Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) — Made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs!
Howdy partner!
Happy Monday — I hope your day is going smoothly, even if the weather is trying to be dramatic. I couldn’t resist baking cookies, so here we are: a healthier take on classic cowboy cookies.
These cookies are hearty and wholesome, inspired by the original cowboy cookie concept but made with simple, clean ingredients. They’re vegan, gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats, and contain no added oils, refined sugars, flours, or eggs. Instead, ripe banana and unsweetened applesauce bind and sweeten the dough naturally.
These cookies are great for gatherings where people have different dietary preferences — vegan friends, gluten-free guests, and anyone who appreciates a lower-sugar treat. The optional chocolate drizzle gives them a festive finish, but they’re delicious plain as well.
Money-Saving Tips for this Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe:
- Freeze overripe bananas. Peel and freeze browning bananas for recipes like this. Thawed frozen bananas mash easily and often produce better texture than fresh.
- Buy oats in bulk. A large container of oats is more economical and useful for future batches of cookies, energy bites, or oatmeal breakfasts.
- Use single-serve applesauce cups. If you don’t use applesauce often, snack-size containers provide the exact amount needed and help reduce waste.
More cookie recipes:
Healthy Monster Cookies
Healthy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Easy Potato Breakfast Cookies
Healthy Cowboy Cookies
4.9 from 12 reviews
- Author: Sinful Nutrition
- Total Time: 17 mins
- Yield: 1 dozen cookies
Description
A simple, wholesome cowboy cookie made with just nine ingredients. These cookies are naturally sweetened, vegan, and can be gluten-free with certified oats. No added oils, refined sugar, flours, or eggs.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups oats*
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large banana, mashed
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce**
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet or dairy-free chocolate chips
- Melted chocolate for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add mashed banana, applesauce, and vanilla; stir to combine.
- Fold in pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Gently press each cookie with the back of a greased spoon or lightly oiled hands to flatten.
- Bake 12–14 minutes, or until cookies are firm and edges are golden.
- Optional: drizzle with melted chocolate.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
*Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
**You can substitute 2 large mashed bananas for the apple sauce (or use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce total).
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Inspired by averie cooks
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