Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Cookies
Remember the chocolate oatmeal cookies you used to eat as a kid? Sometime back, I decided to play around in the kitchen a bit. I came up with these oatmeal chocolate peanut butter vegan cookies as a delicious and much healthier version.
Made with peanut butter, bananas, applesauce, and oats, these delicious cookies are loaded with fiber and other healthy nutrients. Believe it or not, they are much lower in fat too.
I love the challenge of taking a traditional cookie recipe and tweaking the ingredients for it to become a healthier vegan version just like I did with these dairy-free oatmeal raisin cookies and my healthy pumpkin cookies. If you don’t have time to make cookies, try this amazing edible vegan cookie dough that can be ready in 15 minutes without any cooking!
Reasons you will love these cookies
- Wholesome Ingredients: These oatmeal chocolate peanut butter vegan cookies are made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients like rolled oats and natural peanut butter, providing a healthier, nutritious treat that’s perfect for snacking any time of day.
- Oil-Free and Guilt-Free: Enjoy the delicious combination of chocolate and peanut butter without the added oils, making these cookies a guilt-free option that’s lower in fat and still irresistibly tasty.
- Easy and Quick to Make: With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, these vegan cookies come together quickly, making them a convenient and satisfying option for busy days or last-minute dessert cravings.
- Perfect Balance of Flavors and Textures: The chewy oats, creamy peanut butter, and rich chocolate chips create a perfect balance of flavors and textures, making these cookies a delightful treat for any chocolate and peanut butter lover.
Ingredients you will need
Of course, the main ingredient is oats, and that’s about all the traditional recipe had going for it, but that’s not the case with these cookies. They are packed with wholesome ingredients!
- Oats- Rolled oats provide a hearty, chewy texture and a boost of fiber and nutrients. They act as a natural binder in the recipe, helping to hold the cookies together without the need for oil or eggs.
- Bananas- The creamy texture of mashed banana helps to hold the cookies together, replacing the need for eggs or butter, while also infusing a subtle fruity flavor that pairs perfectly with the oats, chocolate, and peanut butter.
- Applesauce- A why use banana to make oatmeal chocolate peanut butter vegan cookies that are oil-free
- Natural peanut butter- It provides a rich, nutty flavor and creamy texture without added oils or sugars. It acts as a binding agent, holding the cookie ingredients together while adding healthy fats and protein.
- Cocoa powder- Adds a rich, chocolatey flavor without extra fat or calories. It enhances the taste profile by complementing the natural peanut butter and providing a deep, satisfying chocolate taste.
- Sweetener- Creates a rich, caramel-like sweetness and enhances the overall flavor profile. Its moisture content helps to create a soft, chewy texture, while the molasses in brown sugar contributes to a deeper, more complex taste that complements the chocolate and peanut butter.
How to make chocolate oatmeal cookies
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by heating the oven to 350°F, and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and to make cleanup a breeze.
Next, mash 2 ripe bananas in a large bowl mixing bowl with a potato masher or fork.
STEP #2: Once the bananas are mashed well, add the applesauce, peanut butter (or PB2 for lower fat), brown sugar (or another sweetener), cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract, and mix well. We have a great unsweetened applesauce recipe if you would like to make your own.
STEP #3: Add the old-fashioned oats to the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined.
STEP #4: Drop rounded spoonfuls of the batter onto a prepared baking sheet and gently press with a fork to flatten a bit. I use the fork to help round up the edges a bit as well.
STEP #5: Bake for 15-20 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve and enjoy!
These cookies are loaded with chocolatey flavor and will bring back childhood memories! We also have these dairy-free chocolate chip cookies that use oat flour and are delicious!
*Originally published November 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, oats and all other ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Just make sure when purchasing the oats that they are certified not to have gluten from contamination of other products in the producer’s facility.
These chocolate oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious.
Absolutely. The peanut butter can be left out. If the batter needs a little more moisture, just add an additional tablespoon of applesauce.
No problem. It is easy to make your own applesauce.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. They also freeze well.
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 whole bananas very ripe
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter or prepared PB2
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or date paste or other sweetener, more if you like very sweet
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Begin by heating the oven to 350°F, and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and to make cleanup a breeze.
- Next, mash 2 ripe bananas in a large bowl mixing bowl with a potato masher or fork.
- Once the bananas are mashed well, add the applesauce, peanut butter (or PB2 for lower fat), brown sugar (or another sweetener), cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract, and mix well.
- I've included instructions for how to make your own applesauce above for those that might not have access to it in their area.
- Next, in the recipe, add the old-fashioned oats to the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Then, drop rounded spoonfuls of the batter onto a prepared baking sheet then gently press with a fork to flatten a bit. I use the fork to help round up the edges a bit as well.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Just tried making these and I LOVE THEM!!! I did not have date paste so I took the pitted dates I had and put them in a food processor and it worked great. I also added walnuts and pecans because I love cookies with nuts. The only thing I was wondering is the batch is more than I will eat in a couple of weeks or even a month so can these be frozen and if so for how long. Has anyone tried this and is it safe?
These cookies were soo delicious. I did use quick oats in the recipe. They remind me of the no bake cookies which are delicious but full of unhealthy ingredients. Ty Terri for this recipe! 👍
Hi Sheri- They remind me of the no bake cookies too. I’m so glad these are healthy. So glad that you liked them!
Love anything oatmeal these are great
Im allergic to bananas. What else could I use as a substitute that wouldnt alter the taste to much? Thanks in advance.
I think it would be okay to sub out the bananas for another 1/3 cup of apple sauce.
I would like to use dates instead of the sugar and agave. I’d puree then with the fruit. How many medjul dates would you use?
Sherri, the rule of thumb for replacing sweetener with date paste is 1 cup sugar = 1 cup date paste. For the agave, I think I would start out with the same ratio. This site has some great tips. https://www.healwithfood.org/substitute/using-dates-as-substitute-for-sugar-conversion-ratio.php
Bananas vary in size, so unless the recipe lists the quantity in a specific amount, I avoid these recipes.
2 medium bananas = 2/3 cups mashed bananas.
In the time it took me to register with Gravatar you fixed the banana issue. Well done. Will try these soon.
Terri, if I were to leave the peanut butter out, would I need to replace it with anything or do you think the recipe would be fine without it? We’re Esselstyn diet/lifestyle here so no nuts. I love your recipes!
Bunny, to replace the peanut butter, I would try some date paste. They should still turn out very good. Hope you enjoy them!
How many bananas?
This recipe calls for 2 very ripe bananas.
I do not see banana in the ingredients on recipe. How many do you use?
I see it added now, thank you, cannot wait to make!
Hi there, I am excited about this recipe. I wanted to let you know that you have applesauce listed for ingredients and bananas listed in the directions. Thank you for sharing your recipes!!!!
Ha!This recipe takes 2 very ripe bananas. I’ve fixed that in the list now. Thanks for the heads-up!
Great, thanks. Glad to help.
Didn’t see bananas in the ingredient list – how much banana? thanks.
Thanks for letting me know. Somehow that was deleted before publishing, but I’ve corrected it now. The recipe takes 2 bananas. Enjoy!