Banana, Oatmeal, & Chocolate Chip Cookies
Posted by Noelle on September 17th, 2012Categories: Breakfasts, Desserts
Tags: Corn-Free,Gluten-Free,Refined Sugar Free,Soy-Free,Vegan
It's hard to find healthy sweet treats, even harder to find vegan and gluten-free healthy sweets. Someday I hope that every baker in America, after mastering their skills, will proudly add symbols for vegan and gluten-free goods on their signs or at least their windows. Is that too much to ask for? That would seriously be a dream come true. Anyways, until that time, I have to create my own healthier sweets. I happened to have some bananas that were looking pretty brown and a craving for chocolate. What a great combination! And of course it's the perfect time of year for oatmeal. So I combined everything together in one happy little cookie. These are more cake-like little bites, than a chewy cookie. Not too sweet, not too filling, with just enough chocolate to make me happy. These would actually make great little mini whoopie pies if you had a hankering to whip together a vegan buttercream. I have to admit that I gave them to not only my family, but my coworkers and other work associates to taste test. Why? Because I loved them, but they are different and again, healthy. Just needed a reality check for others to say they enjoyed them too... I got the thumbs up from everyone and they were gone quickly. So here's hoping you will like them too 
Ingredients:
- 1 - 1/4 cup of rolled oats
- 3/4 cup of rolled oats, ground fine in a food processor
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/8 cup agave syrup, I used light
- 1/8 cup canola oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, or more to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper, then spray the paper with non-stick spray. In a large bowl whisk together the rolled oats, ground oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk the banana, agave, oil, and vanilla together. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Using a spoon, stir until everything is well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Place a heaping tablespoon of batter for each cookie onto the parchment lined pan, leaving at leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Press the down on them slightly until they are no more than 1/2" thick. Put 8-10 cookies on each sheet. Bake cookies for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through to make sure they back evenly. They should be just slightly golden around the edges. Let rest on pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes 16 - 20 cookies.
