I love holiday eating as much (maybe more) than the next person, but there comes a time when my stomach/mind/body needs a break. Cue: these banana bread breakfast cookies.

They’re vegan AND gluten-free, they taste great, and they don’t make you feel like you’re missing out on anything. I made them for Sunday brunch and they were a welcome palette cleanser after days of nonstop chocolate and cake.

You can sub in peanut butter for almond butter in these cookies, and you can also use a different kind of gluten-free flour like oat flour. I really like spelt flour in these cookies, though. They give the crumb a little heft and the flavor pairs well with banana and cinnamon.

My favorite part of these cookies are the walnuts inside. They’re really only a small part of the recipe, but they give the cookies a little crunch and a buttery flavor when you bite into them. I’d highly recommend using them, but pecans wouldn’t be a bad substitute if you’re out of walnuts.

Here’s a song to get you started on your banana bread cookie journey.

Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
3 Tbsp water
1 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup mashed banana (I used 2 medium)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine the ground flaxseed and water and set it aside to thicken for five minutes.

Stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and sea salt in a large bowl. Fold in the walnuts.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup, banana, vanilla extract, coconut oil, and ground flaxseed mixture. Fold in the dry ingredients until the dough is just combined.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop the batter onto the baking sheet in rounded mounds. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown on top. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes and then place them on a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Enjoy!

*Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can store them in an airtight container at room temp.