Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Bites

The Friday morning schedule included a playdate with some lovely ladies – one who I knew had a dairy allergy and the other I believed was vegetarian, maybe vegan? I love to bake with buttermilk, butter and eggs like nobody’s business so this presented a challenge, though I wanted to arrive treats-in-hand. You might ask, how does one just happen to have 3 spotty bananas around? This is how. I buy a bunch of at least nine bananas and then put a little sign up that says, “these are not for you” (to my husband, currently the only other reader in the house). Once they’re pungently overripe I mash them in groups of three and scoop it into plastic sandwich bags. I freeze them flat and store them until I’m ready to bake!

These cookie bites were REALLY good just out of the oven because the edges were crisped, the chocolate melty. I stored them in tupperware (two containers, one for rich and the other for the ladies – I had to hide the second container because he ate his seven cookies all at once). The next morning they were a tad soft; any baked good that is sweetened with fruit/veggies (pumpkin, banana) and lacks butter will tend to do this. I figured I’d bring them anyways and since we all devoured them, I figured the softness is a minor annoyance for an otherwise delicious and HEALTHY baked good. Egg-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, but most definitely not flavor-free.

Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Bites

Makes 2 dozen

3 overripe bananas

1 c. pitted dates

1/4 c. coconut oil

2 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts

1/4 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

1. In food processor, blend bananas, dates, and coconut oil until dates are fairly well chopped and mixture is uniform.

2. In a second mixing bowl, stir oats, cinnamon and salt until combined. Add banana mixture to oat mixture and stir to combine.

3. Let mixture rest, 10 minutes, and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Add nuts and chips to batter and stir gently to combine. Scoop batter from bowl with cookie scoop or two spoons – about 1 heaping tbsp. amounts. Arrange on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread – place 12 on each sheet.

5. Bake for 25 minutes (if baking both sheets at the same time, switch sheet locations midway through). Cool on sheet for several minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.

6. Store cookies in a partially sealed container at room temperature or refrigerate.

Leo’s P.O.ed he can’t have one