“Quarantine Cookies”

This recipe started with my mom texting me to ask how to make some “quarantine cookies” a bit healthier. She had found a recipe online for cookies made with simple ingredients most people have at home. She wanted to surprise my dad with cookies when he got home from his bike ride. And surprise him she did. My mom NEVER bakes. He was super happy to have some yummy healthier cookies fresh out of the oven after a long bike ride.

Over the phone my mom and I came up with a recipe with the ingredients she had on hand. She ended up using raw local honey since she didn’t have any mashed bananas but raw honey can be a bit too sweet for me in baking. So, when the boy wanted to make our own version of healthy quarantine cookies at home we went with bananas.

We put together these delicious cookies that turned out perfect the very first try (rarely does that happen when we are experimenting with recipes). These yummy healthy cookies are made with minimal ingredients so that most anyone could make these during our “stay-home-order” that many of us are under during this Corona Virus pandemic.

So, whether you are choosing to, or being forced to social distance this month, why not try out this yumtastic recipe?

There is no food processor needed, and I have some optional add ins to make them more fun but the basics are basic. So here you go…

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of mashed overripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter (We used the Costco organic peanut butter that’s just peanuts and sea salt, no other ingredients. I’m sure you could substitute almond butter, sun butter for a nut free version, or ay other nut butter you like.)
• 1 cup of organic quick oats
• 1/2 tsp sea salt We buy our Redmonds Real Sea Salt at Thrive Market.
• Optional: we also added 1/2 tsp of Ceylon cinnamon
• Optional: we also added 1 tsp vanilla extract (with no HFCS or sugar added)
• Other options: you can also top them with raisins, dark chocolate chunks or chips, and or walnuts. Yum!

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Mash up some super ripe bananas (the riper the banana the sweeter the cookie).
4. In a medium size bowl mix together 1 cup mashed banana, 1 cup quick oats, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 tsp sea salt.
5. Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp cinnamon if using.
6. Scoop out your mixture onto the parchment lined cookie sheet. Make them in the shape of cookies since they will not spread out when you cook them. I was able to make about 10 equally shaped cookies.
7. If using add in, top with raisins, dark chocolate chips, walnuts or whatever your heart desires.
8. Cook for anywhere from 10-12 minutes. You don’t want to over cook them but you want them to not be so mushy they fall apart.
9. Enjoy!

These are best when they are fresh out of the oven but they also taste great the next day. Be sure to store in an air tight container in your refrigerator as they don’t have preservatives and will go bad quickly on the counter if they last more than a day or so. 😉

I hope you enjoy these “Quarantine Cookies” as much as we do. Have fun with your “add ins” and let me know if you think of any other fun things to add to your cookies.

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