Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you ever buy bananas will full intention of eating them, and then a week later find them sitting in the same spot on the counter untouched? This happens in my house more often than I’d like to admit. Usually when I have bananas that are a little too ripe to eat, I slice them and throw them in the freezer to keep for smoothies. No wasted food, and they make the smoothies nice and cold without having to use ice.

This morning I woke up to the same few bananas sitting there from last week, but instead of popping them in the freezer; my creative juices were flowing. I figured I’d try out a recipe just to see if I could make some yummy with them…other than banana bread.

During quarantine, I jumped on the bandwagon of attempting to make banana bread while stuck at home. I feel like everyone and their mother made banana bread in the last few months. I found a banana bread recipe, mixed it up, and everything looked great. Until it came out of the oven. Although mine tasted delicious, the texture of it was not what I was looking for. Still not sure what I did wrong, but I chalked it up as a Pinterest fail and haven’t tried to make it since.

So today, I opted to try for something I knew my whole family would eat: Cookies!  These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are simple and yummy. The recipe only calls for three ingredients, so it doesn’t get much better than that! I have to say I was nervous about the outcome because a cookie recipe with only three ingredients and no added sugar just seems too good to be true! They’re a different texture than a normal cookie because there’s no flour or baking powder. I would say they are similar to a chewy granola bar, or a “no-bake cookie”. Because of the simplified ingredients, I honestly don’t feel guilty eating two or ten of them. I still can’t believe how easy of a recipe this is. Hope you enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients

3 Ripe Bananas, peeled

1 ½ cup oats (gluten-free)

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350.
2. Mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. You want to try to get all of the lumps out.
3. Add in the oats to combine. You may have to add more oats if the mixture seems too wet. You’re still aiming for a cookie dough-like consistency.
4. Add in the chocolate chips and stir.
5. Place spoonful’s of the mixture onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Gently press down to flatten.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Let cool and enjoy!

*Since this recipe is made with fresh bananas and no preservatives, it’s best to keep them stored in an air-tight container and eat within 2 days.