Firstly: If my face looked kind of big in those photos yesterday it’s probably because you guys compliment me too much and it’s going to my head. ;)
Secondly: Thank GOODNESS it’s Friday. Granted, I still have a neuro test to study for alllll weekend, but at least I won’t have classes.
Anyways, about that cookie dough…
I stumbled upon this recipe for peanut butter-banana-chocolate chunk cookies. And let’s be honest my favorite flavor combination in the world is peanut butter + bananas + chocolate (I may be part monkey). Or perhaps cinnamon & chocolate. Or coffee & chocolate (side note: I just gave up caffeine and it’s killing me). I think I see a theme…
Made according to the original recipe, these are quite healthy. I modified them only slightly and added a little bit of ground flax to make sure it held together, as well as a couple of tablespoons of flour to make them a little denser. If you use bitter chocolate instead of regular chocolate chips, they’re sugar free; without the flour and with gluten-free oats, they’re pretty easily gluten-free.
Innards. Yum.
I also went ahead and continued with my dough-ball obsession and tried to make them more ball-like. To half of my half-batch, I added some powdered sugar and peanut flour to further enhance the peanuttiness and to make it a little denser. It sort of worked, but not quite how I wanted it. Meaning I will probably tweak this recipe further, but it was pretty good anyways so I’m sharing. :)
Healthy Monkey Cookies
Makes ~30
Adapted from here.
3 large, very ripe bananas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)*
1/2 cup peanut flour (optional)*
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 – 1 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
* Totally optional, creates a denser but also less healthy cookie.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl mash the bananas with the peanut butter, oil and vanilla. Mix in flaxseeds and let sit for a few minutes (I even microwaved this a little, mostly because my bananas were frozen…). In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips). Mix dry into wet and stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake for 11-13 minutes or until just set.
Share with your favorite monkey. Or someone whose genetic make-up is more than 95% monkey.
Yep, I’m talking to you.
What’s your favorite flavor combination?
Do you drink coffee/caffeine regularly? I am absolutely dying. I want it sooo bad… I think it’s mostly the taste, but my headache says otherwise… I refuse to admit my addiction. Sigh.
Nicole @ Of Cookies & Carrots
Of Cookies & Carrots 
hehe…healthy monkey cookies. love the name. and yes, i have a bit of a banana obsession. they’re probably the one thing that i’ll make that extra out-of-the-way trip to the grocery store for. anything else i can go a day or two without. but bananas? not gonna happen.
i drink coffee regularly! not to the extreme…but a cup or two in the morning, and maybe a cup of decaf after dinner :]
Ooh those cookies look yummy!
I rarely have coffee, if I do it’s in my oats but most of the time I don’t drink it because it makes me so jittery! I drink tons of green tea though and I have no side effects with that.
I seriously drink SO much coffee its a little ridiculous. I only try and drink 1 a day, but I just love the taste so much that I can’t help but drink more :)
Bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate? Count me in. Those seriously look so delicious.
Although I don’t drink coffee anymore, I used to all the time. But then I got tired of being dependent on it and getting caffeine withdrawals if I didn’t have my morning cup. Headaches are not my thing.
I love the name of these cookies! I have a coffee addiction, but I do limit myself to one cup in the morning, otherwise I get too jittery and feel sick. I just really enjoy the taste, and iced coffee makes my mornings amazing.
haha you’re so cute nicole!! you monkey you. ;) I definitely love tea and coffee and love coffee for its effect and taste. I used to dislike the taste–don’t know what happened! uhh help?
I probably drink wayyyy too much caffeine. I try not to have it after 3 though, otherwise I’m up really late.
I love almost any combination of chocolate and fruit. I also love pistachio, strawberry, and cinnamon, which is kind of random but really good!
LOVEEEEEE THAT COMBO!!! its probs my fav too.. which is why my fav night snack is a nanner with pb and choc chips!
There are worse animals to be than monkeys! Peanut butter+banana+chocolate = delicious. I love the look and the sound of your cookies!
I love pb & banana things that are called “monkey”. I always imagine a cute little monkey eating a banana and smiling. It makes me laugh every time. Anyway, your cookies look really good. I’m sure they would be monkey friendly ;)
Have a lovely day!
Now I’m thinking I might be part monkey too lol I can’t go one day without the usual banana, pb, chocolate combo :) Those cookies look delicious!
A coffee addict (for the taste!) myself, I’ve recently decided to try to ween myself off the caffeinated part to avoid those headachey mornings/days when coffee doesn’t happen. Instead of going cold turkey, though, I’ve been making my coffee with a ratio skewed more and more toward decaf, so that eventually I’ll be be drinking pure decaf every morning, just for the flava!
Mmm! Does the banana flavor come through pretty well? I’ve made a PB, banana, chocolate chip quick bread before that just ended up tasting like PB and chocolate…which tasted great but I really wanted to taste banana too!
I have one cup of 1/2 caf in the morning, but I used to be a total caffeine junkie! There’s a coffee shop in the hospital where I work and the girl that used to work there would always give me the hook-up on “discounted” drinks and espresso shots. One day, all on my own (who am I kidding…after she got into nursing school and left the coffee shop) I slowly started weening myself off the black “juice.” It’s tough, but I promise if you hang in there, the headaches will get better!
i think i love you
Yum! These look SO good! Monkey cookies. The bf would love them on the name alone!
OMG i am drooling over all your recipes! i’m going to the store so i can make these right NOW. not kidding. can’t wait to share them on my site!