Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I told you.  We love bananas in this house.

And, those chocolate chips fell on my head.

I figured I would make a healthy cookie for all of you.  It’s healthy because there is fruit in it, right?  Oh, and oats!  See?  Healthy.  Just ignore the sugar.

The three little pigs could have used my brown sugar to build their brick house.  Seriously.  How does this happen?  If it happens to you, just soften it by putting it in a microwavable bowl and cover it with damp paper towels and nuke it in 30 second intervals until it is soft.  Done!

Honestly, though, these cookies are a light version so feel free to eat more than one at a time!

Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Cooking Light

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used half all-purpose and half wheat)

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add egg, beat well. 

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add flour mixture to banana mixture in bowl; beat with the mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets coated in cooking spray.  Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until golden.  Cool on pans for 2 minutes.  Remove and cool completely on wire racks.

These are full of texture and taste just like muffin tops.  The good kind of muffin tops.  And, they are actually low in fat…so they won’t have any effect on the other kind of muffin top.