There is something deeply satisfying about turning overripe bananas into something your kids actually want to eat. I had a bunch of them sitting on my counter, getting spottier by the day, when the idea hit me. What if I could make a cookie that tasted like banana bread, had no refined sugar, and was something I could actually feel good about handing my kids on a busy school morning?
That epiphany turned into these Banana Bread Cookies with Dark Chocolate and they have quickly become one of my favorite things to bake. Naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and a touch of maple syrup, packed with oats, walnuts and hemp seeds, and finished with a dark chocolate drizzle that makes them feel like a real treat. No refined ingredients, no added sugar and genuinely delicious. The kind of grab and go snack that works for back to school mornings, after school hunger or honestly anytime you need something that feels indulgent but is actually good for you.
Banana Bread Cookies with Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted, plus 1 tbsp divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste such as Nielsen Massey brand
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mash ripe bananas in a bowl. Add in maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla bean paste cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Use a whisk to combine.
- Add in rolled oats, hemp seeds and chopped walnuts, use a spatula to ensure everything is well mixed. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours to allow oats to hydrate.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325°. Use a cookie scoop or your hands to scoop out 1½ tablespoons of the cookie dough. Roll it gently with your hands, place it on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. Allow cookies to cool.
- Melt chocolate chips with reserved 1 tbsp of coconut oil in the microwave in 20 second increments. Drizzle the chocolate on the cookies and place sheet tray in the refrigerator to cool.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to one week.