriously, I might just have to change the name to Salted Banana Cocoa Baked Blobs – that might save me some trouble in the comments :-p
Morgan says
Rly good. My consistency was cake-like. So i poured it in mini muffin pans. Turned into delicious fudgy brounies. As an erlier coment said, put in freezer very good idea!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That sounds delicious – and perfect for summer!
Katharine says
Could I substitute Arbonne chocolate protein powder for cocoa?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I can’t recommend it only because I haven’t tried it. You are welcome to give it a shot and see how it turns out!
Jes says
How many do you recommend for one serving?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
It’s ultimately up to you and your dietary needs/goals (that’s why I don’t provide nutrition info!) but I’d say probably 2-3? They’re pretty small.
Sarah says
Wow. I just tried these, because I happened to have perfect amounts of all three in the pantry. I used almond butter. It was a bit liquid-y, so I added a tablespoon each of chia seeds, flaxseed meal, and a bit of spelt flour, because my almond butter and bananas were really runny. These are perfect! I don’t like sweet sweets anymore, and I can eat these without feeling that sugar high I feel with other desserts. They’re filling, too.
Candi says
Is there any way to make these without the chocolate? Possibly another substitute, since my husband is allergic to chocolate—- IKR?!
Thank you!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
No but I have a similar recipe you may like better! Sorry for the old/gross pictures ;P https://acleanbake.com/frosted-cinnamon-raisin-spice-detox-cookies/
Fanny Vilchez says
Thanks for the recipe. I like so much the idea of only 3 ingredients. But I was wondering if I can substitute cocoa for Carob powder, mesquite powder (which have higher fiber content) or do you think I may be better off adding a couple of scoops of a fiber supplement (such is phylum husk or flaxseed powder). I like the recipe as it is, but my older son is pre-diabetic (side effect of meds) attends special needs boarding school. So I have become now his preferred baker 🙂 in order to deliver healthy snacks for his condition. By the way, I will be using sunflower better instead. Thank you !
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s a tricky one. Fiber will absorb water so I suspect if you make these swaps, your cookies will turn out really dry. You may need to add extra oil or (if it works for your son) melted butter.
Mary wilson says
How many cookies per serving? It just says 100 calories, but not for how many.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Where does it say 100 calories?
Ashley says
These are SO good. I’ve always been skeptical about “baking” with a mashed banana but these are fantastic!
Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to more of your recipes!
Claire says
I’m curious to know how to make these sweeter without adding sugar. They were a tad bitter for my taste, but I loved them nonetheless.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Claire – My advice would be to use stevia (a few drops of the liquid extract, or teaspoons of the granulated stuff – This is the brand I use) to add more sweetness without adding more sugar. Also, the riper the bananas, the sweeter they will be, so you might try letting the bananas age several more days to get more sweetness out of them!
Claire says
Oh, I see. Thank you. I will be sure to try that next time!
Claire says
Would these cookies be sweeter with very ripe bananas? Mine were ripe but the part holding the bunch together was a bit green. Could this be the reason it was so bitter?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yes, the bananas should be very ripe. The peel should be at least heavily speckled, if not very brown. The banana itself should be soft enough to easily mash with a fork.
Eleni says
Hi, could you please tell if how many calories or gramms of fat are in these cookies or any nutritional information you have?
Thank you
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Eleni! The nutrition information can be found at the bottom of the post (scroll down past the recipe).
Clarice says
I’m wondering if I put to much of something or if the temperature was to hot? The bottom burned and the cookie was still not done after 20mins. Atleast only edges had a cake consistency the middle seemed not cooked properly. I cooked it at 350 as suggested. Did I make the cookies to big – should I have spread it out more?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Clarice! There are a couple things that may have gone wrong here: First, your oven could be running hot. That would be my first guess. Do you have an oven thermometer inside the oven? Many ovens either over or under heat or have hot spots. That is usually the reason why the outside is burned before the inside is cooked. Also, if you used tinfoil on your cookie sheet, that would cook the undersides MUCH faster than the rest of the cookie. That’s why I always recommend a nonstick pad, nonstick spray or parchment paper on your baking sheet.
The other likely culprit is that you may have, as you said, made the cookies too big. They’re supposed to be small (2-3 bites each). Did you measure heaping tablespoon portions for each cookie? Any larger and there may be an issue with them cooking all the way through evenly.
Let me know if you still have questions!
Laurie says
I am happy with my batch, but I can see what you mean about making sure the bananas are ripe. Mine were not, but still good nonetheless.Why are they called “Detox cookies”?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Laurie! They’re called detox cookies because they fit into many “sugar detox” diets, so they allow you to have a treat without taking away from the effort to minimize added sugar in your diet.
Jordee says
Nora these were amazing! I’m definitely addicted to sugar in many levels. Finding these last night made for a total diet savior! thank you and if you have more of the sort please guide me to them. I’m interested in more of your recipes and i’m new to this website.
Thank you again,
Jordee
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Jordee! First of all, I’m thrilled that these are helping you kick your sugar addiction (I sympathize)! I have tons of low carb/sugar recipes on this site. Here are a couple of sugar-free cookies you might start with:
Peppermint Macaroons —-> https://acleanbake.com/peppermint-macaroons/
Chocolate Dipped shortbread (you can skip the chocolate for even less sugar) —> https://acleanbake.com/grain-free-shortbread/
Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread —> https://acleanbake.com/cinnamon-pecan-shortbread/
Also feel free to browse the recipe page (linked on the menu at the top) for more options!
Liz S says
Just made these! I subbed cacao for cocoa and they turned out great. Also used cashew butter and I am super impressed! Don’t skip the sea salt- such a yummy treat without the inflammatory junk in most cookies ????
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m so glad you liked them and thanks for letting me know about the successful substitutions!
Jennifer says
Can I use tahini
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not, as long as it’s not too runny. Fair warning though: I’m not sure how the flavor of banana works with tahini.
Corina says
Has anyone tried it with carob poweder instead of cocoa? Thx
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
No that I’m aware of, but if you try it, I’d love to know how it goes!
Layla Malhas says
Is there any difference in flavor between using almond or peanut butter? Which do you prefer? I have both but i’m not sure which would taste better. These look delicious!! I will definitely have to try them soon.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Layla, there should not be a difference as long as you are using the natural kind (ingredients are only nuts and maybe salt) and it is no stir. The almond butter is milder flavored, but if you are a fan of the chocolate-PB flavor combination, I’d say go for peanut butter!
Sarah says
So these are amazing! And what’s more, they’re a great base! I made them as indicated then the next round added some toasted almonds and coconut (all compliant) and another I added raisins. I also did some in mini muffin pans. Takes a bit longer bake time, but they’re like pop-able brownies!
Thanks for providing this awesome recipe!
Rossana says
So easy and so tasty!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So glad to hear you enjoyed these!
Steph says
Came across this recipe looking for a healthier, refined-sugar-free indulgence. These totally hit the spot! As someone who respects them, but is not into thier banana flavor, I did switch it up a bit for my tastes: swapped one of the bananas with a quarter of a small-medium avocado. To make up some of that sweetness, I added a tablespoon of coconut butter. Also added a roughly a tablespoon of maca powder which I’ve found really neutralizes that banana taste. Finally, as the almond butter I had on hand was on the runnier side, I went ahead and threw in a bit of coconut flour. Maybe should have done another spoonfull as they were still a bit on the soft side after cooling out of the oven, but delicious all the same. (They’ve since been popped in the freezer as per other comments’ suggestions.) Will definitely make again – thank you!
Julie says
O-M-G I made this and they came out PERFECT!!!! They were so fudgy and chocolately and honestly I did not expect them to taste this good. I am so excited because these are probably the best cookies that I have ever had and they’re healthy. Thank you so much I am going to make these all the time
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
This is the best comment ever 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!!
Charlene says
If these cookies are a detox how many you supposed to have to get the benefit
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oh at least the whole batch! 😉
Amy says
I first thought they were kinda blah. But i keep them in the fridge and they’re awesome!!! Totally better kept cold n they are still soft.
Teri Hemphill says
We made these AFTER a turn on Whole30 and thought they were delicious! Not only that, but felt they were perfect for a mid morning or mid afternoon snack. Whole30 changed the way we looked at all the foods we ate, and while we are closer to a Paleo diet now, I still look for “Whole30 compliant” recipes all the time, understanding it will be free from those things that we eliminated when on the program. It truly changed the way we looked at foods! And this recipe is a great addition to my recipe arsenal post Whole30.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you SO much for letting me know! I am thrilled to hear that you’re feeling so good after your Whole30, but that you are also able to have a little treat 😉 Also, if it’s helpful, I have tons of Whole30 compliant (or easily adaptable) recipes here, too —> https://acleanbake.com/category/whole30/
Sue Murray says
Just made them and they turned out perfectly. Soft and fudgy.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Great to hear! Thanks, Sue!
Anne S. says
Made these for a friend who is loosely doing Whole30. I agree it is better to make these than to “cheat” with something sugar-filled. I myself am not doing Whole30, but I find them delicious! I did not have almond butter, but I had almond flour in the freezer and just used 1/2 cup of that. They turned out cookie-like in appearance and creamy in the center ???? Thanks for the great recipe! ❤️
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks Anne! That’s great to know that almond flour works! I’m so glad you liked it!
Cori says
Hi! Instead of creamy PB can I use crunchy PB?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yep! The cookies will have more texture, but it should work fine.
dee says
Hi Nora,
I tried a version of these with almond meal/flour and while I enjoyed the flavor (since I am nearing the end of my Whole30 and I admit I have a wicked sweet tooth- these got the job done!), the texture was much more bread like than cookie. Do you have any recommendations on how to fix that?
Would adding melted ghee or an egg help?
Thank you for your feedback and thanks again for this recipe!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Dee! Yes, the texture is dense, but a little spongy – more cake-like than a dense cookie. That’s due to the ingredients, or lack of typical cookie ingredients to be more precise. What kind of cookie texture are you looking for? I honestly wouldn’t suggest tinkering too much with this recipe.
Pamela Smith says
I love the thought of cookies that are good for you. My Vegan daughter enjoyed these cookies immensely, the teenager politely finished hers and the littles left them laying around half eaten. If you’re trying to please peeps on a special diet these are a wonderful addition to your baking rotation
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s so nice to hear! Thanks, Pamela!
Jess says
OH MY GOSH YUM!!
I swirled fresh raspberries and unsweetened coconut into mine. HEAVEN!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That is so great to hear! I love the addition of raspberries and coconut too!
Jennifer says
Love these! I’ve been gluten and dairy free since I was diagnosed with Lyme disease in June and I’m doing Whole30 to jumpstart the new year… I have a TERRIBLE sweet tooth though, which is the only thing that has made Whole30 hard for me. These are just enough to help the sweet tooth, and get me through when I’m having a hankering! 😉 This last time I also added some raisins and cinnamon! Question though – how do you store them? I’ve put them in the fridge both times I’ve made them, but the tops end up moist and sticky after a couple hours in the fridge.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I actually store them in the freezer! They get super fudgy and dense when they’re cold. Otherwise, store them with the top off, or half on, depending on how much stickiness you’re dealing with.
Allison says
These worked on the first try, which is great because I rarely bake! Very easy and a great Whole30 treat.
I added extra cocoa powder (as suggested in your notes) to make the batter slightly less runny. Also, I experimented with cooking spray vs parchment paper. Parchment won, as it helped the cookies hold their shape better.
Just saw the last comment about adding unsweetened coconut! ???? I’ll try that next time!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Great to know about the parchment! I prefer it to cooking spray, too. Let me know what you think of the coconut version!
Allison says
I commented before, but made these again today as a Whole30 “transition” treat. I added unsweetened coconut flakes (maybe 1/4 cup), and a sprinkle of Trader Joe’s cocoa nibs. Really good add-ins, although the original recipe is also delish!
Wendy says
Any way to make them all chocolate, without the peanut butter?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Not really, I’m sorry! But you can replace the PB with any nut or seed butter that works better for you.
Melissa Poirier says
Loved these!! I used Cashew butter instead and it was spot on! 8 minutes for me- sheen was gone, pulled them out and were perfect!!!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Perfect! I’m glad to hear cashew butter worked so well for you!
Saoirse says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My family and I just started whole 30 when we found this recipe. We think they are great as the original they are super easy to modify to fit your tastes. And while they might not be strictly whole 30 safe in spirit, it works well to get my chocolate loving sister on board
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed these!
Lara says
Oh my goodness. I was not expecting much from this recipe but I’m so glad I tried it. If you haven’t made them before, don’t expect them to be like regular cookies.
I slightly undercooked the first batch but that just created a beautiful fudgy treat. I prefer to eat them straight out of the freezer so they’re more like chocolates.
Since the first batch I’ve made a few variations (some healthy, like adding almond butter or dessicated coconut and the not so healthy, like swirling nutella in them). They seem to work every time. They work with or without the sea salt. I don’t add a lot of salt, just a tiny bit to taste.
These “cookies” are definitely a staple in my freezer now, for all the times I have sweet cravings. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!! 🙂
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you so much, Lara!!! Your note made my day!
Ali says
Thank you for this recipe – I love these cookies! I was wondering about how you calculated the nutrition information. When adding the ingredients to MyFitnessPal and dividing amongst 24 cookies, it comes to 63 calories, 6.5g of carbs, and 2g of protein per cookie. Would you mind sharing your method? Thanks again!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi! It is calculated automatically by the widget in my recipe card. 🙂
Tim says
I’m rounding out my second Whole 30, and I’ve been CRAVING baked goods. (I’m a big baker!) This recipe hit the spot. These cookies don’t taste like “normal” cookies, but it certainly satisfied my craving. THANK YOU!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s great! You’re so welcome!!
Regina R says
I just completed my first Whole 30 and tho I’m reintroducing very slowly, I’m making these for a treat when I’m ready. I’ll freeze them. But for those who were concerned with the liquidity of the recipe, I put coconut flour in my batter and put itin the Refrigerator to firm up.. I used two very ripe bananas and one frozen which added to the moisture, but no worries, the refrigerator was the trick. I kept them in over night but an hr or two should do it
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s great! So glad you enjoyed these.
Deepika Vadlamani says
These look great! I don’t have cocoa powder and since we are on lockdown I can’t go out to buy them. Can I substitute with melted chocolate? What would I have to change? Thanks in advance!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I don’t know how these would turn out with melted chocolate, but if you want a similar recipe without cocoa powder, try this:
https://acleanbake.com/four-ingredient-power-cookies/
or this:
https://acleanbake.com/frosted-cinnamon-raisin-spice-detox-cookies/
EN says
I had some salted roasted cashews I used instead of nut butter. I put about 3/4 cups in the blender then added 2 tablespoons of walnut oil to improve the texture, blending a few minutes. Followed the rest of the recipe and these were delicious.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
What a great idea!
Jackie says
These cookies are insane!! So good. Like in between a cookie, fudge and pudding. So I normally buy a ton of bananas and once some get too brown for me to eat as is I throw them in the freezer for smoothies/pancakes/banana bread etc. as a vegan they are a staple. So I just pulled out the frozen ones, let them defrost. At that point they basically mash themselves! Lol. I only had Hershey’s powder on hand, not an awesome quality, and even though my bananas were super ripe the batter was a tad more bitter than I wanted so I added 2 teaspoons of sugar and crunches up a handful of walnuts. I’m glad I put those in because I like the crunch; a little too much probably. They are so good. I would’ve never thought this combination would bake into a cookie. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m so glad you liked this cookie!!
Catherine says
Pleasantly surprised with these! Nice for curbing sweet/chocolate craving while doing whole30. Looking forward to trying some add ins like coconut and almonds. Thanks for the recipe!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So glad to hear you enjoyed these! You’re welcome!
Bobbi says
Hi! These look great! But it isn’t Whole30 compliant to recreate a cookie, so these would not be considered Whole30 compliant. Thank you!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Feel free to save them for after your Whole30 then!
Dina Weisgold says
OMG …. just finished making these – DELICIOUS!!!!
I added a little splash of vanilla to the batter and topped them with a sprinkle of cinnamon in addition to the salt!!! I actually feel guilty eating them – I can’t believe they are Whole30 compliant – but I KNOW they are!! Thank you so very much for this fabulous recipe!!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That sounds like a wonderful flavor boost! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Bridget says
My partner and I are doing Whole 30 and got to the point where we were craving sweets. We made these tonight and they were so yummy! At first we a little skeptical about the consistency when we put the scoops into the parchment paper but they ended up looking like cookies! This will be a recipe we will be using once we are done with Whole 30.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s wonderful to hear!
Mina says
These are super delicious!!!! definitely satisfies my chocolate cravings! I love it, been making it everyday! I cut the PB in half as I am not a huge PB fan, and it’s perfect. I can eat it like a pudding without baking! so many ways to eat it- frozen is great too! Thank you!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So great to hear you’re enjoying it!
Sarah says
Sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder? Thanks! They look divine.
Larry Nowicki says
I’m going to try this. I’m not a fan of bananas. Is there anything else that works with dark chocolate. I ordered the cacao butter.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I can’t recommend anything to replace the bananas – sorry!
Alana says
These cookies are perfect for my gluten free husband. I’m hoping to make them again but add some protein powder as well. I’m wondering if you have any input on how that would effect the cookies? Thanks!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Adding protein powder will likely dry out the cookies, which you’ll have to compensate for. One idea is to use chocolate protein powder (something that you like the taste of!) in place of the cocoa powder. I haven’t tried it so you may need to play around with the ratios and possibly add a little extra fat (melted oil or butter) to make sure the cookies aren’t too dry.
Edana Brown says
These cookies are heavenly. My daughter and I have found a new (guilt-free) addiction. The fact that they’re so simple is (pardon the pun) the icing on the cake. Thank you so much for the recipe — my daughter also made your veggie fritters and loved them. Love the website and the Instagram!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you so much!
Ravvjiit says
Hi I just wanted to be sure that does it have to be moist.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Do you mean the batter? Yes, it will be wetter than a typical cookie dough.
Rhoda says
I don’t really eat cookies or cake but these cookies intrigued me. They are the best! I add some chocolate chips too and always keep them in the freezer.
I think you must refrigerate the batter overnight. It firms up nicely. I use an ice cream scoop so the cookies are pretty uniform.
I make these once a week and have gone up one size in my jeans! I don’t care! They’re that good!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you so much! Refrigerating the batter shouldn’t make that much of a difference, but you are welcome to try it if it works better for you!
Janie says
I substituted carob powder for cocoa powder, and white almond butter for peanut butter, to reduce the potential allergens and be compatible with the cleanse I’m on. Wow! Are these good! I just put the rest in the fridge, to stop myself from eating all of them.
My almond butter is very thin, so the dough was too runny, so I added some coconut flour and it worked well.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So glad the subs worked fro you and you enjoyed the cookies!
Karen says
These were awesome…simple minimal ingredient cookie. However, the recipe can also be a good base and I added chopped nuts. They came out awesome. I love the fact that you can freeze them and they don’t turn into rocks 🙂 I am going to try adding coconut the next time. Thanks for sharing.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You’re welcome and I’m so thrilled you enjoyed them!
Candice says
These make great whole 30 brownies! Just put in a pan and bake about 20 mins. I’ve made these a ton!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
What an amazing idea!