Banana Coconut Cookies

These homemade banana coconut cookies are a great mess-free breakfast or snack! They are dairy-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, and the perfect treat for baby-led weaning!

These banana coconut cookies are so easy to make and have only THREE ingredients! Yes, you read that right, just three! They come together so quickly and I’m not sure what is faster…the time it takes to make them, or the time it takes for them to disappear!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Here is what you’ll need to make these banana coconut cookies:

• Banana: The main source of sweetness for these cookies. Try to use a banana that is very ripe with several brown spots. The riper the banana, the sweeter the cookies!
• Desiccated Coconut: These unsweetened coconut flakes are different from standard shredded coconut. Desiccated coconut is more flour-like in texture.
• Cinnamon: Used to add flavor and enhance the natural sweetness of the banana.

PROCESS

1. Mash banana with a fork until smooth.
2. Add in desiccated coconut and cinnamon.
3. Mix until it is combined to form a moist dough.
4. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls and flatten. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly brown.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They will get darker in color (naturally from the banana) but will still taste great! To freeze, store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag with parchment paper-lined between each cookie to prevent sticking for up to 2 months.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Banana: The banana can be replaced with unsweetened applesauce, but the texture would be moister and the cookies would not be as sweet.
• Desiccated coconut: If you’re looking for an alternative to coconut, try these almond cookies that use almond flour instead! You may also replace it with rolled oats in these peanut butter and banana cookies!

RECIPE NOTES

• Make sure to flatten and shape the cookies beforehand because they will not change shape while baking.
• These cookies have a slight chewiness to them from the coconut, but they are very soft and a great finger food for babies.
• Desiccated coconut is unsweetened and different from regular shredded coconut. Regular shredded coconut will not work in this recipe. Coconut flour also will not work. I used the brand let’s do organic desiccated coconut in this recipe.
• If you want your cookies to have a smoother texture with no lumps, puree the banana first and then stir in the desiccated coconut.
• If your mixture is too wet to form into balls, stir in a little more coconut, one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
• I like to drizzle a little chocolate and caramel on top of these cookies to make a healthy version of samoa cookies for myself!

You may also like:

• Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies
• Almond Cookies
• Coconut Donuts