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    Home » Food

    Healthy Cowboy Cookies (Vegan, GF)

    December 12, 2016 by Emily Cooper 43 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) -- Made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs!Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) -- Made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs! | @sinfulnutrition | www.sinfulnutrition.com

    Howdy partner!

    And ho, ho, happy Monday to you. I hope it is slightly less messy than Maine's current freezing rain/snow mood right meow. Hizzah for walking commutes!

    So maybe the non-cookie (but equally awesome) holiday dessert roundup didn't tickle your fancy. That's okay, I still love you.

    ...and caved and made cookies anyways.

    Rough and tough 'em cookies at that. They are called COWBOY cookies after all.

    Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) -- A healthy dessert made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs! | @sinfulnutrition | #sinfulnutrition | #healthycookies | #nosugarcookies | #healthycookierecipe

    ..but for that cowboy who makes a killer quinoa salad, buys low-sodium black beans, and has been known to attend a yoga class or two.

    Cuz they be healthy AF.

    Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) -- Made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs! | @sinfulnutrition | www.sinfulnutrition.com

    I'm hosting my second annual cookie swap party this week, and with frands that have all different food preferences, intolerances, or other annoyances ( I kid!), these fit the bill for all the hey dudes at the ranch.

    ...Am I aging myself, or please tell me someone gets the Hey Dude reference. PLEASE.

    That chocolaty drizzle is optional, but hey so are leather chaps to a cowboy. We all know what the right decision is here. 😉

    Money-Saving Tips for this Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe:

    • Use frozen bananas. Instead of throwing out those brown bananas, or succumbing to another banana bread, peel, and freeze them for this recipe. They actually work better than fresh once you thaw and mash them.
    • Buy in bulk. Opt for that BIG canister of oats instead of the small one. You get more for your money, and can make a batch of these super easy energy bites or another batch of cookies with the leftovers.
    • Use the snack packs. This goes against the above tip, but it's for a good reason.  Buying the applesauce in the snack-sized containers is both the exact amount you need for the recipe, and saves you from throwing away extra if you don't eat it regularly.

    More cookie recipes:

    Healthy Monster Cookies

    Healthy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

    Easy Potato Breakfast Cookies

    Print
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    Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) -- Made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs! | @sinfulnutrition | www.sinfulnutrition.com

    Healthy Cowboy Cookies


    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 9 reviews

    • Author: Sinful Nutrition
    • Total Time: 17 mins
    • Yield: 1 dozen cookies 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    This healthy cowboy cookie recipe is a vegan and gluten-free dessert made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs! 


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 ½ cups oats*
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 large banana, mashed
    • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce**
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • ⅓ cup chopped pecans
    • ⅓ cup shredded coconut
    • ⅓ cup semi-sweet or dairy-free chocolate chips
    • melted chocolate for drizzling, optional

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
    3. In a large bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, and salt.
    4. Add mashed banana, applesauce, and vanilla, and stir to combine.
    5. Stir in remaining ingredients until combined.
    6. Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
    7. Press down each cookie gently with back of greased spoon or oiled hands to flatten.
    8. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until firm and golden brown.
    9. Drizzle with melted chocolate if using.
    10. Let cook 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

    Notes

    *Use certified GF oats if gluten-free.
    *2 large mashed bananas or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce can be used instead.

    • Prep Time: 5 mins
    • Cook Time: 12 mins
    • Category: Dessert, Cookies
    • Method: baking
    • Cuisine: american

    Keywords: cookie, recipe, dessert, healthy, vegan, gluten-free, chocolate

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @sinfulnutrition on Instagram and hashtag it #sinfulnutrition

    Inspired by averie cooks

    Pin this recipe to your Cookies board!

    Healthy Cowboy Cookies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free) -- A healthy dessert made with only 9 ingredients, with no added oils, sugars, flours, or eggs! | @sinfulnutrition | #sinfulnutrition | #healthycookies | #nosugarcookies | #healthycookierecipe

    Make it a great day!

    Today's the first day of the 12 Days of Giving! Follow along on what I'm sharing on Instagram, and use the hashtag #12DaysGivingSN to share your own acts of kindness too!

    What's your favorite type of cookie?

    Yankee swap, cookie swap, or secret santa?

    « 12 Must-Make Holiday Desserts That Actually Aren't Cookies
    Garlic Pesto Sardine Toast »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susie @ SuzLyfe

      December 12, 2016 at 4:12 pm

      Pinned! These look so good! So many delicious ingredients, and I love how simple they are!

      Reply
    2. Tricia Vaughn

      December 14, 2016 at 5:06 pm

      Wow these do look good, dude! 😉
      When I first saw the picture I thought they were balls I'm glad they are cookies!

      Reply
    3. Sien

      May 01, 2017 at 4:03 pm

      mmm these are great! Thanks 😉

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        May 02, 2017 at 1:14 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them Sien! 😀

        Reply
    4. Lizzie

      July 09, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      These are delicious! They are a much healthier alternative to my chocolate chip cookie. I skipped the drizzled chocolate to try and save on a few extra calories 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        July 10, 2017 at 10:38 am

        Awesome thinking Lizzie. 😉 So glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    5. Brad Baum

      September 19, 2017 at 10:40 am

      These look pretty good and I am severely tempted to make them, however, I am a new type 2 diabetic and am missing my nightly cup of tea with a cookie. Do you have any idea how much sugar is actually in them once cooked and served?

      Reply
      • Renee Hayer

        February 09, 2019 at 11:20 am

        Hi Brad -
        I have a friend who has been Type 2 diabetic for at least 15 years now. She went to nutrition classes and one thing she remarked to me is that it is not necessarily the sugar but the carbohydrates that are converted to sugar by your body that a diabetic should be concerned with. Don't know this to be true or not as I have not researched it myself, but may be worth you looking in to.

        Reply
    6. Jenny Shea Rawn

      August 06, 2018 at 4:12 pm

      Hello cowboy! I mean ... cowboy cookies! You look amazing. Saving to make.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Deborah Brooks

      August 06, 2018 at 4:14 pm

      I used to make cowboy cookies for my kids when they were little. These look much healthier!

      Reply
    8. Abbey Sharp

      August 06, 2018 at 5:01 pm

      I would definitely love to snack on these goodies! Looks so good

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Kelly

      August 06, 2018 at 6:17 pm

      Hooray for some healthy cowboys! These cookies look terrific.

      Reply
    10. Janelle

      August 07, 2018 at 8:06 am

      Yum, these cookies look so delicious! They wouldn't last long in my house!

      Reply
    11. Chrissy

      August 07, 2018 at 8:20 am

      I just came across this recipe on Pinterest last week when I was looking for cookies to make with my son! We have it on our list of things to try 🙂

      Reply
    12. Renata

      August 26, 2018 at 4:54 pm

      One bowl, one cookie sheet, fast assembly, and healthy ingredients. I Will definitely make again.

      Reply
    13. CanadianMama

      November 30, 2018 at 10:49 pm

      Really good! I made them twice already (once with walnuts instead of pecans). I was looking for a healthy cookie recipe to satisfy my craving during pregnancy. This works! Thank you

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        December 07, 2018 at 6:55 am

        So glad to hear it! Thank you!! 😀

        Reply
    14. Jodi

      January 21, 2019 at 10:45 pm

      Are these chewy? If not, would there be any way to make them chewy? I Love chewy cookies and this recipe looks really good!

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        January 26, 2019 at 10:15 am

        Hi Jodi! These are more of a soft, cake-like cookie and not crispy. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    15. Suzanne

      April 09, 2019 at 3:50 pm

      These look so good! I bet they are actually filling too!

      Reply
    16. Vanessa

      April 09, 2019 at 3:51 pm

      Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        April 09, 2019 at 9:48 pm

        They last longer if kept in the fridge, but not too long at room temperature since they are a more moist cookie. I like to keep mine in the fridge & reheat in the microwave for a few seconds. Just like they came out of the oven! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Elena

      April 25, 2019 at 6:45 pm

      Hello Jodi, I found your recipe for cowboy cookies after doing a google search for ‘healthy cookie recipe’! These look delish and I can’t wait to try them.
      However, I have a question... should I use quick oats or old-fashion oats? I’m not positive but I think it makes a difference? Thanks in advance for your reply!

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        April 26, 2019 at 1:50 pm

        Hi Elena! Thanks for stopping by. I would suggest using rolled oats for the cookies. Hope you enjoy! 😀

        Reply
    18. Suzanne Holt

      June 19, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      I used to make cowboy cookies all the time, but stopped after I discovered how unhealthy they were for you. However these cookies are so much better, and healthier! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Ryanne

      January 20, 2020 at 9:55 pm

      My husband hates coconut! What would you recommend as an alternative? Looking to keep the husband in this situation.

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        January 22, 2020 at 6:27 am

        Hi Ryanne! You could always just leave it out, or add in another chopped nut or dried fruit if he likes any in particular. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    20. Sabah

      May 17, 2020 at 8:11 am

      These cookies are delicious as is. I highly recommend them.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    21. Suzanne

      May 31, 2020 at 11:57 pm

      This looks delicious, thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    22. Juliet

      June 12, 2020 at 3:33 pm

      Hi, I can’t have banana. Would u recommend using pumpkin or puréed sweet potato as a substitute?
      Thanks!
      Juliet

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        July 06, 2020 at 3:38 pm

        I would use the sweet potato over pumpkin to provide more sweetness, but I do have a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe as well! 😀

        Reply
    23. Juliet

      July 02, 2020 at 10:37 am

      Hi, I can’t have banana. Would smash sweet potato work instead?

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        July 06, 2020 at 3:37 pm

        Mashed sweet potato would work, but it would change the flavor/sweetness of the cookies.

        Reply
    24. Angela

      November 07, 2020 at 10:18 am

      Amazing! I omitted pecans and I just used regular old sweet applesauce that I had on hand. The texture is very “soft-baked” and PERFECT for a breakfast cookie! Lovely use of my single, sad, browning banana that nobody would eat. Next time might add in some dried cranberries to get a little tartness (not that they need it, I just think it would taste great). Loved the recipe, will definitely make again. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    25. Patricia Goggins

      April 17, 2021 at 1:45 pm

      Do you have the nutritional information? I would like to add these as a snack for my diet plan.

      Reply
    26. Susan Schafer

      October 12, 2021 at 8:44 pm

      I made these to take on our vacation since my husband was dieting and he didn't want to snack on a lot of calories while we enjoyed the beach. I really thought he would just tolerate these healthy cookies, but he LOVED them! They curved our sweet tooth everytime! Time to make another batch for home!

      ★★★★

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        October 14, 2021 at 8:17 am

        So happy to hear it Susan! <3

        Reply
    27. elle

      December 19, 2021 at 12:16 am

      yum ! I added raisins, cranberries and a flax egg. I ground most of the oats in a food processor. love them- vegan and no refined sugars! perfect:

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        January 02, 2022 at 3:53 pm

        Love these tips/additions elle!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. A Little Somethin' Sunday #65 - Sinful Nutrition says:
      December 18, 2016 at 11:24 am

      […] Healthy Cowboy Cookies […]

      Reply
    2. Creamy Cauliflower Gratin + WIAW - Sinful Nutrition says:
      December 21, 2016 at 6:01 am

      […] one of my cowboy cookies from the freezer, micro-ed for 15 seconds to achieve gooey […]

      Reply
    3. 25 Easy and Healthy Valentine’s Day Treats - C it Nutritionally says:
      January 27, 2017 at 5:03 am

      […] via RDelicious Kitchen  2-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups via Alissa Rumsey Nutrition Healthy Cowboy Cookies via Sinful Nutrition Mini Caramelized Banana Split Sundaes via Jenny Shea […]

      Reply
    4. MyQuirkyCreation says:
      October 12, 2017 at 11:03 am

      23 Fall & Winter Easy Healthy Desserts To Make At Home

      Charm the crowd with these sweetest fall & winter easy healthy desserts. These easy healthy desserts are perfect for the fall & winter dessert-table. Kids will surely love these Christmas desserts and they are so delicious and easy to make. The…

      Reply

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