Healthy Chunky Monkey Cookies Two Ways

Made from just a few simple ingredients, these easy to make, fun to vary, wholesome breakfast cookies make mornings a delight, even for relucant risers!

When it comes to homebaked comfort, cookies are Classic with a capital C. And when it comes to getting out the door and headed to school on time, they’re a cheerful form of grab-and-go TLC. You don’t even need to measure—between mashed bananas, oats, a little unsweetened applesauce (optional), natural nut or sun butter (also optional, but recommended), and some ground cinnamon (again, optional!), whatever batter-blend you mix together is going to be highly forgiving and tasty. The chocolatey version shown here has a more decadent look, but we go with straight up peanut butter banana most often, preferring them in high little piles, like haystacks.

Funnily enough, these healthy “Chunky Monkey” Cookies started out as breakfast for me—not the kiddo. That was back when he was too small even for solid food and nursing up a storm. Making these bites was somehow grounding—the process could rely on intuition only, was easy to tailor to current mood (very important in those days), was nostalically reminescent of making playdough and therefore something cheery. Finally, it fell in line with ongoing, the evolving lists , “Things I Can Accomplish One-Handed” and “Things I can Make Wearing the Little Monkey in the Boba Wrap”.

Since then, time has flown, as time does, but these cookies still prove delightful, whether someone is craving a little something special for breakfast or we simply have soft brown bananas and twenty minutes only—no time for banana bread. They’re great for the lunchbox, and we always make a few chocolate-free treats suitable for the fur friends who will do anything for peanut butter.

Healthy Chunky Monkey Variations

Peanut Butter Banana: Just like they sound, but let the peanut butter flavor shine and increase it Use the recipe below as is, just leave out the cacao/protein powder OR swap in vanilla or plain protein powder if you choose. We tend to keep these simple.

Chocolate Chunky Monkey Cookies: Follow the recipe below and include chocolate chips, obviously. :) Feel free to make the cacao/protein powder option and rather than or , adding a little applesauce if needed if the mixture feels too dry.

Yield: 12

Author: Wendy McMillan

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Healthy Chunky Monkey Cookies (Two Ways)

Made from just a few simple ingredients, these easy to make, fun to vary, wholesome breakfast cookies make mornings a delight, even for relucant risers!

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 17 Min

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe bananas (2 large)
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (or substitute another nut butter (We recommend upping to 1/3 Cup if peanut butter banana only)
• 2-3 Tablespoons cocoa powder OR vegan Chocolate Protein Powder (we love Earth Chimp)
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• Addends of choice: dairy-free chocolate mini chips, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries or raisins—go wild!

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Mash bananas. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Drop big spoonfuls to taste onto a cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment. Leave rounded or flatten with a fork or spoon. Bake 10-12 minutes, until browning at edges.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

103

Fat

4 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Net carbs

12 g

Sugar

4 g

Protein

5 g

Sodium

36 mg

Cholesterol

3 mg