Less Sugar Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve been doing a fair amount of simple baking during the pandemic and experimenting with less sugar. Here’s an easy recipe for cookies that are tasty, a little bit healthy and just sweet enough.

Less Sugar Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Adapted from the NYT Cooking Banana Everything Cookies)

Ingredients

• 2 very ripe medium bananas

• ⅓ cup canola oil (or mild olive oil)

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal or rolled oats

• ½ cup chocolate chips

• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Step One

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, mash bananas well. Whisk oil, egg, sugar and vanilla together, add it to bananas and mix with a strong fork. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and mix until just moistened.

Step Two

Add oatmeal and chocolate chips (and walnuts if using). Using your hands or a sturdy spoon, mix well, making sure oats are well moistened. (If dough is very slippery, add one or two extra tablespoons flour).

Step Three

Using clean, wet hands, re-wetting as needed, roll dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, about 1 1/3 inches in diameter. Flatten slightly and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.