“Skinny Monkey” Cookies
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I know it’s not often you see chocolate, bananas, and peanut butter in a healthy recipe, but this lightened-up version of a “chunky monkey” is both healthy and tasty! I tend to get a sweet tooth in the afternoons at work, and these cookies have saved me from grabbing chocolate from a co-worker’s candy dish on more than one occasion. At just 47 calories per cookie, you really can’t go wrong!
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Skinny Monkey Cookies
Author/Source:
Jimmie @ Onceamonthmom.com
Ingredients:
- 3 bananas
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Dash of cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Freezing Directions:
Cool completely, then place cookies in a freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze.
Nutritional Information:
47 calories; 7.5 g carbs; 1.6 g fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fiber; 1 WW PointsPlus
Servings: 30
Cookies with no sugar!!!!! Amazing!!! I can’t wait to make these for my son…he’s allergic to sugar!
Well made them exactly like the recipie called for and they were gross! No flavor! Nasty!
Hmm, sorry you feel that way, everyone’s taste is different.
I made these tonight. I made them exactly by the recipe and added a drizzle of honey, a bit more than a pinch of salt and I used very ripe bananas that I had frozen. They turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!
i tried them as well. the whole family disliked them.
Hmm, sorry to hear that.
Love these with added small choc chips.
Daughter In-Law has me hooked on these cookies.
I realize that adds suggar.
Agree! I even rolled them in powdered sugar, and they are not edible.
Same here. I was so sad! No one would eat them…. I’m thinking if there were a little less cocoa powder, but I dont want to waste ingredients to try.
I just made these with using the base-used Dannon Light and fit vanilla yogurt vs applesauce and regular cocoa. Also add just a touch of agave. I like them with the substitutes. However, the husband popped one in his mouth and then to the trash can it went. I have been trying to cut sugars, so I think it was a great start.
I agree with the bland comments did not taste good ick!
use original recipe but add chocolate chips they come out amazing
The reason many people think these have no flavor is because they have no SALT!!! SALT brings out the flavor of all foods, especially baked items. Even the recipe for oatmeal on the box has SALT. Yes, you guys are also missing the sugar, but try adding just 1/4 tsp of kosher, or even better, sea SALT and you will be amazed at how much better they taste.
That is an interesting thought as well. I will have to try them that way.
I agree, these are not good. I wish I would have read these comments before I wasted the ingredients! I followed the recipe and used over-ripe bananas and new oats. I would recommend HEAVILY using the modifications suggested.
READ BEFORE MAKING!!!
I made these and also added to the recipe: 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup choc. chips, 1/4 tsp. salt and they are SO GOOD!!!!! (I read the comments on them and realized you HAVE to add the sweetener and salt or they can be blah).
Yeah, not so good… I had high hopes.
Folks… FYI… These cookies are meant to be sugar free. If you want a cookie with sugar you should not make this. I don’t eat sugar and I was happy to find a cookie without sugar. The banana is what sweetens them. My boys did not like them either but I figured out if I freeze them and eat them frozen they are really good for me when I’m having a sweet craving. I eat just one and it satisfies my craving. If you want a cookie like this with sugar you should try no bakes or “fudgies.” If you are making this expecting it to be sweet you are wasting your time and ingredients.
Right, they are meant to be a sugar free cookie and if you or yours aren’t on board then it may not be the recipe for you. Super ripe, super spotty bananas are a must. Unripe bananas WILL make it taste nasty! And if you *add in* chocolate chips, honey, etc….then you are defeating the purpose of the no sugar. It is not meant to and will never replace a preacher cookie or an oreo or whatever. But if you are trying to eliminate sugar, it is tasty.And once you give up sugar and sugar addiction, then this recipe is VERY tasty!
I was excited to try these cookies because they don’t have any sugar. I was Very disappointed, they are nasty.
You will need to get plain, freshly ground peanuts. Most peanut butter contains sugar.
Love that these have no sugar.
These sound great! I love any healthy sweets as an alternative for stuffing your face with something really bad for you. Definitely adding to my list of recipes to try!
I wonder if they can be made with Nutella? We have a peanut allergy:(
Kim, I bet Nutella would be delicious in these cookies! Please let us know how they turn out!
Will the Nutella change the Weight Watchers points? If so, what will the new points be?
It would definitely change the points.
Nutella has the same amount of calories per serving as peanut butter. If you use the same amount (1/4 cup) it will not change the calories. :)
However, nutella is chock full of sugar! Vs peanut butter, which has more protein. I’m sure it would taste great!
Nutella by weight is something like 55% (or more) sugar. Claims to be so “healthy” and made with skim milk and hazelnuts – which it is, but conveniently leaves out the grossly high in sugar fact. Always read your labels and know what you are reading.
DOn’t forget that Nutella is half sugar!
So do a lot of peanut butter.
Almond butter
If natural peanut butter is used, there is no sugar :)
I am sure that cashew or almond butter would work just as well. I can’t do peanut either and these substitutes always work great for me.
Soybean butter tastes just like peanut butter and is a great alternative if there is a nut allergy and is super healthy
Use almond butter or some other nut butter instead of peanut butter. (Almond butter is delicious!)
Kim, you could also try using Almond Butter. Has the consistency of peanut butter and is pretty tasty!
I haven’t made them yet, but I cannot have the peanuts either. I have some left over Tahini (sesame based), thought about using that or any other nut-butter. I like the fact this recipe is gluten free, dairy free and no added sugar!!
I am not sure I could only eat one of these – I’ll eat 2 and count it as a protein, fruit, carb snack. :)
Do they taste like Banana or is that more of a sweetener/filler?
The bananas do serve as a sweetener, but I found that I could still taste them (which I like, but others may not!). Hope that helps…
I made these and mine just didn’t seem to cook in the middle – did I do something wrong? I cooked for an extra 5 minutes and it still wasn’t “done”. My stove is bang on for temperature and I didn’t have any issues with other cookies….are these supposed to be that way?
Sherri, I’m sorry your cookies didn’t turn out. :( Were they still not “done” in the middle after they cooled completely? The cookies are very soft, even when completely cooked/cooled, but I didn’t have a problem with them not cooking through. If they’re still giving you problems, I’d maybe try another 5 minutes as long as the outsides aren’t getting burned.
I made these today, blogged them and linked back to you! Thank you for such a great recipe!
http://successful2gether.blogspot.com/2011/10/skinny-monkey-bites.html
Do u think quick cooking oats would work too?
Yes, I think they would!
Just had to say these are incredible!! Found them a while ago on pinterest and have made them SO many times since :) Thought i would finally post and say, totally awesome!! Thank you! (one of the times we were out of coco powder so I added some choc. chips.. adds points, but it was SO close to a real one, it was worth it! ) Mmmmm!! Anyone considering… make them!
[...] Skinny Monkey cookies [...]
I made these cookies for my nephews 1st birthday party-monkey themed. So yummy and a real hit. I will make these again in the future!! :)
could you use over ripe banannas? I have a few of those I need to do something with….
Yes you can Darcie!
I have frozen banana’s will those work once thawed and moisture drained? These sound wonderful and my husband could eat them on his diet.
I think they would be fine Shirlene
You could keep all the banana goodness by reducing the liquid that comes off the bananas and adding it to the batter. I do that when I use frozen bananas baking recipes after reading about it in Cooks Illustrated.
What can I use in place of bananas?? I want to make these, but am not crazy about banana flavor… Hmm.
I think pumpkin, applesauce, or sweetpotato would work, though they might want to switch up the spices a bit (add cinnamon maybe). They all sub out equally well for each other and for bananas in the same amounts. I think 3 bananas is about 1 1/2 cup mashed.
I wonder if these would be good just refrigerated to set, versus baking?
I’m not sure. We haven’t tried them that way. If you try it, let us know!
I tried baking and then freezing, I like the frozen ones much better! Also added some natural sweetner, just a tablespoon or so really helps. And next time I will try adding the 1/4tsp salt.
[...] Pear Oatmeal Crisp & Skinny Monkey Cookies [...]
I must have done something wrong. I followed the recipe but these things were awful. Everyone in the family took one bite each and tossed em. What did I forget to add that gives it a flavor other than dirt?
We are getting some reports on this. I’m wondering, did you use a really ripe banana or no? And I imagine if the oats were older they would taste like that. There isn’t extra sugar to cover that up.
I made them yesterday and had the same outcome. They looked bad and tasted bad.
I am sorry you felt that way. I made them yesterday also and really liked them. I know several have said they didn’t though too.
Stumbled across these gems on Pinterest and made them right away! I left out the cocoa powder and vanilla & used homemade apple butter (essentially spiced applesauce). Amazing! As a nursing mom these are a great treat – the potassium in bananas helps keep you hydrated and the oats help in milk production. Thank you!
So glad you stumbled into them and that you are visiting via Pinterest. Hope you stick around!
Megan, if you’re nursing, add some brewer’s yeast too. It’s tasty and supports milk production.
These sound great! How many cookies does this recipe make?
The servings listed say 30 – 1 serving per cookie.
Making these tonight! So glad these are only 1 WW PP!
Made them.. Loved them!!
They have sort of a spongy texture but delicious nonetheless! I blended the oats with a little special K original cereal to add some crunch! And before placing them in the oven I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top.. :)
My dad is borderline diabetic but has a huge sweet tooth so Im grateful to have found these!!
xoxo
I tried these tonight and they tasted very bland.. I don’t know what I did wrong but I did not enjoy them..
Will this work with natural peanut butter? It has a more liquid consistency, but is a healthier alternative that I enjoy.
I can not wait to make these! I would suggest exchanging the Peanut Butter for PB2 (powdered PB). The 1/4 cup would only be 90 calories, 3g fat, 188mg sodium, 10g carb & 10g protein. You can order some by following my link above.
I use PB2 in place of all Recipies that call for peanut butter. Such a clean peanut taste. No oily taste and love the less calories. Don’t forget it comes in chocolate also.
Are they suppose to be a teaspoon for each cookie as I got 40 & they were heaping teaspoons as they seemed very small?
I too, thought they were very bland. I was not very impressed :(
Well, they don’t have sugar in them so perhaps that is the reason? Certainly adding spices like cinnamon which another reader suggested might help that factor.
Well I know they don’t have sugar, which is great, but to me they need something sweeter in them because they seem to be so bland they are almost disgusting. Maybe a little bit of stevia as a more natural sweetener?
I agree. I made them tonight too and they were gross! I’m not a sugar freak, but they were definitely lacking flavor. I wouldn’t recommend.
I made these today, and they were not tasty. I used regular bananas, not overly ripe ones as I thought the recipe would call for. There just wasn’t anything going on.
I don’t waste food, so my husband and I are going to make ice cream sandwiches out of them.
Any suggestions for why they weren’t good?
I fear many don’t like the fact that there isn’t much sugar at all (no added, some in some of the ingredients). The other issue could be use of old oats. Others have liked the addition of spices like cinnamon.
I used fresh oats in mine, I don’t think that has anything to do with it.
Made these just now…were not that great at all :( not too sure where I went wrong either. Just thinking they taste a little too “healthy” if ya know what I’m saying..there’s just not much too them!!! I’m sorry!!
I made these tonight, I thought they were pretty good, but next time I will definitely add cinnamon or other spices. I also only got 20 cookies which shows I made them too big, so they ended up being 2 WW pts.I will make them smaller next time!
These cookies are a far stretch from their sugary counterpart. They are ok. Rather bland!
Can you suggest something to subsitute for the peanut butter? I really don’t care for it but would love to make these cookies.
Do you like other nut butters like almond?
Turned out great!!!! if you are expecting something super sweet, you might not like this cookie. However, I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for a while and am so glad to have found this one. Will definitely be making again!
Do you have to use ripe bananas or are the normal ones ok?
I would use ripe bananas, I suppose we should specify that. :)
I usually keep over ripe bananas in the freezer for baking… is that what you would use for this recipe, or should they be firmer fresh bananas?
Nevermind… Just saw that you answered a similar question earlier. Thanks!
These are tasty, but I wish they were a little more solid. I’m gonna tinker with them. Thanks for posting!
Do these have to be frozen? If were having people over could I just bake and serve over the weekend without freezing?
Nope they do not! They’re just freezer friendly.
Thanks! :) :) They are in the oven at this moment!
I found you on Pinterest :)
Great recipe, though I agree with some of the others that it is lacking the sweetness. I decided only to use 2 bananas rather than 3. I added a large chocolate chip to the top of each cookie in half the batch and a package of Splenda to the other half. Both ways worked well, depending on the type of sweetness you are looking for. But the cookie has a great base to be anything you want…by adding nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, I bet you could even roll it in coconut!
Thanks for the recipe! :)
These look super good! I plan to make them soon. However, for all of you that think they do not have any sugar, you are mistaken. Bananas, unsweetened applesauce, and even natural peanut butter still contain natural sugar. There may not be any added sugars, but they still contain sugar.
Going to try these. They look delicious. Since many seem to say they lack any sweetness. I am going to add 1 or 2 pkgs of Stevia and a handful of 70% chocolate chips and see if that helps.
I’ll report back later.
Thanks for sharing.
Can I use chunky peanut butter?
Yes you can.
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies Raw Cookie Dough Bites 5 Minute Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars [...]
I’m in the middle of making these right now. because of the complaints of lack of sweetness, i put in 5 dates. I put all the ingredients but oats in my vitamix added a bit of coconut oil too while blending. It looked liked chocolate pudding and my 5 year old loved licking the spoon so I’m hoping the cookie form will be just as good.
I absolutely love no bake cookies and these look similar however, I have decided to give up sugar so I will give these a try. One thing I have been using to sweeten with is chopped dates. Maybe these cookies need that added to sweeten them more.
Tried it with frozen bananas and added a 4.5 ounce box of chopped dates. Used unsweetened pear sauce instead of apple. Made 29 cookies. I love them but, this only the second sugar free cookie recipe I have ever found.
I made these tonight and I liked them, but my son said they were too banana-y. I love the idea of making with pumpkin or sweet potato (as long as he wasn’t watching.) We use 100% natural peanut butter and unsweetened applesauce, and the bananas were’nt overly ripe, so added some stevia to sweeten them up as I knew we’d need that. I’m thinking next time I might add some oat flour (blended oats) to make them not so moist. And, I think they’d be good with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (or both!) but it would raise the calorie value. I think they’d be great for a backpacking snack.
I found these on Pinterest and made them immediately. I have a terrible sweet tooth and am trying to drastically cut out sugar. They were good, but not great. Next time I will probably use over-ripe bananas (as if making banana bread) and some honey or other natural sweetener to keep out the sugar and the calories down. I think this a great base for a recipe and just needs to be tinkered to your specific taste. Will be a regular in my recipe stash, for sure, though! I am intrigued about using pumpkin and other nut butters.
[...] 21, 2012 I saw a link to these cookies earlier in the week and was so excited to try them for this weeks Weight Watcher’s post! [...]
I cant wait to try these. I am going to try some alternatives since I am allergic to bananas but I LOVE anything with oats!
Just had to let you know that I made these today with my 4-year-old son. Not only was it a memory making experience, but he absolutely LOVES the cookies! Both the dough and the cooked . . . he loved all of it! :) I did add a combination of milk chocolate chips and carob chips and used three very ripe bananas, and the bananas added quite a bit of sweetness. I tossed in a bit of extra cocoa and used the cinnamon as well. YUMMY! Thanks for a fantastic, healthy cookie recipe!
You are most welcome. I am glad he loved them.
I’m a high school Family and Consumer Science teacher and was looking for something healthy yet tasty for my students. My sister found this on Pinterest and shared it with me. It is wonderful! I even made it with Wowbutter instead of Peanut Butter as one of my students has a severe allergy, and it tasted great. I also made it with SunButter in place of peanut butter (sunflower seed) and added a couple small packets of stevia and they taste wonderful. So happy I tried this recipe! Will definitely share it! [=
Wow! Thanks. I am glad you are sharing it with your class too. Are you doing a unit on freezer cooking soon too? ;)
[...] some “Skinny Monkey” cookies Monday night. I thought they were just okay. Sean didn’t like them. Oh well; it was [...]
These sound yummy! Can’t wait to try them! If you wanted to make them a little less health and a tad sweeter, I wonder what adding chocolate chips would do?
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies [...]
These are great, so I don’t understand the reviews that say they aren’t sweet enough. They are GREAT!! I love to eat them raw!
I also enjoyed them raw as well;)
MAde these tonight for the HUbs and I!! I have to say that they were YUMMY!!! We will def be making these again!! Thanks;)
just made these this evening, changed them up a tad as sugar wasn’t a concern for us as much as the gluten is. used homemade applesauce which does have some sugar in it, also my organic peanut butter has a little sugar in it. added 5 dates chopped up, no cinnamon, chocolate chips, less cocoa powder and rolled them in shredded coconut. yum! i love the chocolate banana taste with a touch of PB. thanks!
[...] returned home, I decided to try another recipe I saw on Pinterest to put in the freezer for later: Skinny Monkey Cookies. First, I took my beans out of the oven to put on the grill later. They have turned a lovely [...]
Found the recipe on Pinterest, and I made these yesterday for my family. We all love them. Because of the comments above, I added 1/4 cup of sugar – still kept the WW PP at 1 per cookie. Along with the limited amount of sugar used, I really like these because they don’t have a cup of butter as most cookies do.
Made these today! They are great. I see some comments of others that think they taste awful. They are not “sweet” as we typically think cookies should be. The only sweetner is the bananas ~ takes a few bites to adjust for those of us used to ingesting sugar filled sweets. After a while of no sugar, these are awesome and your taste buds adjust to the natural sweetners. Great, healthy alternative! I love them. Thanks for sharing!
Tried these today with my daycare kiddos. Unfortunately they didn’t go over very well. next time I’ll try it with nutella and flatten them out so they’re not so “mushy” in the middle. My diabetic grandmother appreciated them though and it’s always nice to find a treat that she can have!
[...] Oatmeal Scrambled eggs, fruit Skinny Monkey Cookies, fruit, hard-boiled eggs Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Waffles, scrambled eggs, fruit Hard-boiled eggs, [...]
I am making these tomorrow! I plan on serving them for breakfast :) Can not get my 4 year old to eat oatmeal with the rest of his siblings but anything in cookie form he will eat!! Thank you!
Kristin,
I also found oatmeal pancakes on Pinterest that you mix all ingredients in a blender. They were delicious & a great way to add oatmeal to your child’s diet. Here’s the recipe:
6 egg whites
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar(I used maple sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle. Flip when they start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batches, spraying the griddle as needed. Makes about 10 pancakes.
Number of Servings: 3
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
181 Calories, 2.7g Fat, 10mg Cholesterol, 361mg Sodium, 20g Carbs, 2.8g Fiber
Pleaisng you should think of something like that
So want to make these! But, I can’t eat peanut, soy, or almond butter (all migraine triggers). Are there multiple different substitutes that would work? I loved these as a kid! : )
Are you allergic to hazlenuts? Would nutella work? Another though would be Sunbutter. It’s peanut free, tree nut free, soy and gluten free.
[...] raw peanuts to roast and make peanut butter and then this. [...]
I made these tonight after seeing how easy the recipe was. I liked the fact that they were natural, no sugar and had protein. I was a bit disappointed in the taste. I’m more of a texture person and maybe it was the texture. I think that if this will solve your sweet tooth then go for it. I think I would try again however maybe Nutella is the way to go. My husband does like them though :)
Just made these and wasn’t a fan. Very little taste. I wonder if adding honey would improve the taste. I hate to throw away food but these are going to find a home in my wastebasket! I was thinking honey because when I make no bake energy bites, they have similar ingredients and the taste is wonderful. My oats were new and the bananas ripe and flavorful. My peanut butter is no sugar natural peanut butter so maybe that was the issue.
I have a question, is the peanut butter natural with no added sugar/sald?
Liv, it depends on the peanut butter brand. Just be sure to check your labels.
Made these yesterday. After reading comments about the cookies being bland and tasting the uncooked dough, I chose to add salt (between 1/4-1/2 teaspoon for the batch) which made a huge difference. I also went ahead and added 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Though the cookie has a very “cake-y” texture, they tasted good to me and were a big hit with my 19-mo-old, which is what I was shooting for.
Made these cookies exactly as directed, and loved them!!! The whole family did, and within the hour they had been devoured. I thought it had just the right amount of sweetness, and we all absolutely loved the soft gooey texture in the middle. These are now in our “favorite deserts” recipe box, so thanks!!!
I thought they tasted okay, but I couldn’t get over the texture :( My 3 year old LOVED them though, especially since she didn’t have to share them with Mommy – so I count them as a success!
I just made these and they turned out great! I used soy butter (crunchy) and raspberry/canberry applesauce. I will definitely be making these again!
Oh that sounds like a GREAT combination.
My 7 year old daughter just made these all by herself, but added agave to sweeten them up. She liked the batter just okay before the agave,but it was fairly bland so I suggested she add a sweetener. After that, she LOVED the batter. The cookies are baking now, I hope they turn out good. If not, she still had fun doing it and will just eat the rest of the batter raw. Thanks for sharing!
That is so fun that your kids are making them. That makes me smile big this morning.
found these on pinterest and i just made them tonight.
SO delicious, i love the texture and the taste, they’re a perfect treat!
they’ll be a new regular for sure
thank you!
So glad you like them!
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies from Once a Month Mom | OAMC from Once A Month Mom [...]
The first time I made these, they got over-cooked when baked for 10 minutes and were a little bland. My toddler still loved them! He was picking out the oats, though, so this time, I ground the oats into a coarse flour in the food processor. I also added a drizzle of agave syrup into the batter. I baked them for only 9 minutes this time and they came out perfect. They are soft inside, but I know from the last batch that that’s okay. They taste great this time! Thanks for the recipe. It’s great to find things that my picky toddler will eat!!
Loved them! No they aren’t quite the same as the sugar loaded real ones, but I also can eat them and not feel the need to add an extra mile to my run. Bonus points that my kids loved them too!
That is fantastic to hear. Glad your kids liked them as well. Bonus!
[...] having great luck with banana bread, I decided to take it a step further and make these Skinny Monkey Cookies. At first I did not like them. They looked like rich chocolaty deliciousness but tasted like [...]
a lot of people have been complaining that they are bland. well, unripe or barely ripe bananas don’t have that strong of a flavor. overly ripe bananas do. so, use those. i always have bananas in the freezer, so i used those. i think the cookies are yum… i couldn’t wait for them to bake so i was eating the dough. once they bake, they’ll be perfect to take to work to snack on instead of easter candy!
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies [...]
I really liked these…soft and chewy and they had a mild banana/chocolate flavor. I did use sweetened applesauce (it’s what I had in my fridge and I think that helped sweeten it just enough). I am also a dark chocolate lover which the flavor reminded me of…don’t have a huge sweet tooth otherwise, so for me these were GREAT! I will definitely make again.
These are great even before they were baked! I used Better n’ peanut butter and cut the calories to 30 each and they were great.. I can’t believe some people said they were nasty?. I could eat them with a spoon, right out of the bowl! Thanks for a keeper in my recipe box!
Made these tonight and had my hopes set to high, texture was horrible..soggy inside( I also tried cooking longer to see if that helped..no luck). Maybe if I eat them frozen I can hack it. Defientely bland,I think next time ill add a sweetner of some kind!
I was looking for a sugarless no bake cookie type recipe to try and I found this on pinterest. Even after reading the mixed reviews I decided to try them and was very happy with the result. I bake and cook a lot so I knew without sugar they weren’t going to be like a typical cookie but I really like that I can trick my toddler and husband into eating something healthier than they realize they’re eating. I used cinnamon applesauce, a pinch of salt and I’m not sure how much peanut butter or cocoa I put what looked to be the right amount and tried the batter before I put it in the oven. I will definitely be making these again as an alternative to sugar filled recipes. Thanks for posting!
I just made these with Earth Balance’s Peanut Butter Cocunut Oil Spread, and the Cocunut really complimented/brought out the flavor of the banana. It was really nice! Plus, coconut oil is packed full of nutritional healthy fats…thanks for a lovely recipe! It’s delicious!!!
That does sound delicious.
I found a similar recipe on another website and made them with overly ripe bananas, nat pb, oats, vanilla, one pack of stevia, and raisins. I thought they were very good, but I didn’t know how many calories were in them.
How many cookies does the recipe yield? Thanks!
See the yield at the bottom of the post.
Just made these and they do satisfy your sweet tooth. I think its funny how many people replied they didn’t like them/or tasted gross. They DON’T have sugar and I believe it is an acquired taste, so naturally if you’re used to eating cookies with tons of sugar, you won’t like these. I love peanut butter and banana and chocolate, so I liked them!
Thanks for the review Shannon and I agree with you. No sugar is an acquired taste.
No sugar certainly is an acquired taste. But these cookies were quite bland. I wonder if using regular sweetened applesauce would satisfy those of us who grew up eating no-bake cookies and expected the taste to at least be similar. It’s like putting a chocolate cake in front of someone without any sugar. You’d probably get just as many negative reviews. Our past experience, our sense of sight, says these cookies should at least resemble regular no-bake cookies, but they don’t.
I made these tonight and I thought they were great. I have a three month old baby so I don’t have time for complicated recipes anymore…I was able to make these in 20 minutes while she napped!! They tasted great – the banana flavour was strong, but if someone doesn’t like that, I’m sure they could substitute something for it. I couldn’t taste the peanut butter….so maybe more peanut butter, less banana.
I’ve made these a couple times and changed up the banana – I wanted to taste pb & chocolate, not pb & chocolate & banana. :-) I doubled the pb, and I used 1 banana. Then used home-made sugar-free peach jam guessing the amount based on what 2 more bananas mashed would be. (the jam was kinda gross on its own and I have to use up 5 jars of it) They had kind of a rich, fruity taste, weren’t bad. I also used dried fruit, soaked in hot water and then blended in place of 2 bananas. Without the bananas, they don’t hold together as well, but I could have rolled them before baking and that might help.
I added Splenda to mine ;) I also think they taste a lot better if you refrigerate them. I’ll bet if you let the bananas ripen quite a bit, like you would for banana nut bread, that would help with the sweetness as well.
Leave out the unsweetend applsause and replace with real butter , not margarine else it will not turn out right and the cookies will fall apart. Also leave out the cinnamon, never heard of these with cinnamon. press out on a baking sheet lined with paper, or scoop them out. Refrigerate for about an hour then cut in squares, we call these no bake cookies and they are quite good if done right! Good luck to all who try this.
Sorry y’all I didn’t notice it also called for banana I recommend leaving those out also… as I have never used bananas in them.
I made these today and I thought they were good…for a low-cal cookie. None of my other family members will like them, but I didn’t expect them too anyway :-) Mine are what you may call ‘undone’, but I think it’s the texture they’re supposed to be.
Thanks for a tasty, good-for-you treat!
I found this recipe on Pinterest and was SO excited. I have a toddler and am always looking for ways to get fiber and protien into his diet. These cookies were inedible. I honestly couldn’t even swallow it. It is a ”cookie” so I expected sweet. This tastes like a wrong combo of ingredients (all of mine were fresh by the way). I am sorry I wasted so many good ingredients.
Sorry to hear that. I have made them several times and loved them. I am guessing it is just a palate preference.
I, too, found the recipe on Pinterest but read through all of the comments first. I used a stunningly overripe banana from the freezer (zapped in the microwave first) along with two slightly underripe bananas. I also used dark cocoa and then added about 1 tbsp of honey. I think using 3 black bananas would be sweet enough without the honey, so maybe the ripeness of the bananas is the trick. Either way, they made the house smell great and are a really lovely treat.
I looked through the comments and couldn’t find whether you used regular or unsweetened/natural peanut butter in the original recipe. Was the calorie count compiled using sweetened or no sugar added? Thanks!
The calculations were based just on “peanut butter” not no sugar added peanut butter.
I found these on Pinterest and made half a batch last night. I’m going on day 4 of reducing my sugar and processed food intake and thought they were a great substitute for a real cookie – maybe they are more like a granola bar than a cookie… I accidentally bought sweetened organic applesauce though so maybe that made them sweeter. And I used natural almond butter instead of peanut butter. I think they are best right out of the oven as they seem to get mushy overnight. I will definitely make them again :)
I love this recipe! Perfect for those of us who don’t like to be stuffed full of artificial sugars and fillers! Not at all bland or gross. Thank you for sharing, what a great healthy treat :)
Thanks for the recipe. I’m trying to figure out how many cookies you made with your batch to get the nutrition info?
As stated in the post above this recipe yields about 30 cookies.
Thoughts on the mixed reviews: I’ll bet that many of the good reviews come from those whose palate is already accustomed to low/no sugar diets or those who used conventional peanut butter, which contains added sugar, and therefore would result in a sweeter cookie. To get a sweeter cookie without adding sugar (or splenda, etc.) I would suggest the following: 1. Try subbing a bit of almond butter for some of the peanut butter. 2. Use almond extract instead of vanilla extract. 3. Use ripe/overripe bananas which are naturally sweeter. 4. Add a natural sugar/sweetener like maple syrup or honey. Both would increase the sweetness but each has a very strong flavor and would probably change the taste of the cookie, so be aware of that (maybe agave nectar instead?). Finally, I’d also suggest adding a bit of salt (~1/4 tsp). Most baked goods need salt to help round out the flavors. (Although most peanut butters will already have salt added.) I would also try mixing the cocoa powder with the applesauce before adding it to the other ingredients – that way, you won’t have any bits of unmixed cocoa floating around which might have a bitter or “dirt-like” taste that some people mentioned.
I agree 100% with your post. Alot of things that my family & I think taste amazing our friends say are bland or ‘not much flavor’. This cookie would definitely fall in that category. They are healthy & tasty- if you like healthy. ;)
I just made these cookies and I liked the flavor of the cookie, but mine tasted almost dry. I only cooked them for 10 min and removed them immediately from the cookie sheet to keep from overcooking. Did I do something wrong or is this normal for this cookie and I just had a different expectation of what it should be like? Thanks!
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies by Once a Month Mom [...]
I thought these turned out great however my Hubby and kiddos didn’t agree. I think it comes down to what you are used to eating. I have cut almost all unnatural sugar out of my diet so these tasted very sweet and yummy. My family who eats a lot of sugar found them very bland.
[...] into it on occasion, and use it whenever a nut butter is called for in a recipe….like these Skinny Monkey Cookies that Amy sent me the link to! They look delicious and right up my alley! they remind me of some [...]
The day I made them I (sadly) agreed with “bland” opinions… But the next day I really liked them… And the day after they were even better!? Not sure if my taste buds stopped expecting sugar, or if the bananas etc actually sweetened over time. I will now be making Skinny Monkeys again :)
[...] the recipe called them Skinny Monkey Cookies. I made these tonight and they are pretty tasty, especially for the nutrition stats that each one [...]
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies [...]
I made these today and LOVE them! My 3 year old daughter really likes them too! Win! :D
I used ripe/overripe bananas, natural peanut butter (without added sugar but does have a little salt added) and unsweetened applesauce. The cookies turned out with just the right amount of sweetness for our tastes.
Is the reason for waiting because of not using quick oats? I’d love to cut that step since I only buy quick oats.
I just like the oats to soak up some liquid, that is why I wait.
[...] going to have to try this healthier version. [...]
Well, I made them with the quick oats, without waiting, at least for the first batch, and they were great, and no discernible taste difference between the first set in the oven, and the third.
I ended up with 45 Tbs sized cookies, though I did add granola and chocolate chips to them, but not that much! They are very good, not terribly sweet, but not the dread awful trash some people were saying. I didn’t really expect them to be sweet, I went a bit overboard on the cocoa, since I’m a big fan of the health benefits of raw cocoa. and they tasted like true dark chocolate not the Hershey “dark chocolate”, with hints of banana.
[...] dinner & dessert later. I’m feeling the need for a long run right now. In the meantime, here’s where you can find the recipe for these tasty looking [...]
I made this cookies and they were horrible!!!! It was like eating pure cocoa!!! Yuck!
Hi, Im not sure why these needs to be baked? why not throw all the ingredients together and roll them into balls and refrigerate? also u can add protein powder to these for added protein,
found you via Pinterest. Thought I would share my thoughts, not to mention record my changes for myself for later!
I did not follow the recipe exactly. I added 1/4 c. mini choco. chips, 1/2 tspn. salt and 1/2 tspn. honey. I used 3 very ripe nanas.
I was making this for my kids as a healthier alternative since I am trying to slowly adjust their little taste-buds away from white sugar, etc. to where they can appreciate how sugar-y natural sugars can be. Like bananas! Chock full of sugar… which you can hardly taste if you have a diet rich in SUGAR and corn syrup etc. And most people do. I suspect THAT is why most people found it bland.
In fact, I follow a completely sugar free diet and I snuck a bite of my adjusted cookies and they were VERY VERY sweet to me. But good!
Anywho, I hope to keep trying this recipe and cutting back the “fluff” of honey and chips. I do think the salt should stay because that brings out natural sugar flavor. We’ll see.
The report: I made them as I noted above and my boys went WILD over them and LOVED them. LOVED! They said they were awesome and they loved them.
There you have it!
I just made these last night but I added some chocolate chips and that added some good flavor. (of course, it’s chocolate! =P) Using the salt as darlene mentioned is a good idea, I’ll have to try it w/ a bit of agave and less chips next time. I like that you can play around w/ the recipe a lot too. Thanks!
Oh also, I know these are supposed to be cookies, but if you think they’re gonna be the oooey gooey cookies that we’re all probably used to then you’ll be disappointed. I feel like a few would make for a good breakfast w/ a greek yogurt or eggs. Yum!
Yes, they are a little on the bland side, but hey…for not having sugar and being good for you they are real good. Oh and a little salt does help (I used 1/4 teaspoon).
I just want to say I’m sorry for all the rude comments. I’m not sure why people can’t be polite. If you don’t like the recipe, fine, but don’t come back here just to say it was “nasty” or any other rude comments. Yes, it’s fine to have an opinion, but is it really necessary to share it on here in a rude way? What is the point of that other than to be rude? I don’t get it.
I plan to try it out, thank you for sharing it.
Seriously. Rude, people!
I added dried coconut flakes to these and they were awesome :) Made them a little sweeter.
Oh, that sounds like a great idea!
oooh, great idea. I have a regular batch in the oven right now. I’m going to add coconut to the batter for the rest of them! Thanks for the inspiration.
I just made a half a batch and they were delish! I used regular applesauce and peanut butter with 2 grams of sugar and used 1 minute oats and my bananas I used had brown spots which probably made the batter sweeter. I was pleased and I even loved just eatting the batter; though my 2 yr old didn’t like the batter. Maybe she’ll like the cookies; they are on the counter cooling! Can’t wait.
I made a batch using the recipe, making sure to use 3 over-ripe bananas. I like to freeze my over-ripe bananas so I dethawed them and then drained a bit of the liquid so not so wet. I did throw in a handful of mini chocolate chips as well. The cookies turned out soft and had a nice banana taste. As stated above, they are not overly sweet so you may want to melt a few more chocolate chips on top or in the cookies if you like things sweeter. The only trouble I did find is storage for the cookies- no matter how I store them, in a tupperware container or just wrapped on a plate, they molded very fast because they are so moist from the banana.
At first I really did not like these, however, I decided to stick them in a bag in the freezer.
Now I just grab a couple on my way to work and they thaw quickly and make a pretty tasty snack! Way better cold IMO. :)
These were really good! Added a little bit of honey, especially since i couldn’t find my vanilla. Wonderful healthy treat!
For those of you, who did not like the recipe, maybe try to substitute the applesauce with blueberry-apple baby food. Less sugar and it brings out the chocolate flavor in the cocoa. I can’t wait to try these!!!
ADD CINNAMON SUGAR TO THEM! So good!!
Instead of dash of cinnamon on top*
I made these with chunky peanut butter, some added raw Stevia, extra cocoa powder, and (since I didn’t have applesauce!) a smidge of soy milk. Turned out delicious! Very glad I made them. :) Now I gotta try not to eat them all in one sitting.
Oh also, my bananas were just shy of overripe, which I think made a difference. <3
I just made these and oh my lord I love them. I am big on eating fresh, unprocessed foods. I used quaker oats, organic peanut butter, not fully ripe bananas (I only like them if they are a little green), nestle cocoa powder, and chobani greek vanilla yogurt instead of applesauce. I know that this adds some sugar, but they are super moist and yogurt is really good for you! I also added some honey for a little bit of sweetness, and some cinnamon for spice.
I will say though that you have to like natural “healthy” tasting foods to like these.
You can’t go in expecting them to taste like chocolate chip cookies from your favorite bakery.
Instead, they taste fresh and they leave you feeling full and happy about yourself for choosing this over a real cookie!!
Maggie, thanks for that great review! I am so glad that you liked them.
Loved these cookies! I used 1 small container of vanilla yogurt instead of applesauce and they were very yummy! Thanks so much for sharing!
[...] Skinny Monkey Cookies [...]
Loved these cookies! They were delicious.
These are amazing! I love that they are GF, SF, DF and so easy to make. Every ingredient I used was organic. They are a perfect morning “snack” providing everything I need to fuel my morning run. My second batch is currently in it’s 20 minute hold. This time added some vanilla protein powder and chia seeds; not only making them even more delicious and healthy but hoping to add a little more “sticking” power as they are very delicate at room temperature. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Just curious, is it necessary to cook them? Thanks again.
It isn’t necessary to cook them. I have frozen them and eaten that way as well. Just as good.
thanks again
Making these for the second time tonight. I was really displeased with the first batch…dry, bland, etc. but we finished them off and I decided to try it again, but this time I added 1tsp. sea salt and 1/8 cup honey. I’m sure the additions will change the nutritional value, but oh well. I’m just always on the lookout for healthy, high energy QUICK things me and my 3 lo can eat before we leave for my morning workouts. SO much better with the tweaks! But thanks for the idea! These will be a regular now because even my picky 4 yo likes them!
I am definitely interested in hearing how they turn out for you! Let us know.
I thought they were excellent just the way they are. The whole point of these is to be healthy. Why add bad stuff like chocolate chips??? Defets the purpose.
I made these a month ago (came here via Pinterest) and the results weren’t stellar. Powdered sugar on top helped a bit. Today I’m trying with sweet cocoa rather than unsweetened and I’m confident they will taste good. I know that adds in sugar but I’m not overly concerned about that this time around. All I need is quick energy before workouts, not worried about the WW pts.
To all the people who think these taste gross:
It is because you are used to sugar. Your TONGUE loves sugar. It lies to you.
Keep eating them and after a while you will love them.
That is another reason why Americans are f.a.t.
“Load on the sugar, salt, and….flavor!”
If you haven’t noticed, people can’t even drink they’re coffee without sugar.
Sad.
“Like!!” :)
I think they taste good!! but I eat really clean, so I think my pallet has changed enough for me to appreciate the flavors with out having to add sugar and salt and all that. Thanks for the recipe.
My 3 year old anxiously and excitedly waited for these cookies to bake and cool. After the first bite she spit it out on the floor and wiped her tongue off on my shirt. I cannot beleive I just wasted 3 good bananas. I should have read the reviews first…lesson learned!
[...] I made these cookies and the only thing I regret is that I didn’t double the [...]
I loved these!!! To the original recipe, I added a pinch of salt and 1/4c chocolate chips. When you put them on the cookie sheet, you have to press them down (like you do peanut butter cookies) because they won’t flatten during baking.
I hate to leave a negative comment (which I almost NEVER do) but I made these last night & followed the recipe exactly. They were nasty, nasty, nasty! My husband’s great about trying new recipes & there’s almost nothing he won’t eat. :) But when he tasted one of these cookies, he spit it out and said, “I’m sorry but I can’t eat this”. Honestly, it was a waste of my ingredients & time. And I’m used to eating low cal, low fat, no sugar foods so it’s not that I don’t like it because of that. Sorry but this recipe’s a waste.
Funny, with all the interesting reviews it left me completely interested in making them. I’m crazy that way.
They were so good!! Can’t wait to make them again!!
Aren’t you glad you took a gamble? It is funny to me because people either love them or hate them.
Yes I am!
I didn’t realize I was making such a controversial cookie! I didn’t read down to the comments until after making the batter… I haven’t baked them yet, but I am having trouble not eating the dough! Delicious! I eat very little sugar- I don’t even eat fruit often. I don’t eat sugar substitutes either, so I am very sensitive to sweet. These cookies (the batter at least!) are definite treats to me- the bananas and unsweetened applesauce make them perfectly sweet. If your taste buds are used to sugary stuff, even substitutes, then you may want to make a different cookie.
I know, right? You said it perfectly. Thanks for putting in your vote.
People are so harsh?!? Geeze!! Did yall think some miraculous event was gonna take place in the oven to make them taste like a 100 calorie 15 grams of sugar cookie? In a soceity that is rapidly approaching record numbers of type 2 diabetes…i think people need to reconsider how valuable sugary treats really are. Im gonna enjoy my sugar free cookies while all you other sugar addicts can enjoy your insulin shots! Take that you haters :P
Made these. They are terrible warm but ok cold. I used under ripe bananas. I think I am going to try ripe bananas and a little salt and see how they come out.
after reading the reviews, I replaced half the PB with Nutella and skipped the cocoa powder. turned out perfect. hardly any of them went into the oven. I couldn’t stop eating it with a spoon!
Awesome. I added a bit of salt and some chocolate chips. Lovely!
[...] applesauce, oats, peanut butter) on Six Sisters’ Stuff, but it seems they borrowed it from Once a Month Mom. I baked them exactly as described other than freezing the dough before baking it, and sprinkling [...]
[...] got this recipe from a wesbite called onceamonthmom. My additions are bolded [...]
Just made these cookies, while the batter was sitting I looked through the comment reviews underneath and got a tad bit scared, lol. When I saw the pictures I had memories of my moms no bake cookies that I devour whenever she makes them. Some people say this recipe is bland, I understand. But I really enjoyed it. I used dark cocoa, and green bananas so it def. didn’t have a ripe sweet taste. I didn’t know if they were cooked or not so I popped them back in for three minutes, took them out for a bit and then decided to let them sit in the freezer for a good 10-15 minutes. They are chewy and cold! I really enjoy them. My boyfriend loves chocolate and said the banana killed it, he said they were ok but I don’t think I will catch him sneaking these cookies out the fridge. But as for me, I will proudly enjoy this cookie without the guilt! Thank you!
Glad you added your review. I wish I had started taking score, it would be fun to know the no’s to yes’s at this point. :)
You can’t please them all, lol. I do really love these though! They kind of remind me of a cliff bar or something, I don’t know. I eat one or two before I go running and feel pretty energized. Thanks again!
Started reading the comments and then decided that I’m no longer a people person. “This tastes like dirt” isn’t helpful for anyone. If people don’t like it, they should try being more constructive by saying “I’d like it better if..” However, when people complain about it not being sweet enough, that’s equally annoying. The point is that these are healthy cookies. Adding chocolate, honey, and sugar defeats the purpose. Sorry. Random vent session. Haven’t tried the cookies yet, but I probably will soon. Thanks for the recipe.
Bree, thanks for your feedback. And yes, I might agree with you most days on approach to recipes. Being a blogger has given me thicker skin though. :)
Tried these out. Super easy to make and having not eaten sugar in a long time found them just sweet enough although I did add a little extra banana as I replaced the apple sauce with almond milk. Otherwise a nice simple recipe :)
Just made these with my 3-yr old. We happened to have about 1/4 cup left in a bag of mixed chocolate/peanut butter chips so added them – yum! But, I must say that my son loved the batter before we added them, and I liked it well enough. The chips put it over the top into super delicious, and I figure they’re still way healthier than cookies with white flour, butter and sugar. My husband’s guy friends were over and they all liked the cookies too. One cooks and asked for the recipe, so I know he wasn’t just being polite. :) I will make them again next time we let our bananas get too ripe.
I really wanted to like these. I added honey, sugar, and salt, but these still tasted like cardboard. Might’ve been better if my bananas had been a little more brown. I will not make again.
I made these, but added some honey and coconut,not super sweet,but they are for cross country runners. The natural sugars are better for their bodies, and won’t give them the crash like other sugar. Thanks for a great recipe to give a healthy alternative!!
I would try these again with the addition of some honey or agave nectar- just not sweet enough for me. I really appreciate recipes that have minimally processed ingredients, so thanks!
I wanted to like them—but they were absolutely gross. I did add a pinch of salt—but the complete lack of flavor and odd texture makes them nearly inedible. I’m sad I wasted good ingredients on this recipe:-(
I made these before reading all of the reviews. I tried the dough and didn’t think I would like them so I added some coconut and a scoop of Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder. After that they were quite good, plus I added extra healthy protein. My kids also really liked them so I will definitely be making them again as a healthy snack. Thanks for the recipe!
I am always looking for healthy recipes. I am hypoglycemic & my Mom was a diabetic so I only eat natural sugars, like that found in fruit. I don’t even eat honey or my sugar can crash. I baked these 3 days ago & at first I was not impressed but I know by now at 60 if it is good for u give your taste buds a chance to get use to it. There is no foods I don’t like, that is probably why I am so skinny. After making them & eating a couple I put them in the freezer like u instructed, I realized the banana would mold if left out. Well I have been eating them everyday frozen. I have replaced my Kashi bars with these. I love them now. I am on my way now to make another batch. This time I am using my over ripe frozen banans, 1/4 tsp sea salt & I am thinking about adding some protein powder, which I need & mayb some flaxseed meal. Thanks for the recipe!
I did try different variations & there is ine that taste very close to the originals. Be sure your banans are very brown & mine were frozen, I did not drain but used the juice too. I added a limitless over 1/4 tsp salt & stevia to taste. I let them set out 20 min & froze them without baking them. Eat frozen it thawed. They r fantastic!
I did try different variations & there is one that taste very close to the originals. Be sure your banans are very brown & mine were frozen, I did not drain but used the juice too. I added a little over 1/4 tsp salt & stevia to taste. I let them set out 20 min & froze them without baking them. Eat frozen or thawed. They r fantastic!
After reading through the comments I decided I needed to do a side-by-side comparison: the original recipe vs. what appeared to be the most popular modification (1/4 cup mini choc. chips, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 tsp. salt), so I did a half batch of each (scaling the additions by half, of course). I think the original tastes just fine! I mean, if you’re wanting it to taste like a no-bake oatmeal cookie then, no – you won’t like it. And I’m sure I’d probably be more likely to eat the modified version because I have a sweet tooth and love chocolate, but that’s not the point of this cookie. As a healthier alternative to the usual options, this cookie is just dandy! (Although I can’t seem to keep my hands off of either version… I may need to make another batch just to get another person’s opinion!) :-)
Ok, not GREAT… but not as terrible as people have made them out to be! I did the recipe exact, and added a tablespoon of Truvia (stevia) and a pinch of salt. They taste pretty darn good to me for how easy on the calories they are! I didn’t freeze them. I liked eating them warm!
OMG these cookies were terrible. Who in the world tested these in a kitchen. Lack luster…very below average. I would rather have 1/4 of a real cookie with butter and sugar than a thousand of these things. I simply can not call this a cookie…:(
I made these according to the recipe using all sugarless ingredients,t then added one teaspoon of Splenda brown sugar. We love them!
Wow – sorry to all the people who thought these were gross, but I love them! My husband does too!! But we are used to “healthy” food, so to me these taste really great. Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
Made with Sara’s adjustments (add 1/4 c honey, 1/4 c chocolate chips, and 1/4 t salt) and they are great!
I made these last night, and my man and I love them! I’m surprised to see so many people complaining about them being bland. I love the flavor! You need to keep in mind that these are sugar-free cookies, so they won’t taste like regular cookies! Which is fine by me :D I’ll be making these again, thanks!
I eat healthily so maybe that’s why I thought they were delicious!! The chilled batter was very yummy too and dairy free :) I also use a little yogurt and it made them mushier which I liked. Yum!
I added 1/8 cup gave nectar, 1/4 tsp salt and stirred cinnamon in and they were much better.
Sorry that is agave nectar. I hate auto correct
I, too, just read the comments while waiting for the batter to “sit” and decided to add abut 1 tbsp honey and a few twists of my sea salt grinder, tasted the batter and YUM! I also used almost unedibly ripe bananas and reconstituted PB2 (in place of regular peanut butter). About to get them out of the oven! So far it’s a “yes” for me bc they are smelling great also.
I made the most common modified version, (honey, mini choc chips and salt), as well as an extra tablespoon of peanut butter, and the overall consensus was good – I, (who am used to more healthier foods), really enjoyed them. My parents, (who don’t eat well), did not. If you’re looking for a cloyingly sweet, true cookie, this is not for you. If you are openminded and can appreciate the wonderful flavors put into this recipe, make them, you’ll love them!
I’m sorry…but this is the worst cookie I have ever tasted.
I finally got around to making these. I only had 2 bananas but I added a little extra applesauce to make up for it. I did not expect the flavor to be sweet like other cookies so I was not disappointed with the result. Bananas and natural/organic peanut butter are a favorite combo and these are transportable. So I thought it worked well. The best part is that my kids won’t eat them. I get to keep them all to myself! I will try the 1/4 teaspoon of salt next time. I tried a taste of salt with a cookie and it brought out the rich chocolate flavor. I am glad to find a suggested ratio. I suspect if I had used the Skippy peanut butter I would not have needed salt and my kids may even eat them. The texture is soft and spongy like applesauce cookies.
To any that have never cut sugar and salt from their diet these will taste a lot better if you do that for a few days first.
I’m allergic to nuts, so I used sunflower seed butter, added a tiny bit of salt, and a few drops of stevia extract. Yummy….and still no sugar.
I loved this recipe and would like permission to share it on my blog. With full credit to you, of course.
You most certainly can link to it and talk about it, but as per etiquette, unless you change it please don’t post the recipe verbatim.
We liked this cookies, although I will admit that after reading the comments, I did three things different:
1) I made sure to use VERY ripe bananas.
2) I added a 1/4 tsp. salt.
3) I added 3 tbsp. sugar.
Thanks for the recipe!
I should have read the comments. I halved the batch (luckily), and added a dropper-full of liquid Stevia and about a tablespoon of honey. I made them ‘Average-Weight Monkeys’, and used some coconut oil in place of the applesauce. My son and I sampled the dough and it was delicious! However, after baking them, they are still pretty bland. In my mind I said, “hmm, no salt? Maybe I should add some… well, there’s salt in peanut butter so I guess I’ll just follow the recipe.” I don’t think I’ll be making these again.
I made these today with my 3 year old and we really liked them! Even my husband liked them and he is not big into eating “healthy” foods. The only thing I added was 1/4 tsp of sea salt and 1 tbsp of agave nectar. Thinking maybe honey may have been even tastier?? Not sure. Either way, they were a hit in our house! And we like our sweets…trust me! Oh, I also mixed the cocoa powder with the applesauce ahead.
I have made a similar cookie for years- the kids call them “healthy cookies.” My kids love them, however most other children do not. If you are used to eating refined flours and sugars and do not eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, these will likely not taste good to you. However, if you cut out or cut down on sugar, refined (white) flour, processed and fried foods, your tastes will change– Really! This is the part that is so hard for many people to believe— so, for those of you who are saying that these don’t taste good, it’s probably not the bananas (though they should be really ripe) or the oats or your technique, and it’s not that you made them ‘wrong.” It’s also not about your expectations— they probably DO taste bad to you, but that will change over time, if you change the kinds of foods you are eating. (This is not meant as a criticism, but rather, an explanation.)
That said. The recipe that I use does not have peanut (or any other) nut butter. Seeing recipes that included it, I once tried adding it only to discover that it decreased taste, decreased sweetness and made the texture dry and pasty… so, I would suggest eliminating the peanut butter. Also, if you want to add sweetness without adding sweeteners, add raisins. Raisins make a BIG difference and really increase the sweetness- I like them best with a raisin in every bite.
Here’s the recipe I use: (multiply by number of bananas you have)
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup oats (rolled or quick cook)
1/6 cup of canned pumpkin (I’m not sure if fresh would work due to texture differences)- prob could sub applesauce but I haven’t tried it)
1/2 t. vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
raisins (or other add-in of your choice)- walnuts are also a good addition
bake at 350 for @ 10 minutes
Yeah, these were bad. I actually loved the dough and would have preferred to eat the whole lot that way.
We are just eating the batch of cookies we made. They turned out great, none of the above mentioned problems with the taste. We did add some walnuts. We will make again.
I made them exactly by the recipe the first time and liked them, altho I did drizzle a tiny bit of agave nectar on each one as I ate it. I added Stevia (about 20 drops for a half batch) and unsweetened shredded coconut to them the second time and they were much tastier. I will add salt the next time and I’ll bet they will be perfect for my taste. I cut back on the banana to 2, because it was a little too banana-y for my liking the first time. I may try pumpkin instead, sometime and will up the cocoa, too. Thanks for a great recipe that works with my diet, The Perfect 10 Diet, and I love all the comments, too.
I made these because I have been craving cookies and I wanted a healthy alternative. They were delicious!! My family loved them! Great recipie :)
I eat pretty clean, while on the other hand my husband eats regular oreos.. I am constantly searching for recipes such as this. No they don’t taste like an oreo! And they shouldn’t ;-) But I am also the one at Starbucks bringing along my bottle of liquid Stevia. So my sugar threshold has gotten better. Detox for a week and you’ll see! They were good! Healthy and tasted exactly how i thought they would. I read through the reviews for due diligence and added in some salt minimal honey and choc chips and they were good! Also, I would def make sure you let sit for at least 20 minutes! It softens the oats!!
These are delicious especially after they’ve froze!! My husband was inhaling them straight out of the oven! We already eat a very clean, low sodium, low sugar diet. Going to add some protein powder!!! Thanks for the recipe!
I made these today, and they were not good. I read some of the reviews and added pure maple syrup and a little more peanut butter (I love PB). They came out tasting like banana rolled in cocoa powder, as my husband put it…and I only used one banana…ah well.
I made these but after reading the reviews I changed them a bit. But i was not looking for a no sugar added recipe when i found these either. I added about 2 tbls of Splenda and about 1/4 c shredded coconut AND 1/4c white chocolate chips! I could have done w/o the chocolate chips but now I know for next time I make them. And they were awesome!
I made these and added dried cranberries and dark chocolate chips! Very good!!
Definitely too bland! I even tried cinnamon applesauce and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Sad I wasted my ingredients :(
I made these from pinterest, and I was a little disappointed. First of all, I thought they were no bake, so I was bummed they weren’t. Second, I wasn’t crazy about the texture. I was hoping more for the texture of no bakes, but these were more spongy like cooked oatmeal bites. I was hoping for more chocolate and pb taste, but I barely tasted pb at all. I like using applesauce as a sweetener, but I thought the applesauce/banana was a little overpowering. Maybe they would be better without cocoa and more pb as more of an oatmeal cookie, but they weren’t what I expected. They were alright, but probably not something I would make often. Back to the drawing board.
I added about 1/4 cup of coconut and 1 tsp of salt and they turned out quite good for not having any sugar.
Great Clean cookies, pinned them a year ago finally made them! I also added a small amount of salt and less than a Tb spoon of honey. This helps me get me chocolate PB fix without derailing my clean lifestyle! Who needs granulated sugar anyways? I’d rather look good in my bikini! THANKS!
I made these today with the suggested 1/4 cup Honey, 1/4 mini chocolate chips and 1/4 tsp of salt and they are amazing!!
YUCK! These came out very bland….. I love no bake cookies but was looking for something healthier….I added the salt and choc chips as other recommended… But still didn’t do anything to the flavor. Sorry I didnt have good results!
Made these the other day and added stevia and I loved them. This will definitely be a staple onmy household.
Maybe it is the Southerner in me, but I do have to say it is very impolite to say that this recipe is “YUCK”, etc. My goodness, folks, this was shared with the best of intentions! If you have suggestions for additions/substitions I am sure everyone would appreciate those.
Like Thumber from Bambi was told by his momma,”If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
:)
The problem is, most people have been taking in massive amounts of sugar in most everything they eat. This simply masks the true taste of food, and is why most Americans are over weight or plain fat. It’s only after you cut out sugar, that you really can appreciate a good natural recipe like this.
I made theses cookies tonight exactly like the recipe and they are delicious! They taste like peanut butter fudge to me. I love oats, bananas, chocolate, peanut butter and applesauce separately so I knew this was the recipe for me. I hate to see all of the “I threw these in the trash” comments. People need to align their taste buds to a healthy lifestyle and maybe they’d appreciate these for what they are, a very healthy and delicious oat cookie.
I agree whole-heartedly!! These should taste great to anyone not addicted to sugar and fast/processed food. I eat these as a quick, on my way out the door breakfast (they are a bit muffiny). A pinch of salt and a few drops of stevia liquid would make this more of the sweet treat that people might be looking for (and would still be free of processed sugar). I also use a bit of coconut instead of using all oats.
approximately how many cookies are you getting per batch?
Approximately 30.
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So I just made these after reading all the reviews I was a little scared that they wouldn’t turn out good, but I gave it a shot anyways but I did make a few adjustments, I used PB2 instead of regular PB, I added a 1/4 tsp of salt then Pb chips, Chopped up unsalted Peanuts and Dried cherries those 3 ingredients all equaled less than a 1/4 cup combined. after all ingredients were combined I put it in the fridge for 20 mins then used my cookie scoop and put them on parchment paper flattened them so I made sure the cooked all the way thru, and then sprinkled a few flakes of coconut on top along with the cinnamon, I was nervous to give my husband one thinking he would give me grief for making more “healthy sweets” but much to my surprise after one bite he was like oh my gosh these are soo good, not even 5 mins later he was in the kitchen getting more!! Soo happy these turned out soo great, it’s a great starter knowing you can add soo many different things to it to make it still healthy!! Thank you for sharing I can’t wait for my 6 year old to get home from school to try these!!
These were not good. I appreciate the low calorie etc. but they need something else. Even if it made them 2 points each. Maybe don’t call them cookies then. Mine weren’t sweet at all. I wanted to be so excited but sadly I was disappointed.
Made these strictly because they were “guilt free.” Very simple process and quick bake time so this is an easy snack to whip up. However, the consistency was odd. It was like squishy. Not soft like a warm baked cookie and not crunchy either. It needed something, a little crunch maybe. Anyways, my guests who normally reach for the cakes and brownies thought they were awful. My family that obeys strict healthy eating habits enjoyed them. I happened to think they were edible but not great. If you’re used to eating foods with a lot of salt and sugar you’ll think their bland. For me, they are a better pick over cupcakes and candy so I’ll keep the recipe handy.
What a controversial cookie! I might as well add my two cents worth! :)
I thought these cookies were very good! But like others, I don’t eat a lot of added sugar. Perhaps I wouldn’t have liked them before I cut out so much sugar from diet. But, my taste buds have adjusted and I thought these were just sweet enough. I ate a double chocolate chunk regular cookie last week and thought it was TOO sweet to even finish. So like I said, my taste buds have adjusted to less sugar.
I did add 1 Tbsp of honey and 1tsp of salt to the batter “just in case” and my bananas were definitely ripe. The colder they get in the freezer, the better they taste. I’m glad I made them and didn’t let the negative comments scare me away! My husband has been eating better too and he liked them. My 4 year old made them with me and then refused to try them… but she’s never eaten a no-bake cookie anyway. Plus, she refuses to try most things at her age.
I’ll make these again and will enjoy every bite of this controversial cookie! You can even turn this into a game or something! “Make this cookie and add your score”… Lol!
Added a little more oatmeal, 3/4 c choc chips, the 1/4 t kosher salt..delicious! will try adding fewer choc chips next time to see if still good.
oops..also added 1/4 c. tamari almonds (chopped)
Don’t think of them so much as a cookie, but more as a healthy snack or breakfast bar. If you are craving sweets, these simply will not work as they don’t have sugar and aren’t sweet. They are more savory. I like them as a grab and go healthy morning snack. I mean it has oatmeal and banana and chocolate, seems like a good tide me over morning snack to me. :) Approached that way, I think you will be less disappointed. They are delicious as a healthy snack but don’t think of them as a cookie… it is not going to calm a sweet tooth but they will hold you over till lunch without the guilt.
PS I have made them twice already. Once as a healthy food day treat at work. Everyone ate and enjoyed them. They kept calling it a breakfast cookie. So when I made them again I treated them more as a mid morning snack. They are perfect for that.
sorry, but my kids and I both agreed these were awful.
I made these cookies tonight after finding the pin on Pintrest. I was weary about how my family would feel about them. I added a little salt and sugar free maple syrup, and made sure my bananas were super ripe. My 6 year old son didn’t enjoy them, but my 4 and 5 year old sons thought they were amazing! They each ate 2 for dessert tonight with a glass of milk. These cookies are a new favorite for our family!
I tried these out and took some advice from the comments before making them. I actually really liked them! Cooked and uncooked :). Definitely used ripe bananas and I added a pinch of salt cinnamon to the batter along with nutmeg and ginger (for a lil kick). I also added a little agave syrup. I think they’re perfect, we just have to break our addictions with sugar to realize it.
I am very excited to try these. I have a similar recipe that just uses just bannas and oats. Ive tried creating new varieties by adding randome ingredients like strawberrys and chocklate chipes. I am aware that the flavor will probably be very light. When I make them, I use them for an after workout snack or a fast breakfast. I think they are a great, low cal option. Thank you for the new recipe :)
I poped these on the oven and THEN I read the comments, I was sooo scared to even try them but they turned out delicious!!! Thank you sooo much!!
Yes these are a sugar free cookie. That’s why we love them. Both my kids (5 & 2) devour theses, as do the adults in our house. My kids are not used to sugary treats or baking. We usually make these as a bar and they work well that way too, I use an 8×8 pan and line with parchment.
Thanks for a new staple in our kitchen!!
I just made these and they turned out good for sugarfree. I did add mini chips & 1/4 tsp. salt. Had over ripe bananas in freezer which helped the flavor. Will make again.
I am surprised at the number of negative comments. I adored these cookies!!! They are fabulous and a wonderful alternative to banana bread (typically loaded with sugar) for using up over ripe bananas. I also appreciated that all the ingredients are things I already have in my pantry all the time. Best of all my three little girls devoured them. Even my super picky four year old scarfed them down. That is really saying something, believe me. For what it is worth I, for one, really appreciated this recipe. Thank you for posting it.
I realize this was posted over two years ago but I recently found the recipe and am about to make my second batch. I used sun butter and loved that they were almost fudgy in texture out of the oven. I popped a bunch in the freezer after I made the first batch and would just take one or two out to pack with lunch, have as a pre-workout energy boost, or eat for breakfast. I think the texture even improved after freezing/defrosting. Don’t expect sweet, bakery cookies. I try to limit processed foods and i find that these are wholesome, tasty snacks. Love them.
Whereas it has been posted nearly 2 years ago it is our most commented on recipe. :)