These cookies are loaded with plant based protein, fiber, healthy fats and a whole lot of goodies! They’re chewy, satisfying and just the right amount of sweetness. I like to think of them as a hybrid between banana bread and an oatmeal cookie, but I couldn’t resist and got crazy one day cleaning the pantry and decided to throw in nuts and chocolate. I have even swapped out banana, cinnamon and nutmeg and substituted with 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree and 1tsp pumpkin spice. Swap your coconut for pumpkin seeds and you basically have the best pumpkin cookie ever! Yay for PSL season!

The best part about these gluten free cookies is that you can switch up the toppings with any dried fruit or nut you like. Or leave them out altogether if you want. Raisins aren’t your thing? No problem, use some dried cranberries or blueberries instead. Not a fan of pecans, use walnuts. Want to substitute your peanut butter for almond butter, go for it! My sons favorite add in’s are M&M’s! While mine are hemp seeds. There really is no wrong way to make this cookie. Sometimes when I’m feeling fancy, I drizzle some melted chocolate on the top for some added sweetness.

Tip: To make your own oat flour all you need is a high speed blender or food processor. Just place your old fashioned rolled oats in the blender and whiz them up until they are a flour like consistency. Don’t skip this step, you need the density from the oat flour to help bind your cookies. Almond flour alone will be too loose. (Ask me how I know?!) If you don’t have a gluten sensitivity, you can use all purpose flour in place of the almond and oat flour.

Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 25 min Total Time 40 min

Ingredients

1. 1 ripe banana
2. ¼ cup natural peanut butter
3. ¼ cup avocado oil/vegetable oil/or coconut oil
4. ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (or pumpkin purée)
5. ¼ cup maple syrup (or agave)
6. 2 eggs (you can also you flax or chia seed egg)
7. 1 tsp vanilla
8. ½ cup raisins (or dried fruit of your choice)
9. ¾ cup chocolate chips
10. ½ chopped pecan (or nut of your choice)
11. ¼ unsweetened shredded coconut
12. 1 ¾ cups old fashion oats
13. ½ cup oat flour
14. 1 cup almond flour
15. 1 tsp cinnamon
16. ¼ tsp nutmeg
17. ½ tsp baking soda
18. 1 tsp baking powder
19. ¼ tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash up your banana and then mix in the remaining wet ingredients; peanut butter, oil, applesauce, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla until well combined, then set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine all your dry ingredients; oats, oat flour, almond flour, shredded coconut, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Next, combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredient bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until well combined.
5. Fold in all the fun stuff.
6. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of batter onto the cookie sheet for each cookie. (I like to make them large, because they are Monster-iffic after all!)
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
8. Once out of the oven, allow them to sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to fully cool and set.
9. Optional: In microwave, melt 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and drizzle over cooled cookies. Let set 1 hour.
10. Enjoy with a tall glass of almond milk or store in an airtight container for 3-5 days (if they last that long before someone eats them all!).

Cookie Storage Tip:

I learned this many years ago from my sweet Stepmother, Lisa. She is the original cookie baking queen. When storing soft baked cookies, place a piece of good old fashioned white bread (or wheat bread) whatever you have on hand, in the bottom of your container. Your cookies will last twice as long!