Name: Avocado Banana Breakfast Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped avocado chunks (fresh or frozen - see note); 1 medium-sized overripe banana; 1/2 cup coconut sugar; 2 large eggs (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups almond flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats; 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips; 1/2 cup unsweetened medium coconut

Details on a few ingredients

Ingredients to make avocado cookies arranged individually.

Avocado: I used avocado in place of oil or butter in these cookies as a way to add more nutrients and healthy fats. It's just one cup of chopped avocado, so not enough to change the taste of the cookies (the banana taste is still pronounced), but it's enough to add a soft and chewy texture. While I used frozen avocado chunks for convenience, you can also use fresh avocado.

Oats: This recipe calls for gluten-free rolled oats, but you can use regular rolled oats if you don't need this recipe to be gluten-free. Or if you'd like to go grain-free, you can use buckwheat flakes. They have a very similar texture to oats, so I use them interchangeably in a number of recipes.

Almond flour: You can actually make these cookies with almond flour or almond meal. Almond flour is made from blanched almonds with the skins removed, and has a very fine texture. Almond meal is made from almonds with the skins left on and, therefore, has a courser texture. If you don't have almond flour or meal, you can make your own by grinding up raw or blanched almonds in your blender until they reach a flour-like consistency. (Don't go too far as it will start to turn into almond butter).

Overhead view of wet ingredients blended together in a blender.

How to make these banana avocado oatmeal cookies

If you're using frozen avocado chunks, start by defrosting them slightly in the microwave. I do this so they blend more easily.

Add your avocado, banana and coconut sugar to a blender, and blend on high until smooth (see photo above). You can also use an electric mixer, just be sure that the avocado, banana and sugar combine into a smooth consistency.

Add the eggs and vanilla and blend again.

Add the almond flour, baking soda and salt, and blend until just combined. Don't over-blend.

Cookie batter mixed together in a glass bowl.

At this point, you can pour the batter into a large bowl and stir in the oats, chocolate chips and coconut, or you can just throw these ingredients into the blender and stir them into the batter. Don't blend them in!

Using an ice cream scoop, place mounds of the cookie dough about an inch a part on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You should get 12 large cookies. They won't spread much while baking, so flatten them a bit on top with a spoon.

Bake on 375F for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges are browned.

Oatmeal cookie dough in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon.

Storage and freezing

How do you store oatmeal cookies made with avocado? How long will they last? You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. But for a firmer and chewier texture, I prefer to store them in the refrigerator, where they will last for 5-6 days.

Can you freeze avocado oatmeal cookies? Absolutely. That's what makes them so great for meal prep. Just place them in a single layer in an airtight container, or layer them between sheets of parchment or wax paper. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.