January 28, 2022

Bariatric Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Name: Bariatric Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup peanut butter, smooth; 1 egg, large; ¼ cup PB2; ½ banana

These Bariatric Peanut Butter Banana Cookies are made with just 4 ingredients and are ready in 15 minutes for a quick breakfast, easy snack, or healthy dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth!

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Made with just 4 ingredients, these Bariatric Peanut Butter Banana Cookies are an easy recipe to satisfy your sweet cravings. Make them ahead of time for quick breakfasts, easy snacks, or healthy desserts!

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

It’s recommended to limit processed sugars after weight loss surgery. Added sugars may lead to dumping syndrome and unwanted weight gain. As a result, this can leave you feeling you can’t enjoy sweets at all. Or, you may be including a lot of artificial sweeteners or replacements instead. However, if I’m being honest, I don’t love artificial sweeteners of any kind. In my opinion, they have a somewhat strange and, well, artificial taste.

That being said, eating a diet of nothing but broccoli and chicken isn’t super sustainable. This is especially true when holidays and special events roll around. Don’t get me wrong. I love healthy recipes such as Low Carb Jerk Chicken Bowls, Turkey Chili, and Thai Peanut Tofu Salads. Including a balanced diet is important, but so is enjoying your food. So, instead of avoiding sweets altogether or loading them with artificial flavors or sweeteners, I often recommend finding healthier alternatives for your favorite recipes.

I’ll give you an example…

Peanut butter cookies are one of my favorite treats. To make them bariatric-friendly, I swapped out the added sugar, removed the butter, and added natural sugars to make these Bariatric Peanut Butter Banana Cookies!

They’re just as tasty as traditional peanut butter cookies. However, they’re also low-carb, refined sugar-free, and full of healthy fats, vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. Even better, they’re healthy enough to eat any time of the day, and the whole family will love them! My little ones enjoy this recipe as an afternoon snack.

So, if you’re ready to learn how to make low-carb peanut butter cookies, keep reading to find everything you’ll need to know.

Ingredients for Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies

These sugar-free peanut butter cookies are so simple you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen. Take a look below to double-check!

a white plate on a counter with 3 bariatric peanut butter banana cookies

Peanut Butter – Choose the peanut butter with the least amount of added sugar that you enjoy. Creamy varieties work best. However, chunky peanut butter could be used if that’s what you have on hand.

Egg – Eggs serve as binders and help hold the rest of the ingredients together. They also provide healthy fats and protein to keep you full. I have not tested it, but flax eggs should work just as well, too!

PB2 – A low-calorie, low-fat alternative to peanut butter, PB2 helps provide a strong peanut butter flavor while keeping the calories of these cookies lower.
Banana – Using half a banana for these sugar-free peanut butter cookies helps add sweetness without the need for added sugars. It also helps create a soft and moist cookie texture.

How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Unlike traditional cookie recipes that take lots of ingredients and tools, these peanut butter banana cookies can be made in minutes with just one bowl! Take a look at the directions below to see how they come together.

Preheat. To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, and grease a baking sheet with oil spray.
Measure. Then, measure out all of your ingredients.
Mash. In a bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it is smooth.
Mix. Next, add the peanut butter, egg, and PB2 to the bowl with the mashed banana, and mix the ingredients together until they are well-combined.
Bake. Scoop the dough into 8 equally-sized balls, and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake your cookies for 15 minutes. Let them cool, and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

What to do if your peanut butter is too runny: If your peanut butter is too runny, it’s possible that your cookie dough won’t stick together. If this happens, just add a bit more PB2 until the batter can be shaped into balls.

What to do if your bananas aren’t ripe enough: For the best results and the sweetest bananas, you’ll want them to have a few brown spots. If they are still green, they won’t mash well. So, I recommend waiting a day or two for your bananas to ripen.

What to do if your cookies aren’t sweet enough: The bananas should add enough sweetness to this recipe. However, they won’t taste super sweet like traditional cookie recipes. If they are not sweet enough for you, then you may choose to add a teaspoon of sugar or maple syrup to sweeten it up.

Storage Tips for Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Perfect for meal prep, these cookies can be stored either in the fridge or at room temperature! However, I don’t recommend freezing them as they might become too soggy. Take a look below to see how long they’ll last to find the best storage method to suit your needs.

Room Temperature: 2-3 days

Fridge: up to 1 week

Common Questions about Bariatric Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Can I use a different nut or seed butter?

Yes! Any nut or seed butter you prefer will work with this recipe. Just keep in mind that the flavor texture will change slightly depending on what you use.

What do I do if my banana won’t mash?

For a smoother texture, you can place the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender.

Why aren’t my cookies rising in the oven?

Due to the simplicity of these low-carb peanut butter cookies, they will not rise like traditional cookies. For the best results, you’ll want to shape them into a cookie form before baking.

Can I use applesauce instead of a mashed banana?

I haven’t tested these peanut butter banana cookies with applesauce, but it should work just as well! I would recommend adding it to the mixture slowly to ensure that your cookie dough doesn’t become too runny. It will likely taste less sweet.

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