In early December, I flew to Mexico to attend my close friend’s wedding. After a short drive from the airport, I arrived at our beachfront hotel, met my roommates for the long weekend, and then stood out on our room’s balcony overlooking the infinity pool and deep blue ocean, soaking in the warm weather and expansive views.
Within just a few minutes, I realized… With the incredibly relaxing and peaceful vibes, I never wanted to leave!
On the second evening, my friend organized a fun taco dinner at a local restaurant famous for its authentic flavors and incredible food. We rode a handful of shuttle vans to get there, and while the talented cooks set up the buffet line, I sat at a table with some new and old friends, mingling and chatting and laughing underneath the star-studded sky.
Later, with our bellies full of shrimp, pork, lamb, octopus, and plenty of salsa to top off all of the tacos, we realized that the kitchen had also prepared dozens of handmade popsicles for dessert. Although the sweet tropical flavors sounded very tempting, I decided to hold off… With a light breeze picking up and how easily I get cold, I didn’t want to turn into a popsicle myself!
When friends at the table offered to grab one for me, I smiled and waved them off, joking that I’d rather have a warm, soft, and chewy cookie instead. “I actually have cookies back in my room at the hotel!” one guy replied. “They’re not warm but… You can have one! Just remind me when we get back!”
My eyes lit up like the twinkling lights strung back and forth across the patio above us, and I excitedly agreed. You know me… I love my baked treats!
Yet when we climbed off of the shuttle vans back at the hotel, I couldn’t find him in the lobby at all… So I rode the elevator back up to my room, broke off a piece of dark chocolate from the bar I had packed in my suitcase, and planned to snag that cookie the following afternoon.
When I spotted him the next day, I smiled and waved… Then laughed as his eyes widened and he smacked his forehead with his palm. “I completely forgot!” he moaned. “And the other groomsmen ate the rest of the cookies last night!”
By the time I arrived back at my house in California a few days later, I still hadn’t seen or eaten a single cookie… So I baked a batch of these Healthy Flourless & Eggless Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies to get my fix!
They’re supremely rich, soft, and chewy — basically with the same taste and texture as really decadent fudgy brownies! As you probably already guessed, these healthy chocolate oatmeal cookies contain no flour, eggs, dairy, or refined sugar… And they’re 85 calories!
Which totally justifies eating a second one, right?? 😉
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY FLOURLESS & EGGLESS CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES
Let’s go over how to make these healthy flourless and eggless double chocolate oatmeal cookies!
To start, you’ll need instant oats and unsweetened cocoa powder. Instant oats are not the ones sold in the individual brown paper packets with flavors like apple cinnamon and maple brown sugar! They’re also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats, and they’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. This means they soften faster, which gives your healthy flourless and eggless chocolate oatmeal cookies the most soft and chewy texture imaginable!
As for the unsweetened cocoa powder, use the regular kind, like this! I don’t recommend substituting Dutched or special dark cocoa powder because they have a different acidity level, which affects the cookies’ taste and texture. In this recipe, the cocoa powder actually replaces the flour, so you’ll use a full ¾ cup. This also means your healthy flourless and eggless double chocolate oatmeal cookies will definitely taste really rich and chocolaty without using those other cocoa powders!
Just remember… It’s extremely important to measure the oats and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out your cookie dough and make your cookies taste cakey, rather than chewy. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture! Too much cocoa powder will also make your cookies taste bitter, rather than rich and chocolaty.
So the moral of this cookie story? It’s definitely worth taking a few extra moments to measure your ingredients correctly!
It might sound a bit strange… But you’ll actually add a bit of cinnamon into your cookie dough too! Although cinnamon and cocoa powder might not be the most obvious flavor pairing, I found that the cinnamon provided an incredible richness and warmth that really rounded out the flavor of these healthy flourless and eggless chocolate oatmeal cookies. It turned out so well! (And I buy my favorite cinnamon online here!)
Unlike traditional recipes that call for ½ cup (or more!) of butter, you need just a mere 1 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil or butter. That really helps keep your healthy flourless and eggless double chocolate oatmeal cookies low calorie and low fat!
And to make life even easier, you’ll melt the coconut oil or butter. I rarely remember to set mine out far enough in advance to let it properly soften on the counter, so I love quick and easy shortcuts like this!
Then instead of eggs, you’ll use mashed banana! The banana binds together the rest of the ingredients, and it also helps keep your healthy flourless and eggless chocolate oatmeal cookies soft and chewy. Be sure to use the ripest banana you have! The ones that look almost pure brown or black are ideal because they contain more natural sweetness than the pure yellow ones.
Hint: You can’t actually taste the fruit flavor in these cookies! The cocoa powder completely overpowers it, so the banana’s only role is as an egg replacer… And a little boost of natural sweetness!
However, the majority of the natural sweetness in these healthy flourless and eggless double chocolate oatmeal cookies comes from pure maple syrup! That’s the kind that comes directly from maple trees. Skip the pancake syrup and sugar-free syrup; those contain high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re trying to avoid in this recipe! The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
Finally, the second chocolate component comes in the form of mini chocolate chips. I absolutely love using mini chocolate chips in my cookie recipes! Their smaller size ensures that every bite contains at least one morsel of chocolate (if not two or three!). These are my current favorite mini chocolate chips because they taste so rich and turn gooey and melty in the oven!
When you first mix together the cookie dough, it’s fairly wet… So chilling is mandatory! Chilling helps stiffen the cookie dough so it’s a bit easier to work with, and it also allows the flavors to meld and marry. It doesn’t need to chill for very long though — just 20 minutes!
The cookie dough will still be a tad sticky after chilling, so drop it onto your baking sheet with a spoon and spatula. Don’t use your hands! Then use the spatula to flatten the cookie dough before baking. It doesn’t spread at all while in the oven, so your cookies will look exactly the same before and after baking… Just fully baked through and no longer raw! 😉
Also… Since people always ask me how I make my cookies look so round… There’s no secret tool or trick! I just spend a few extra minutes carefully shaping the cookie dough with my favorite mini spatula.
One last tip! For the softest and chewiest cookies, you’ll want to remove the baking sheet from your oven when the centers of your healthy flourless and eggless double chocolate oatmeal cookies still feel a bit soft and underdone. The heat from your metal baking sheet will continue to cook the centers while you let your cookies cool on the pan, which results in the best ever chewy chocolate oatmeal cookies!
Now all that’s missing is a glass of milk! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ????) I’d love to see your healthy flourless & eggless double chocolate oatmeal cookies!
| Healthy Flourless & Eggless Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies | | Print |
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 6 tbsp (94g) mashed banana (about 1 small & see Notes!)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- 3 tbsp (42g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Whisk together the oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut oil, banana, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the oat mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in 2 ½ tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips. Chill the cookie dough for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet using a spoon and spatula, and flatten to the desired thickness and width using a spatula. Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free instant oats (like these).
I do not recommend using Dutched or special dark cocoa powder because they have a different acidity level. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder (like this) has a much better flavor in this recipe!
For best results, use the ripest, darkest, most spotty banana you can find! The ones that are purely brown or black (or at least with more brown color than yellow!) are ideal. They have a stronger and sweeter natural flavor than pure yellow bananas. Also, measure the bananas by cups or grams. Not all “small” bananas are the same size!
As written, these cookies taste fairly rich, similar to 72% dark chocolate. If you aren’t a fan of dark chocolate, then substitute ¼ cup (30g) of whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour, or your preferred gluten-free flour blend (like this one!) and reduce the cocoa powder ½ cup (40g).
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookies FAQ Page.
{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Flourless Triple Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Flourless Chocolate Monster Cookies
♡ Healthy Flourless Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ Healthy One-Bowl Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
♡ Healthy Fudgy Triple Chocolate Cookies
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy One-Bowl Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
I really loved them! I added peanut butter instead of coconut oil and it was great! Thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Negin! That sounds like such a fun twist. PB and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations! 🙂
I have been making these since the beginning of quarantine, and they never disappoint! Filling and satisfy all cravings 🙂
Oh my goodness, Kareena!! I’m truly honored that you’ve been making these cookies for that long — and that you’d say they never disappoint! Those are the best kind of compliments there are. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Do you think I could ship these in winter? Has anyone tried that? I’m wondering how stiff they are once baked
I_made_those_twice_already_in_one_week!_A_beautiful_easy_recipe.
As_I_didn’t_have_maple_syrup,_I_used_coconut_sugar_dissolved_in_hot_water,_both_times.
Still_a_wonderful_taste_and_texture,_using_pure_ingredients!_A_win-win!!
You_are_excellent,_Amy!!_Thank_you!!
I_made_those_twice_already_in_one_week!_A_beautiful_easy_recipe.
As_I_didn’t_have_maple_syrup,_I_used_coconut_sugar_dissolved_in_a-little_hot_water,_both_times.
Still_a_wonderful_taste_and_texture,_using_pure_ingredients!_A_win-win!!
You_are_excellent,_Amy!!_Thank_you!!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies too, Marcia! It means the world to me that you’ve been trying so many of my recipes lately. As always, thank you for taking the time to let me know — your sweet comments make my day!! 🙂
Made_those_for_a_5th_time!_Absolutely_delicious….
Just_wondering….Could_this_same_recipe_work_as_pancakes?
If_I_could_avoid_the_oven_and_use_a_pan,_I_would_probably_make_these_delights_daily!!!
Congratulations_Amy_one_more_time!!!
You’re always so kind, Marcia! Your comment made my day yet again — I’m so glad you’re loving these cookies! 🙂 I haven’t tried making this exact recipe as pancakes. My main concern is that the cookie dough is too thick for proper pancakes. You could try adding milk to make the batter looser, thinner, and a better consistency for pancakes. Alternatively, I have a chocolate pancake recipe here! Maybe that would be easier than adapting this one?
I’d love to hear how your pancakes turn out if you try either of those options!
These cookies are soooo good! I made a batch today and they were all devoured. I will definitely be making them again this week. Very chewy and moist. I think I will half the maple syrup next time because the banana added a lot of sweetness for me.
I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Sarah! That’s the best kind of compliment, if you already think that you’d like to make them again. Thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
If you’d like to use half the amount of maple syrup, then replace the rest with milk (so ¼ cup of each). Any type of milk will work! You need another liquid to achieve the correct cookie dough consistency. Without doing so, your cookie dough would be much drier and maybe a bit crumbly, but if you use milk, your cookies should stay just as chewy and moist!
Thank you for the tip! I made a batch today replacing some of the maple syrup with milk and they came out perfect! My family enjoys these cookies so much we will be making them regularly for sure.
You’re welcome, Sarah! I’m thrilled to hear you thought this next half-sweetened batch was perfect and that your family loves them too. Thanks again for taking the time to let me know!! 🙂
Hey Amy!
How can I make these cookies crisp?
Definitely will make these this weekend!
It means a lot that you’re planning on trying my recipe, Lily! This recipe was specifically designed to yield soft and chewy cookies, so I don’t know that they’ll ever be truly crisp and crunchy. However, you can try baking them longer to make them harder and firmer! 🙂 I’m really looking forward to hearing what you think of them!