Recipes » Desserts » Banana-Peanut Butter Cookies

By The China Study Quick & Easy Cookbook

(5)

I used to make a smoothie called Chunky Monkey with bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa. It is one of my favorite flavor combinations, so I use it here in this recipe—and even without the cocoa, these cookies make me grin from ear to ear.

Yield: 10 large or 20 small cookies

Low Sugar Soy Free

Ingredients

10 Medjool dates, pitted
1 ripe banana (overripe is fine)
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups quick-cooking or rolled oats
¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
¼ tsp baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Add the dates to a small pan with enough water to cover and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Then purée the mixture in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the banana, peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla to the food processor and purée until smooth and creamy.
4. Transfer the peanut butter–banana mixture to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, stirring until just combined.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment-lined, silicone-lined, or nonstick baking sheet.
6. Bake large cookies for about 15 minutes. Bake small cookies for about 12 minutes. The cookies should be lightly browned on top.
7. Let the cookies sit for about 10 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet; they will be easier to remove. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.