WHAT’S INSIDE:
banana - extra ripe bananas give so much to these delicious cookies: sweetness, texture, potassium, and a little fiber. make sure the bananas you use have tons of brown spots on them and are soft to the touch!
maple syrup - I oped for maple syrup here for a minimally processed sugar with rich maple flavor, but honey works, too. we’re keeping the sugar to a minimum in this recipe to bring out the beautiful flavors of all the other ingredients, and to keep the carbohydrate and sugar content low.
butter - butter! I’m a big fan, especially when it’s browned. browned butter gives an incredible warm, rich, nutty flavor to these cookies. the browned butter is really the main character here, but you can sub coconut oil or nut butter if needed.
rolled oats - because oatmeal cookies are better than oatmeal-less cookies. no questions asked. oats are a great minimally processed source of fiber, B vitamins, and protein (yes, really!).
whole-wheat pastry flour - I used this because it was what I had on hand. it’s half whole-wheat flour, half all-purpose flour. feel free to sub 100% of one or the other, just keep an eye on the texture of the finished dough. if you’re going 100% whole-wheat, you may need less flour. if you’re going 100% all-purpose, you may need a bit more.
chia seeds - rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, and more, these little seeds pack a punch! I love them in this recipe because they add a little crunch, and help to hold the cookie together.
dates - the raisin’s hotter, healthier twin sister. kidding, mostly. but seriously dates are SO GOOD. they’re ugly, I know, but they’re soft and sweet and caramelly, and packed with fiber, potassium, iron, and more!
chocolate chips - no explanation or justification needed.
RECIPE:
2 extra ripe bananas, mashed
1 extra large egg
½ cup butter
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3 tbsp chia seeds
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of ginger
4 medjool dates, pitted, finely chopped
½ cup dark chocolate chips
Start by browning the butter. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and stir gently. Keep an eye on it, as this process can happen quickly. You’ll notice the butter start to foam, and turn from a pale yellow, to golden, to amber. Stir consistently to pick up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the majority of the butter is an amber color, immediately turn off the heat and pour the butter into a bowl and cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the cooled butter and mix until combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Next, add the chopped dates and stir to coat in the dry ingredients (essential to prevent sticking).
Fold the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches. Add the chocolate chips and stir until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small cookie scooper to scoop the dough onto the sheet, 10-12 per batch. Bake for 11-13 minutes and cool completely before removing from the sheet. They will continue to bake on the sheet after being removed from the oven, so they need to stay for a few extra minutes.
While they cool, place a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie, if desired!
Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. If you keep them at room temp, they will only last for up to a few days.
