Healthy Flourless & Eggless Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
As a huge chocoholic, these are some of my all-time favorite cookies! They’re deliciously rich (similar to 72% dark chocolate!) and really soft and chewy… Basically with the same taste and texture as extra fudgy brownies! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container (if they last that long!), and they freeze really well too!
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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 ⅜" thick 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.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and cocoa powder correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out the cookies and make them cakey, bready, or dry, instead of soft and chewy. Too much cocoa powder will also make your cookies taste bitter.
IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: As written, these cookies taste fairly rich, similar to 72% dark chocolate. If you aren’t a fan of dark chocolate, then you can make them taste sweeter and less "dark" with the following modification: 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 (I like this one!) and reduce the cocoa powder to ½ cup (40g).
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These cookies don’t spread. They’ll look the same before and after baking (just no longer raw!).
Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.
IMPORTANT BANANA NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: 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 sweeter natural flavor and more moisture than pure yellow bananas. They also yield a softer and moister texture in your cookies.
Measure the bananas by tablespoons or grams, not by “one small banana.” Not all “small” bananas are the same size!
OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as “quick cooking” or “one-minute” oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.
In a pinch, to make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.
COCOA POWER NOTES: I do not recommend using Dutched cocoa powder or special dark cocoa powder because they have a different acidity level, which affects the taste and texture. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder (like this) has a much better flavor and texture in this recipe!
SWEETENER NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. I do not recommend substituting sugar-free maple syrup. Because it’s often water-based, it makes the cookies cakey or bready.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free instant oats.
EGG-FREE, DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Use coconut oil or vegan butter (I like this one and this one) and vegan-friendly mini chocolate chips (these are my favorite). For the best results, use stick-style non-dairy butter; do not use whipped or tub-style.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they’ll keep for a couple of days. If refrigerated, they’ll last closer to a week (if not longer!). Once baked and fully cooled, these oatmeal cookies also freeze really well!
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}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.