Recipes: Healthy Oat & Banana Cookies
We don’t know about you but for us it’s almost impossible to turn down cookies of any kind! Thankfully, we’ve found a way to get our cravings sorted.. These oat & banana cookies are suuuper easy to prepare - you throw everything in one bowl, mix it up, scoop it out & it’s ready to bake! These are a much healthier option than the traditional oatmeal cookies you’d buy in the store, and the wholesome base of oats, banana & peanut butter keeps you nice and full and very satisfied. We first made these cookies a few weeks ago when trying to find ways to keep our energy levels going during the day. After many tests, we finally found the sweet spot with these & couldn’t wait to share with you guys!
One of the best things about these (aside from how easy they are to make) is the endless ways you can customise/tailor the ingredients to your taste. From goji berries, cranberries, nuts, dark chocolate to pumpkin seeds, raisins - anything goes! Made with a handful of nutritious ingredients in under 20 minutes - you can enjoy these oat cookies as a delicious breakfast, a healthy snack on-the-go or a pre-post workout treat! We like making a bigger batch and freezing to always have these on hand for busy mornings, and those afternoon slumps.. They're gluten-free (make sure to purchase gluten-free oats), dairy-free and vegan too!
Let’s get down to it…
things to note*
Texture These cookies are made flourless, so they will have a more soft, chewy and dense oatmeal texture.
Sweetness We added 1 tbsp maple syrup as the ripened bananas already bring natural sweetness. However, if you like your bakes on the sweeter side then you can add 2 tbsp of maple syrup or agave syrup.
Nut Butter We used Meridian Smooth peanut butter in this recipe, but you can play around with your nut butter choices. You can use cashew, hazelnut or almond instead (make sure to use non-salted) or if you’d like a little more saltiness in your cookies, miss out the step of adding the sea salt.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of oats
1 1/2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (non-salted)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 180c.
Mash the bananas roughly in a bowl with a fork until they form a smooth paste.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until everything is combined.
Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture onto a baking sheet. Shape each cookie into a ball and press down firmly. These cookies do not change shape during the baking process, so ensure you are happy with the shape & thickness prior to placing in the oven.
Bake for 12 minutes. They should be firm and slightly browned when done.
Place cookies on a wire cooling rack and let cool for roughly 15-20 minutes before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.
