Sometimes I love to use healthy ingredients in my baking.  Just another reason to have more than one of course.   And always remember that using good-quality ingredients will yield good-quality results.

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite cookie recipes, Peanut Butter Banana Cookies that I posted last year.  That recipe, along with my Oat Bran Banana Muffins and Banana Bread….Well, you get the picture.

Using mashed bananas help give the cookies a very soft texture.  So take a break from that crispy flat oatmeal cookie and give these a try.  The cinnamon and nutmeg creates that old-fashioned oatmeal cookie taste.

Here, I didn’t have butter on hand so I used ½ cup of applesauce. Which is a healthy alternative to butter.  But you can use either.   I also used whole-wheat flour but again you can use either wheat or all-purpose flour.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup butter softened (or unsweetened applesauce)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup bananas, mashed (1-2 bananas)
• 1 ¾ cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup walnuts chopped (optional)

- Preheat over to 375 degrees.

- Mix the dry ingredients (flour,sugar,salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

- Beat in butter until mixture is crumbly.

- Add the egg, banana, oats, chips and walnuts.

- Spoon onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-13 minutes or until just getting golden brown. Then let cool on the sheet before removing.