Banana-Bread Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free and Vegan options)

Hello Friends! Happy Friday. 🙂

I feel like we might all be in need of another cookie recipe right about now. You too? 😀

I made these cookies specifically trying to make a quick version of banana bread for breakfast yesterday, so of course I had to make a few batches (for research purposes!) because I couldn’t believe how delicious they were and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a fluke! I even added a few healthy components (like a good serving of oats and hemp seeds!) so it would totally count as breakfast. 😉 I tested with gluten free flour first (1:1 Baking Flour by Bob’s Red Mill), and though gluten free is always my preference and what I personally tolerate better, the recipe was equally delicious with all-purpose white flour.

The good thing about these cookies is that they require no eggs (also would be easy to convert to vegan w a vegan-based butter and dairy-free choc chips!), so you can rest easy in taking them out immediately at the barely-browned-edge stage for a chewier, softer more banana-bread consistency if you prefer that, OR let the edges brown a bit more (just a bit!) for a crunchier exterior.

One final note – while these cookies are the easiest cookies to make and not high-maintenance at all, I did experiment with pan-banging (google pan-banging if you’ve never heard of it! It’s totally a thing!). Doing this a couple times makes the cookies flatter and gives a more even bake, which I liked. Otherwise they stay a bit bulkier. Even if you give it one bang 3 minutes before taking them out, I recommend it.

Okay on to the recipe! And because this is real life (and in full disclosure I’ve typed this entire post one-handed while holding the baby), I’m leaving you with the actual way my bfast usually looks – on a paper plate and with a fresh, yet less-than full cup of coffee. I find my ratio of cream-to-coffee works best that way…and also I have a better chance of drinking it warm if there’s less. Typical #momproblems. 😀

Banana Bread Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (with GF and Vegan options!)

Ingredients:

• 2 Large ripe bananas
• 2 Sticks of salted butter (1 Cup), softened – use vegan butter for vegan cookies
• 1 generous drizzle of vanilla extract
• 1 generous packed Cup of Brown Sugar
• 2 Cups All-Purpose flour (or gluten free blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1)
• 2 Cups Oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• About a cup Chocolate chips according to taste (dairy-free for vegan)
• *optional 2 Tablespoons hemp seeds for extra nutritional value
• *optional flaky sea salt for topping (totally not necessary, but pretty)

Method:

1. While your oven is pre-heating to 350 degrees, mix all dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder) and set aside.
2. Mash your bananas (or if you have a stand mixer, just put them in, set to high, and they mash up perfectly).
3. Add butter, vanilla and brown sugar to mixing bowl and cream together with mashed bananas.
4. Add chocolate chips and hemp seeds (and any other optional mix-ins you might like).
5. Use a cookie scoop to drop even amounts of dough onto 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets and add optional sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
6. Bake for 11 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown and give the cookie sheet at least one “bang” about 2 minutes before time is up so they spread a little bit.
7. Cookies will be very soft (tops should be dry though) but will firm up after cooling completely.
8. Enjoy!

Love,