Two-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   PREHEAT AND PREP: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use very ripe bananas - they should have lots of brown spots on the peel and feel very soft. Ripe bananas provide all the sweetness and binding power.

2. 2

   MASH THE BANANAS: Peel the bananas into a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash them thoroughly until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining. This takes about 1 minute of mashing. You should have approximately 1 cup of mashed banana.

3. 3

   COMBINE INGREDIENTS: Add the rolled oats to the mashed bananas and stir with a fork or spatula until the oats are completely coated. If using chocolate chips and/or cinnamon, fold them in now. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes - this allows the oats to absorb some moisture from the bananas, making the cookies hold together better.

4. 4

   SHAPE THE COOKIES: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of mixture (use a cookie scoop or regular spoon) and drop onto the prepared baking sheet. Use the back of the spoon or your fingers to flatten each mound into a cookie shape about 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches wide. Space them 1 inch apart - they don't spread much.

5. 5

   BAKE UNTIL GOLDEN: Bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms and edges turn light golden brown. The tops will still look soft but should not look wet or shiny. These cookies stay soft - they won't get crunchy like traditional cookies.

6. 6

   COOL AND SERVE: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they're fragile when hot). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. They're delicious cold straight from the fridge.