These healthy banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips are soft, chewy, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without compromising your health. They’re made with ripe bananas, whole grains, and natural sweeteners, making them a wholesome and delicious treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
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Healthy and Delicious: These cookies are packed with nutrients and made with wholesome ingredients, so you can enjoy them without guilt.
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Versatile: They’re perfect for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast.
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Easy to Make: With just a few simple steps, you can have these cookies ready in no time.
Ingredients:
- Quick-cooking oats
- Whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour)
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Very ripe banana
- Virgin coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
- Large egg
- Light brown sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Dark chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana until you have 1/2 cup. Add the coconut oil (or butter), egg, brown sugar, and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are dry and the tops are set.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Variations:
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Skip the Pastry Flour: You can use an equal amount of white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour on hand.
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Add Raisins or Dried Fruit: Swap the chocolate chips for raisins, dried cranberries, or cherries for a different flavor combination.
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Make Them Sugar-Free: If your bananas are very ripe, you can omit the sugar and still have sweet and delicious cookies.
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Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 baking blend instead of the whole wheat flour and make sure your oats are certified gluten-free.
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Vegan Option: Use a flax egg instead of a regular egg and use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Storage Tips:
- Store the cookies at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
- Prepare the batter ahead of time and refrigerate the scooped and shaped cookies for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 2 months. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Recommended Tools:
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cookie scoop or measuring cup
Recipe Tips:
- Don’t overmix the dough, as this will result in dense, tough cookies.
- Don’t skip the chilling time, as this will prevent the cookies from spreading too much and keep them thick and chewy.
- Adjust the baking time if needed, as the moisture content of the bananas can affect how long they take to bake.
Conclusion:
These banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips are a delicious and healthy treat that are perfect for any occasion. They’re easy to make, customizable, and sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
