Lenten Cookies (Banana Oatmeal Honey Cookies for Lent)

These Lenten Cookies are simple, wholesome, and quietly comforting. They’re the kind of bake that doesn’t shout for attention — but once you make these Banana Oatmeal Honey Cookies, they become a regular part of your routine, especially during the Lenten season. They’re naturally sweetened, made with simple ingredients, and happen to fit perfectly into periods of Lent — when many traditional recipes are stripped back to the essentials.

Jump to:

• Lithuanian Avižiniai Sausainiai
• Lent In Lithuania and Cookies To Match
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Step-By-Step Method
• Storage
• Serving Suggestions
• More Lithuanian Baking Recipes
• Lenten Cookies (Banana Oatmeal Honey Cookies for Lent)

Lithuanian Avižiniai Sausainiai

In Lithuanian, these cookies would be called avižiniai sausainiai — oat cookies. They’re dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, and free from refined sugar. They can also be made vegan if you replace honey with maple syrup. Exactly the kind of thing you eat during Lent, when you give up all the good stuff… and somehow still need something comforting.

These cookies aren’t tied to my early childhood memories, but very much to my teenage years. I was that kid who never wanted breakfast before school. My parents would stand over me in the kitchen, insisting I eat something — anything — before leaving the house. I hated it.

Once I started cooking for myself, I made a deal with them: I’d take food with me and eat when I was ready. These banana oat cookies became my mid-morning snack for years. Back then, they were simpler — no almond flour, no coconut, just oats, banana, and honey. Practical. Filling. Reliable.

These days, I make them for my husband to take to work instead of shop-bought granola bars. I’ve tweaked the recipe slightly: almonds help the texture, coconut adds flavor, and the cookies bake up beautifully golden brown. Still humble. Still familiar. Just a little more grown-up.

Lent In Lithuania and Cookies To Match

Lent in Lithuania is called Gavėnia, and traditionally begins on Ash Wednesday. For many families — especially older generations — it’s a time of restraint, reflection, and simpler living. Meat, dairy, eggs, and rich foods are often avoided, especially during the stricter periods of Lent.

Food during this time focuses on plant-based ingredients, grains, vegetables, and dishes without animal products (except for honey). Giving up certain foods isn’t about punishment — it’s symbolic, meant to create space for calm, mindfulness, and intention. Recipes like these cookies fit naturally into Lithuanian Lenten recipes: modest, nourishing, and made from pantry staples.

Ingredients and Substitutes

These Banana Oatmeal Honey Cookies rely on simple ingredients you may already have.

• Ripe bananas – The natural sweetener and binder. The riper, the better.
• Honey – Traditional and gentle. You can substitute maple syrup if you want to make vegan cookies.
• Vegetable oil – Neutral oils work best. Extra virgin olive oil is possible, but choose a mild one.
• Vanilla extract – Adds warmth; optional but recommended.
• Rolled oats – The base of the cookie dough. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
• Almond flour – Improves texture and prevents dry cookies. Can be replaced with more oats if necessary.
• Shredded coconut – Adds subtle flavor and chew. Optional, but lovely.
• Ground cinnamon – A little warmth goes a long way. You may replace it with ground clove, nutmeg, cardamom or even pumpkin pie spice. A little orange zest (or even lemon zest) will work great too. 
• Dried fruit – Raisins, sultanas, or dried cranberries all work well.

No all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, egg whites, or softened butter here — which is exactly the point.

Find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Step-By-Step Method

This is an easy recipe, no stand mixer or food processor required.

1. Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth.

3. Stir in the honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Add the dry ingredients — oats, almond flour, coconut, cinnamon, and dried fruit — and mix to form a thick cookie dough.

5. Scoop a tablespoon of dough (or slightly more) and shape into oblong balls.

6. Place on the baking tray and gently flatten the top of the cookies.

7. Bake until lightly colored with deep golden brown edges.

8. Cool completely on the baking sheet for best results. They’ll firm up as they cool, turning into softer cookies with lightly crisp edges.

Storage

Once fully cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week.

They also freeze well. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Defrost at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are incredibly versatile.

• Enjoy them as a quick breakfast on busy mornings
• Pack them as a mid-morning or afternoon snack
• Serve with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of milk
• Keep them in a cookie jar for easy grabbing during the week

They’re filling without being heavy — exactly what I needed as a teenager, and still appreciate now.

More Lithuanian Baking Recipes

Lithuanian baking is full of modest, comforting, traditional recipes. If you enjoy these cookies, you’ll find plenty more simple bakes worth exploring below.