2-ingredient banana coconut cookies are chewy little rounds made from just ripe bananas and shredded coconut, ready in about 35 minutes. The recipe makes 15 to 16 cookies, and a drizzle of melted chocolate turns them into a treat with no flour, butter or added sugar.
Why This Recipe Works
The bananas do two jobs at once. Mashed well, they sweeten the cookies and bind the coconut together, so you need no sugar, eggs or flour. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the cookies taste.
Shredded coconut soaks up the banana moisture as the dough sits and bakes. That gives you a chewy middle and lightly crisp edges instead of a soggy cookie.
A flat-bottomed glass is the only tool you need for shaping. Squashing each ball to the same thickness means every cookie bakes at the same pace, and the glass wall can tidy a ragged edge into a neat round.
2-Ingredient Banana Coconut Cookies Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 cups (200 ml measure) shredded coconut (desiccated)
- Melted chocolate, for drizzling (optional)
How To Make 2-Ingredient Banana Coconut Cookies
Prepare the dough
- Heat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cover a baking tray with parchment paper so the sticky cookies lift off easily.
- Mash the bananas: Peel both bananas and break them down in a bowl with a fork until almost smooth. Fewer lumps mean the banana spreads evenly through the dough.
- Add the coconut: Fold the shredded coconut into the banana until it is fully combined and no dry coconut is left at the bottom of the bowl.
Shape and bake
- Roll the balls: Scoop out portions about the size of a walnut and roll each one between your palms. You should get 15 to 16 balls. Set them on the lined tray with a little space between them.
- Flatten: Squash each ball into a round with the flat base of a drinking glass. Then run the side of the glass around the cookie to tidy any ragged edges.
- Bake: Bake for about 18 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges turn a light golden brown.
Finish with chocolate
- Melt the chocolate: Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
- Drizzle: Let the cookies cool fully, then drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. Warm cookies would melt the chocolate and make it run off.
Recipe Tips
- Use very ripe bananas: Bananas with brown spots are sweeter and mash more smoothly. Green-tipped ones leave the cookies bland.
- Cool before drizzling: Let the cookies cool all the way before adding chocolate. A warm cookie melts the drizzle into a puddle.
- Measure the coconut: Level off the 2 cups of coconut. Too much makes the cookies dry and crumbly, too little leaves them soft and hard to lift.
- Wet your fingers: If the dough sticks while you roll it, dampen your hands with a little water. The balls come off your palms cleanly.
What To Serve With 2-Ingredient Banana Coconut Cookies
Serve these cookies with a cup of coffee or espresso after dinner. They also go well with a glass of cold milk, or on a plate of small sweets for guests.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The banana makes them soft, so the fridge helps them stay fresh.
- Freezer: Freeze the undrizzled cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge, then add the chocolate.
- Reheat: Warm chilled cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for a few minutes if you want the edges crisp again.
FAQs
Can I use something other than shredded coconut?
Shredded desiccated coconut works best because it soaks up the banana evenly. Rolled oats can replace part of it, but the cookies will taste less like coconut and the texture changes.
Are banana coconut cookies vegan and gluten free?
Yes, the two base ingredients have no animal products and no gluten. If you add the chocolate drizzle, check the label for dairy and gluten, and use dark or dairy-free chocolate to keep them vegan.
Can I make these ahead or freeze them?
Yes. Bake the cookies up to 3 days ahead and store them in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze them without the chocolate and drizzle after thawing.
Why are my banana cookies soft and not crisp?
Banana releases a lot of moisture, so these cookies stay chewy rather than crunchy. Use very ripe bananas, bake until the edges are golden, and cool them fully on the tray to firm them up.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 8), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 150 kcal
- Total Fat: 11g
- Total Carbohydrate: 13g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 1g
2-Ingredient Banana Coconut Cookies
8
servings15
minutes20
minutes35
minutesChewy banana cookies made from just mashed ripe bananas and shredded coconut, baked until the edges turn golden. Add a chocolate drizzle for an easy treat that makes 15 to 16 cookies.
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
2 cups (200 ml measure) shredded coconut (desiccated)
Melted chocolate, for drizzling (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cover a baking tray with parchment paper so the sticky cookies lift off easily.
- Mash the bananas: Peel both bananas and break them down in a bowl with a fork until almost smooth. Fewer lumps mean the banana spreads evenly through the dough.
- Add the coconut: Fold the shredded coconut into the banana until it is fully combined and no dry coconut is left at the bottom of the bowl.
- Roll the balls: Scoop out portions about the size of a walnut and roll each one between your palms. You should get 15 to 16 balls. Set them on the lined tray with a little space between them.
- Flatten: Squash each ball into a round with the flat base of a drinking glass. Then run the side of the glass around the cookie to tidy any ragged edges.
- Bake: Bake for about 18 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges turn a light golden brown.
- Melt the chocolate: Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
- Drizzle: Let the cookies cool fully, then drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. Warm cookies would melt the chocolate and make it run off.
