These quick and easy no bake banana chocolate chip cookies are naturally sweetened with just dates and bananas and have an amazingly addicting creamy cookie dough texture! Gluten free, grain free, Paleo and Vegan.
Remember a couple of weeks ago when I came home to 10 overripe bananas? Still can’t figure out why none were eaten and I doubt I’ll ever see that happen again. BUT good things came out of it, at least recipe-wise. You might never know how well you work under ripe-banana pressure until it happens to you.
Not that I reinvented the wheel or broke any new grain-free baking ground – I just made banana peach muffins followed by these incredibly easy no bake banana chocolate chip cookies. And I haven’t had any ripe bananas since – how does that happen?
Now although I just said I didn’t reinvent the wheel, I did do something new (to me) here. Although I’ve used bananas and dates in recipes, I’ve never combined them. Big things happening here.
And, not only have I never combined them, but I’ve never used them alone, in the absence of another sweetener like coconut sugar or maple syrup. I’m sort of attached to my go-to coconut sugar, maple syrup and raw honey I guess you could say. This was a bit of a branching out moment in that way 🙂
Plus the fact that I whipped out my food processor for this, and by “whipped out” I mean moved 6 inches from the back of the counter to the front.
So, I guess a lot of big changes happened here for this little quick easy recipe! I’m happy to report that the experience was a success and I can share it with you!
So these no bake cookies – at first I didn’t know exactly what they were, honestly. Have you ever made something and weren’t sure what to call it? Are they cookie dough bites? No bake cookies? Just plain old cookie dough?
I actually had to consult another blogger – Amanda (Running With Spoons) – for help and she confidently confirmed the “no bake cookies” that I was leaning toward, but really these are probably all of the above 🙂
I assure you that the texture of these screams out creamy cookie dough, yet they’re firm enough to be shaped into cookies! They are really just ridiculously good and you should try them – hide a banana for a few days if you need to. Just make sure to set an alert for yourself so you don’t forget about the banana. Not that I’ve ever forgotten about something like that, because that would be irresponsible, wasteful and gross. Ha! Of course you know I have done that.
No Bake Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies {Paleo & Vegan}
No Bake Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies {Paleo & Vegan}
Ingredients
- 1 medium very overripe banana
- 2/3 cup pitted and chopped dates*
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp creamy cashew butter I used this brand
- 1 tsppure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup + 1-2 tbsp organic coconut flour I used exactly 1/4 cup + 1.5 tbsp
- Mini dairy free chocolate chips I used this brand
Instructions
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In a food processor, process the dates on the high setting until a paste begins to form
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Add the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips and process until a cookie dough forms. Once you have a thick cookie dough, stir in the chocolate chips.
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Chill the dough for 20 minutes. If dough is still sticky after chilling, stir in another 1/2 tbsp coconut flour**
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Form the mixture into balls and flatten into a cookie shape if desired.
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Store in the refrigerator - Makes 12 cookies. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Soften your dates if they're hard by adding a tsp or 2 of water and microwaving very briefly. Drain any extra water before beginning.
**Keep in mind that coconut flour will expand and thicken the mixture over time, so when adding any extra, give it a minute or 2 to see the effect on the texture of the dough.
Nutrition
What I Used:
Have you ever hidden a banana? Or any other food that you didn’t want anyone eating right away?
Do you use your food processor often? What appliances are always within reach?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
June 12, 2016 at 7:30 amMy food processor is my baby <3 It gets prime spot on the (minimal) kitchen counter we have!
These kinda treats are so good to have for those times when you "feel obligated to bring something" to a party or what not! So easy and delish!
Michele says
June 13, 2016 at 10:38 pmI get the feeling our kitchen counters look similar, lol 🙂
Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine says
June 12, 2016 at 7:53 amI don’t use my food processor much. When possible I try to use my Vitamin instead because its easier to clean! My food processor just has too many parts and is kind of heavy to take out of the cabinet. These look delicious and I love that they’re no bake!
Michele says
June 13, 2016 at 10:38 pmI’d love a Vitamix, one day it will happen, probably when my blender dies.
Chocolaterunsjudy says
June 12, 2016 at 8:06 amThis looks yummy and I’m definitely going to try it — I might do it as balls; I’m getting low on balls.
Oh yes, I do definitely hide food sometimes. I hid smoked salmon this week because I have just enough left for my salad today . . .
Michele says
June 13, 2016 at 10:37 pmThese are totally doable as balls 🙂 And now I need to buy some smoked salmon 🙂
Mel_OutRunCF says
June 12, 2016 at 11:30 amMy food processor broke and I haven’t changed it yet. I miss it sometimes… need a new one. I have a brother-in-law who is gluten, lactose and egg intolerant. I never know what to make for dessert when he comes over because all of my current recipes have eggs in them. These cookies look perfect for him! I sometimes hide berries from my husband (how evil I know haha) because he will just sit down with the container at night and eat the entire thing! That’s what happen when you marry a fellow runner 😉
Michele says
June 13, 2016 at 2:09 pmI don’t use mine a ton mainly because I cringe at the cleanup but it’s really worth it sometimes, mainly when I want to use dates, lol!
Alyssa @ renaissancerunnergirl says
June 12, 2016 at 11:30 amYum! Cookie bites for summer that require no baking and use up those bananas…great in my book 🙂
Michele says
June 12, 2016 at 7:16 pmYup so good to avoid the oven 🙂
Kelsey @ Kelsey in the Kitchen says
June 12, 2016 at 6:47 pmI’ve never had vegan cookies, and can’t honestly say I know what paleo anything is, but regardless these no bake cookies look amazing. Perhaps I missed this entirely, but I’m so curious! Do they taste like bananas? Or is the banana flavor absorbed by all the other awesome things going on so these taste like straight up cookies? Sorry if it’s a silly question! I’m just so curious and have zero ripe bananas lying around! 🙂
Michele says
June 12, 2016 at 7:15 pmYou definitely taste the banana but it’s not overpowering since the dates, coconut flour, cashew butter, vanilla and chocolate chips give it more of a cookie dough feeling. The banana provide some flavor, sweetness and texture. Overall it’s a great easy one to try if you happen to be left with an overripe banana!
Kristy from Southern In Law says
June 13, 2016 at 5:00 pmI always hide bananas, however, Jesse now knows that the more bananas that ripen, the better his chances of getting banana bread – so he will ask permission before eating a banana, haha!
These look seriously delicious! I’m all about no bake recipes at the moment!
Michele says
June 13, 2016 at 10:32 pmLol Adam does the same! I probably yelled at him for eating a ripe banana once and now he’s very careful 🙂
lindsay Cotter says
June 13, 2016 at 8:44 pmmy food processor gets used about 10x a day. okay maybe 1x. But you get my point. LOOOOOVE and these of course
Michele says
June 13, 2016 at 10:24 pmLol 10 times! I need to up my game with it!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
June 16, 2016 at 1:55 amPretty much all my favs in one…although I still need to try using dates more. My Persian side is dying a little inside.
I think when I go on vacation, you should too. SO much to catch up on haha!
I bought a food processor a few years back (after seeing all the rage on blogs) then returned it a day later lol.
Kim says
November 21, 2016 at 8:32 pmWhat can you sub for dates? I hate dates-sorry!!
Michele says
November 21, 2016 at 8:48 pmI would say maple syrup would come out well but you wouldn’t get the same chewy consistency and I’m not sure of the amount…you can try mixing a bit in at a time at the end and taste test to your preference!
Leanne says
February 7, 2017 at 5:29 pmCould we replace the coconut flour with cassava flour? If so would it be a 1:1 replacement?
Michele says
February 7, 2017 at 6:27 pmCassava is more like white flour and coconut is more dense, so you’ll need more cassava to match the texture. Since this recipe is no-bake you can mix in slowly until you get a texture you like. I also have chocolate dipped cookie dough truffles that use cassava: https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/cookie-dough-truffles-paleo-vegan/
Astro Farnsworth says
February 8, 2018 at 5:15 pmAwesome recipe. I used yellow figs (Turkish maybe?) instead of dates by soaking them in hot water for ten minutes before blitzing them with a little of the fig-water. So easy but so delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Michele says
February 11, 2018 at 10:35 amSounds great!