{recipe} oatmeal banana coconut cookies

I made healthy cookies. They are made without added sugar, the sweetness comes from banana and shredded coconut.  I made these to enjoy with my afternoon tea at work and also to bring during my recent trip to Portland. I’m planning to make another batch to stock up my freezer stash 🙂

The first time I had these cookies, someone had baked it for me and sent to me via a cookie exchange (thanks Mandy!). That was about 2 years ago and I have made these twice already.

I loved it then and I still love it now. I added both unsweetened coconut and sweetened coconut to this batch and  this is the version I’m happy with. I just love the texture and chewiness of the added coconut.

Also, since there is no added sugar to this cookie recipe, using good quality dark chocolate is key. I know that a lot of people don’t like dark chocolate (seems to be the case at work), but I love it because I love the taste of good, smooth chocolate without the sugar overpowering it.

This is the current dark chocolate bar in my pantry from Trader Joe’s, it’s huge and should probably last me for awhile. I like it, it’s not too bitter and just the perfect hint of sweetness for me that I can use it for baking.

Oatmeal Banana Coconut Cookies

(slightly adapted from 101cookbooks)

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm, so it’s not solid
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened                                                                                  1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 – 1 cup dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, coconuts, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips. Drop dollops of the dough. I used size a tablespoon sized metal scoop, put an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12 – 14 minutes. These cookies won’t spread and will stay the same shape after it’s baked.