Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I am on another healthy cookie mission (not that I don't LOVE the healthy kind, but I think when I start baking more and more healthy recipes you really do transform your taste buds and start enjoying more raw and natural ingredients for what they are). I love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and so I took my hand with these banana oat chocolate chip cookies.

Ally's Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

-3 ripe bananas (use 4 if you want a strong banana taste)

-2 1/2 cups rolled oats

-1 cup chocolate chips (if you use vegan chocolate chips these will be vegan cookies!)

-1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (I used a little more than a 1/3 cup to soften up the batter)

-1 Tbsp vanilla extract

-1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

-1 Tbsp ground nutmeg

-1 Tbsp ground flax seed

Method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and flax seed. Mix well and then allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop tablespoons full onto ungreased cookie sheet (or parchment lined if you prefer). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown.

These cookies are delicious, but don't expect a sugary deliciousness. The chocolate chips add some sweetness, but they aren't at all as sweet as most cookies. It is hard to tell when they are done as they don't change shape in the oven. If you want a little sweeter cookies but would like to try and keep them healthier, then try adding some stevia or agave nectar to the batter. My recipe made 20 medium sized cookies. You could also switch the chocolate chips for a dried fruit (dates, cranberries...)... but I've never been much of a dried fruit gal :)

Enjoy!