If you are looking for a healthy little nutrient dense treat that will successfully satisfy your sweet craving, but also add a little protein, fiber and vitamins into your diet then you may want to give these banana nut dark chocolate oatmeal cookies a try…
This recipe is super simple. Everything is mixed in the same bowl and they are ready start to finish in about 20 minutes.
So, grab those ugly bananas that have been loitering on your counter top and let’s get started…
In a large bowl, mash 3 large overly ripe bananas until they are nice and smooth.
Whisk in 3 tablespoons of honey, a large egg and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
When it comes to the oats, you can use quick cooking oats just as they are or you can use old fashioned oats that have been pulsed a few times in a food processor until they are broken down just a little bit.
Now you can use old fashioned oats without pulsing them, but the cookies may not come together quite as well this way.
Add 2 cups of the oats along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of salt and mix until mostly combined.
Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans and 3/4 cup of chopped dark chocolate or chips and mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Spray a tablespoon cookie dough scoop with your favorite. non-stick spray and drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet leaving an inch or two between each portion.
These cookies will not spread much at all as they bake, so if you prefer them to be flatter and more cookie like then I suggest pressing the dough out into a more disk like shape, but I kind of like them scoop shaped too!
Bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until they are just lightly golden and feel springy to the touch. If you touch them (carefully, of course!) and they are still super soft or dent easily then let them back for another minute or so.
Once the cookies are set enough to move, transfer them onto a cooling rack to continue cooling.
These cookies are gooey, chewy and full of great texture. They combine banana and dark chocolate flavors with just enough sweetness to squash any of those sweet cravings that may attack mid day… or late night…
If you love these banana nut dark chocolate oatmeal cookies (and I know you will!) then I would love for you to give these other healthy treats a try the next time you want to get some serious nutritious baking done right in your own kitchen..
Banana Nut Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 large overly ripe bananas, mashed smooth
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups of quick oats or old fashioned oats (see notes above)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
- a pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans, chopped
- 3/4 cup of dark chocolate, chips or roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°
- *If using old fashioned oats, I suggest giving them a few pulses in a food processor to break down their texture a bit. This is not absolutely necessary, but it will create a better, more homogeneous texture in your cookies
- Mash 3 large bananas until smooth in a large bowl
- Add 3 tablespoons of honey, a large egg and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix to combine
- Add 1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats, 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of salt and mix until mostly combined
- Mix in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and 3/4 cup of chopped dark chocolate until evenly distributed
- Spray a cookie scoop with non-stick spray and drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheets with about 2 inches in between
- Bake in a 350° oven for 12-14 minutes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days
