These whole food thumbprint cookies are so delicious and fun to make! We're using my super simple banana oatmeal cookie base with no added fat, oil or sugar. Fill them with your favorite flavor of store-bought or homemade jam, jelly or preserves.

holding a jam-filled cookie with a bite taken out

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My boys have loved making (and eating!) these thumbprint cookies since they were little.

Whole food plant-based cookies without nut butter or other high-fat ingredients are challenging. But, these little treats are a delicious option!

🧄 Very useful ingredient notes

Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas, rolled oats, fruit jam and vanilla extract on counter

Ripe bananas - Super ripe, spotty bananas are perfect for this. The bananas will bring the moisture, binding agent AND natural sweetener in this cookie recipe (the jam will add sweetness, too, of course.)
Rolled oats - You can use old-fashioned or quick oats for this recipe.
Fruit jam - Any fruit jam, jelly or preserves you enjoy or have on hand will be delicious! We especially love strawberry, blackberry and blueberry preserves in this. You could use homemade chia jam, too!

Expert Tips

Darker jams look prettiest, to contrast with the color of the cookie base
Shape your cookies into the size you want them to be before baking, because they don't expand or spread out, since we haven't added any baking powder or leavening agent to them.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350℉. Peel and mash bananas in a medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Make sure they are well-mashed, almost pureed.

cookie batter mixed together in metal bowl

Step 2: Stir in vanilla extract and rolled oats. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the oats to soak up the moisture. If the batter is still very wet or thin, add 1-2 tablespoons of oats.

pressing a thumb into the center of a cookie to make a well

Step 3: Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Cookies will stick if you skip this step, so don't skip it!) Drop 8 spoonfuls of batter onto the cookie sheet and then shape with your fingers into mounds. Press your thumb into the center to form a little well in the center of each cookie to hold the jam.

Step 4: Keep in mind that the cookies do not spread out while baking, so shape them into the width and height you want them to be. This recipe will make about eight medium, 3-inch wide cookies.