May 3, 2011

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies


This is a change from cake decorating, but I wanted to share with you one of our favorite cookie recipes.  We eat quite a lot of Oatmeal Cookies and I make them almost weekly.  This one is the perfect recipe to use up those really dark, well ripened banana's.
So when life gives you some really ripe banana's, bake them into some delicious Oatmeal Cookies...they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!  And also a perfect little snack or a quick breakfast bite to grab on the go.

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
approximately 30 cookies  (adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies)

1 Cup Bleached All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup (packed) Light Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Mashed, Banana's (approx. 2 large banana's but you can add only 1/2 cup if preferred)
1 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats/Oatmeal
8 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts (or pecans), toasted

1) Preheat oven 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

2) Spread out the Walnuts in a single layer over the cookie sheet and toast them in the oven for about 2-3 minutes.  Remove and cool completely.  I like to use walnut halves and break them down by hand for chunkier pieces once they're toasted. Toasting the walnuts gives them a really nice flavor but it's completely optional.

3) In a bowl, mix together the Flours, Salt, and Baking Soda

4) In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter until fluffy, add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Reduce the speed to low, add the egg and vanilla, and mix until just combined.  Add in the mashed banana and mix for about 30 seconds.  By hand and with a wooden spoon or spatula, add the flour mixture and lightly mix it together.  Add the walnuts, oatmeal and chocolate chips, fold it all in until just combined.

Tip:  We like our cookies fat so I chill the batter for at least 1 hour in the fridge or 1/2 hour in the freezer before baking.  You can store it in the fridge for a couple days or in the freezer for a few months and bake a few cookies at a time.  If you don't chill the batter, the cookies will spread out thinly when baked.

5)  When ready to bake, scoop out about 1 tbsp. of batter and place it on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake them for 12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges, let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they will continue to cook) then move them over to a wire rack to completely cool down.

If they don't all get eaten up right away, you can store the cookies in an airtight container for no more than 2 days (these cookies are really moist and will soften up while stored).

Enjoy!

3 comments:

  1. I love cookies and this is a recipe I will try for sure. I am sure my kids will love them too!!

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  2. AnonymousJune 24, 2013

    I'd love to make these but oatmeal doesn't appear on the ingredient list. Can you tell me how much oatmeal to use! Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. LOL - so sorry. 1 Cup. I added it to the recipe above. Thank you!

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