although normally i prefer semi-sweet chocolate in my sweets, i had the banana perfectly browned from days of waiting on my counter, and there was no way i was not making these cookies because i ran out of chocolate chips. so i used milk chocolate m&m's instead. and i opted for all whole wheat flour. and i cut the sugar in half. and they still turned out! really soft and yummy, actually. and pretty.

please do use semi-sweet chocolate if you have it in your cupboard though. it really makes a cookie. and please do try this recipe if you're looking for a healthy cookie that still feels like a for reals cookie. and please do see the original recipe if you want the more luxurious, five-star version.



banana m&m cookies
less sugary than the original banana cookies, a big fave at our house

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 small egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 large)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or m&m's, or a mix

preheat oven to 375. whisk together flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl, set aside. mix butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. add egg and vanilla, mix until combined. mix in banana. add flour mixture, mix until just combined. stir in oats and chocolate. drop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (important! the parchment really helps here.) bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and just set. (cookies will look pretty brown, but don't worry! it's just the effect of the banana. they're good!) let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
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wow, it's been forever since i've made cookies. it felt good. so how is your monday going? mine is going like this... i slept really late. i'm not going to tell you how late because i'm embarrassed. let's just chalk it up to being pregnant, right? also, there are bugs creeping out from the corners of our house. it's definitely spring. i was just thinking the other day how excited i am that our house is not very "spidery"... maybe i spoke too soon. (actually, most of the bugs i've seen lately are the nasty pseudo ladybug things we have in droves around here.) also, i'm having a hard time staying on track. i find myself strolling around the house.. snapping my fingers to the music i have on... trying to remember what i was going to do next. oh well! it's sunny and there are no deadlines. i'm at home, and happy to be here.

ps. my yellow cake stand was made by incredibly talented little sister! yeah. she's awesome. and, if you're not a big banana person, there's a good chance you still might like these. the banana is not super intense- but it does give them a nice, moist sweetness.