Banana Oat Snack Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 30 cookies or 16 bars
 
Adapted from Alex Witchel via the NY Times

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Soy-Free Option, Nut-Free Option, Refined Sugar-Free Option, Gluten Option

These hearty little snack cookies (or bars!) are loaded with good-for-you ingredients. They're a great mid-afternoon nosh or on-the-go breakfast option, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup millet flour
  • ¼ cup brown rice flour
  • 2 tablespoons flax meal
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free certified if needed)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 10 large medjool dates, pitted and halved (about ½ cup packed)
  • 2 medium ripe bananas
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the millet flour, brown rice flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. (This isn't necessary, but makes the assembly process go more smoothly.)
  4. Add the dates to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Run the processor; the dates will become chopped at first and will then form a ball. Continue to process until the ball begins to smooth out and the dates form a very sticky paste. This whole process shouldn't take more than a couple minutes.
  5. Scrape down the bowl of the food processor and add the bananas. Process with the dates, stopping to scrape down the bowl as need, until the dates and bananas become light and fluffy. Blend in the vanilla extract.
  6. Stir the banana-date paste into the flour mixture. Once combined, fold in the remaining ingredients until evenly incorporated (you may want to use your hands to work it all together).
  7. Scoop packed, level tablespoon measurements of dough using a round tablespoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are browned and crispy.
  8. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
  9. FOR BARS: Line an 8"x8" baking dish with a strip of parchment paper that fits the width of the bottom exactly and is long enough to hang over two sides of the dish. Press the dough into the pan and bake for 35 minutes, until golden on the edges and firm in the middle. Allow to cool and then use the overhanging parchment to lift the baked, uncut bars out of the dish. Cut into 16 squares.
Notes
Soy-Free Option: Use soy-free chocolate chips (I recommend Enjoy Life Foods or Equal Exchange brands) or sub dried fruit like raisins instead.

Nut-Free Option: Use sunflower or pumpkin seeds in place of the walnuts.

Refined Sugar-Free Option: Use grain-sweetened chocolate chips (usually not GF) or sub dried fruit.

Gluten Option: Use regular all purpose flour in place of the millet and brown rice flours. Since these cookies are already sort of hefty, I imagine whole wheat flour may be nice as well.
Recipe by Leaves of Kale at http://www.leavesofkale.com/2015/04/banana-oat-snack-cookies/