Remember the chocolate oatmeal cookies you used to eat as a kid? Sometime back, I decided to play around in the kitchen a bit. These chocolate oatmeal cookies are what I came up with as a much healthier version.
Begin by heating the oven to 350°F, and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and to make cleanup a breeze.
Next, mash 2 ripe bananas in a large bowl mixing bowl with a potato masher or fork.
Once the bananas are mashed well, add the applesauce, peanut butter (or PB2 for lower fat), brown sugar (or another sweetener), cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract, and mix well.
I've included instructions for how to make your own applesauce above for those that might not have access to it in their area.
Next, in the recipe, add the old-fashioned oats to the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined.
Then, drop rounded spoonfuls of the batter onto a prepared baking sheet then gently press with a fork to flatten a bit. I use the fork to help round up the edges a bit as well.
Bake for 15-20 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve and enjoy!
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Notes
Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.Your questions answered:
Q: Are these cookies gluten-free? Yes, oats and all other ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Just make sure when purchasing the oats that they are guaranteed not to have gluten from contamination of other products in the producer’s facility.
Q: Can I use date paste or another sweetener? Yes, date paste at a ratio of 1:1 or other sweeteners should work just fine in this recipe.
Q: Are the cookies hard or gooey? These chocolate oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy and absolutely delicious.
Q: Can I make them without peanut butter? Absolutely. The peanut butter can be left out. If the batter needs a little more moisture, just add an additional tablespoon of applesauce.
Q: What if I can’t find applesauce? No problem. I’ve included instructions for how to make your own applesauce in the recipe above.