Chocolate banana cookies
These cookies are deliciously light and cakey. They're not too sweet and you can easily play around with the recipe and add your favourite dried fruit, nuts or seeds. When I used to be a music teacher I would often throw these cookies together when I had a half hour gap between lessons if I was craving something sweet to get me through the evening.
As is the case with all recipes using banana, there’s always likely to be some variation in the final texture because bananas come in different sizes and become more moist the riper they are. No need to get too bogged down with that when you’re making these cookies as they’ll be delicious regardless of whether you have a slightly wetter/drier batter.
Other things which could affect the texture include the amount of maple syrup you use and what you decide to throw in from your kitchen cupboards. Raisins for example will swallow up some of the moisture from the batter whereas seeds will tend to leave it alone.
These cookies tend to get quite a rise on them which is why I describe the texture as being quite cakey, almost like a muffin top. They won’t spread a lot because of the raising agent and the lack of sugar (flat, chewy cookies usually get their shape and texture from hella sugar), so an inch and a half-ish gap between dollops should be fine.
These are definitely at their best just cooled out of the oven, once the chocolate has set. But if you’ve managed to hold on to them for longer than a few days you can give them back a bit of their sparkle by warming them in the oven. Personally, I keep them in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days and then put them in the fridge to keep them going longer. Putting any cake/cookies in the fridge will dry them out a bit, but nothing a quick blast in the oven can’t fix. You could also freeze some of the cookies if you don’t think you can get through the whole lot.
Makes around 20 cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp ground flax meal
5 tbsp water
1 cup oats
1 cup wholemeal/spelt or flour of your choice
1/2 cup ground almonds or almond flour
1/4 cup desiccated coconut (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 banana, mashed
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or mild flavoured oil of choice
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (room temp or slightly warmed if using coconut oil)
1tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1-2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips/chunks plus extra chunks to go on top
1/4-1/2 cup raisins
Handful of seeds of choice
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F
Line 2 baking sheets
Make your flax eggs by combining the flax meal and water. Give it a stir and then leave to sit for about 5 mins.
Meanwhile, combine oats, flour, ground almonds, coconut, cinnamon, bicarb, baking powder, salt, sugar in a bowl and mix.
In a separate bowl, mash the banana then add the oil, milk, flax eggs, vanilla, maples syrup and whisk well with a fork until combined and creamy looking.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry, stirring as you go.
Once it’s all in, if the mixture seems too wet, add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time. It should be a sticky rather than a solid dough but definitely not runny. Add a little plant milk if too crumbly
Add your chocolate, raisins & seeds and fold in so they’re evenly dispersed. .
Spoon tablespoon sized balls onto your baking tray & shape and flatten them slightly with damp hands, leaving a small gap between each dollop. They won’t spread all that much.
I like to put a chunk of chocolate in the middle of each cookie & sprinkle a little coconut sugar over the rest of the surface.
Bake for around 13 mins, until golden.
Leave to cool on the tray for 5 mins before transferring to a cooling rack.
You can also drizzle some melted chocolate over the top.
Eat! These are delicious warm as well as cooled. Store them in an airtight container
