Banana Oat Cookies

I wanted a light and healthy dessert to serve at our dinner get-together with friends. I had two very ripe bananas so I opted for banana cookies. I wanted something sweet yet healthy so these were perfect. These definitely tasted "healthy" but the sweetness from the chocolate chips made them seem "desserty." Great stuff in my opinion and guilt-free when eating two or more cookies. :) My boys loved these, and when they kept asking for more, I had no problems letting them eat 'em up. This was very similar to the banana bars I made but I changed the ingredients a little and baked in cookie form. Yums. :)

My Pampered Chef medium scoop was perfect for cookies.

Next time, I'll press them down just a bit to make more of a cookie shape. 

Banana Oat Cookies

Yield: 18 cookies

Ingredients: 

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c quick oats
• 1/3 c shredded and sweetened coconut
• 1/3 c flax seeds
• 1/3 c flour
• 1/2 tbs cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 c chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In large bowl, mix bananas and vanilla.
3. Add oats, coconut, flax seeds, flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder to same bowl. To avoid making another bowl dirty, I mix the dry ingredients carefully and then mix thoroughly into the banana mixture. All ingredients should be combined well.
4. Gently fold in chocolate chips. 
5. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and drop spoonfuls (use Pampered Chef medium scoop) of dough onto baking sheet about 1" apart.
6. Bake for 13-15 mins. 

Source: Adapted from 101 Cookbooks