Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I bought a bunch of bananas with the goal of making two different banana recipes this week. I couldn't decide which one I wanted to make and had enough bananas to make both. In Greece, they would say this is my destiny.  


I also came to the realization that homemade cookies are way better than store-bought cookies.  OK with the caveat that Oreos are the exception because let's be honest with ourselves, they are the end-all be-all of cookies.  We had the Keebler rainbow M&M's cookies (the ones with exactly 3 M&M's per cookie) and they tasted like cardboard.  That's when I realized I wanted to make these cookies and put the calories toward something much more delicious (and probably nutritious).  


Enter super ripe bananas. This recipe came together so quickly--mix all together and bake.  I didn't make any  modifications to this recipe except to underbake the second and third batches in the oven. I like my cookies a little underbaked and soft.  


They were delicious. Chewy, soft and flavorful--everything I had hoped for.  The good news is that these also freeze well, so you can pull one out of the freezer as you want it.  It's the self control that is the difficult part. :)


As of today's post, 37 people gave this an average rating of four out of five stars.  


Recipe by Cathy Brixen, Phoenix, Arizona, Cooking Light, July 2009

• YIELD: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)
• 
  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 5 3/5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Cooking spray

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add egg; beat well.
• 3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture in bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
• 4. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until golden. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Nutritional Information

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• Amount per serving
• Calories: 115
• Fat: 3.6g
• Saturated fat: 2g
• Monounsaturated fat: 1.1g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 19.1g
• Fiber: 1.2g
• Cholesterol: 14mg
• Iron: 0.9mg
• Sodium: 121mg
• Calcium: 10mg