These are delicious cookies with considerably less added sugar than traditional cookies. They are plenty sweet because they are filled with wholesome ingredients that are naturally sweet such as banana, almonds and oats! They are rich in fiber but completely gluten-free, you just have to make sure to use rolled oats that are certified gluten-free (not all oats are).
Oatmeal Almond Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Make sure to use the certified gluten-free rolled oats for this recipe
Author: Catherine Katz
Serves: 2½ dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic expeller pressed canola oil
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large organic cage-free eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 small ripe banana, mashed with fork
- 2 cups dry roasted almonds (no salt)
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups bittersweet chocolate (60% cocoa)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- Place whole roasted almonds in a food processor and grind finely--put aside.
- Cream together canola oil, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer.
- Add mashed banana, rolled oats and ground almonds and beat again until well blended.
- Add chocolate chips and beat again briefly.
- Drop by big rounded tablespoon on a non-stick baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
martine says
December 20, 2014 at 9:17 amtrès convaincants ces petits cookies , ils me mènent par le bout du nez.. ils seront sous mon sapin, na!! merci ! bonnes fêtes de Noël!
Catherine Katz says
December 11, 2014 at 8:54 pmLynn, I think you are looking for more guidance than this website is able to provide you.
One nice place to start is on the American Diabetic Association website http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/carbohydrate-counting.html.
A newsletter I also love and that I think will really be more what you are looking for is the Berkeley Wellness newsletter: http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/recipes.
I hope this is helpful!
Lynn says
December 11, 2014 at 7:53 pmHave you ever considered also listing the nutritionalal analysis with your recipes?
Lynn says
December 11, 2014 at 7:58 pmI just read your calories in, calories out section but how about the carbohydrate count for diabetics?
Greg says
October 1, 2014 at 8:53 pmI don’t have a food processor – you know me – minimalist – could I use ground almond flour? Would it still be 2 cups? thanks!
Catherine Katz says
October 2, 2014 at 10:24 amI think so. They’ll just have a slightly different texture, but the taste should be just as yummy. let me know of course!!
Catherine Katz says
September 30, 2014 at 11:46 amHi Judith, thank you for taking the time to share your perspective; it is always appreciated. While I am a scientist (PhD, neuroscience, Princeton University’87)- I am not a nutrition scientist. I therefore get my guidance from one of the leading experts in nutrition, my husband, Dr. David Katz (http://www.davidkatzmd.com/).
Along with innumerable columns accessible on-line, and nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications, David has authored three editions of a leading textbook on nutrition for health professionals. The 3rd edition of Nutrition in Clinical Practice is newly released, and would presumably be of interest: Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Nutrition-Clinical-Practice-David-FACPM/dp/1451186649/ref=dp_ob_title_bk.) Note that the 700-page textbook is exhaustively referenced, with roughly 10,000 scientific citations.
If after reading relevant materials on which my opinion, and my husband’s, are based we still have disagreements, I would be delighted to revisit them. In the interim, again my thanks, and all best wishes.
Judith Levine says
September 30, 2014 at 9:50 am1. Why use oil at ALL?
2. IF oil is preferred, [granted…canola oil is cheap for baking, however], health wise, there are better oil alternatives. Why not use Organic Barlean’s Omega Twin, complete 3-6-9, unrefined, unfiltered, cold pressed.
3. Organic eggs are still eggs. Must read
compelling science about eggs on, Nutritionfacts.org
P.S. I’m science oriented, passionate about healthy lifestyle ….always learning…. Just give me the science to back it up
Krystyna Andreoni says
September 29, 2014 at 5:27 amp,s, These cookies look great …. will have to try them. 😉
Catherine Katz says
September 29, 2014 at 10:19 amThey are sooooo yummy!
Krystyna Andreoni says
September 29, 2014 at 5:22 amCoconut Oil is an interesting discussion. A powerful plus for Coconut Oil is Youtube in connection with Alzheimer … there is a Doctor who brought her husband back into the world of the living by giving him Coconut Oil every day … pretty impressive stuff.
Also, if you look at the Islands where they use it in quantity and have no problems with Heart disease or other problems, until they are introduced to typical western diets. Logic tells us to eat good old fashioned foods that our parents & grandparents recognised as good food.
Catherine Katz says
September 29, 2014 at 10:18 amKrystina, I love that you are thinking about this and always welcome a good discussion. Coconut is an interesting case because, although it is composed of mostly saturated fat which is detrimental to cardiovascular health, the research is evolving on the type of saturated fat that it is composed of which may not be as detrimental as once thought, so the verdict is not out yet. However, for the time being, there is no scientific evidence that it is actually good for our health, so you will not find coconut oil in Cuisinicity. Believe me, I would LOVE to be able to use it indiscriminately in my baking but, as a scientist, anecdotal evidence, as compelling as it may sound as in the case of this doctor you are referring to, is not something I base my judgement on. You are absolutely right to note that our parents & grandparents recognized simple wholesome foods as good food. That is exactly what cuisinicity is about. Loved your comment!
Krystyna Andreoni says
September 20, 2015 at 5:13 amCatherine, just another part of the coconut oil discussion. I have a friend who spends a lot of time in Tahiti and the Islanders who use a lot of coconut oil, have traditionally very little issues to do with heart … I think that this is very interesting and makes the case for use of this oil on the plus side. There seems to be more and more evidence toward acceptance, more thought provoking! 😉
Catherine Katz says
September 21, 2015 at 7:07 amThanks Krystyna! I love the exchange! I am actually starting to use coconut in some of my recipes for just that reason! You may see a post soon!!!
RivkaFreeman says
September 19, 2014 at 12:40 pmWhy are you using GMO canola oil? I would make your delicious cookies with organic coconut oil or organic extra virgin olive oil.
Catherine Katz says
September 19, 2014 at 9:08 pmHi Rivka (I love your name, the Hebrew version of my eldest daughter Rebecca)! Organic extra virgin olive oil would be fine nutritionally, but it has more flavor than I like for these sweet simple cookies. My reason for not using coconut oil–although its taste would be lovely in these cookies as well–is that it contains about 12 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, which means it’s around 90 percent saturated fat, whereas Canola oil (I prefer organic cold pressed but accessibility to all is important to me as well so did not specify–I will write a post about it in my tips when I have a moment!) only has 7% saturated fat. Canola oil also has the added health benefits of its healthy fats (about 60% monounsaturated fat, 30% polyunsaturated fat — with a mix of omega-6 and omega-3 ). Here is the position WebMD has on coconut oil: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health.
Lynette says
September 19, 2014 at 11:32 amIs there an egg substitute you can use…since I cannot eat egg?
Catherine Katz says
September 19, 2014 at 8:53 pmHi Lynette! Although I have never tried it, you could try flax seed or chia egg substitutes. I found this fascinating article that describes the pros and cons of using flax seeds as an egg replacement (http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/egg-replacers/flax-seed-egg-replacer). I hope this helps! I’d love to hear how it works out for you!
Amparo zaza says
September 18, 2014 at 2:21 pmGreat Recipe it’s a shame it takes canola oil
Catherine Katz says
September 20, 2014 at 10:28 amThanks Amparo! I love these cookies too! You’ll find I like to use canola oil in my baking because It’s a good source of monounsaturated fats, and it is the richest cooking-oil source of alpha-linolenic acid which has been linked to heart health. Here is a nice article that I agree with and that gives it more justice than I can in a few words here: I hope this helps! http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/how_healthy_is_canola_oil_really
Catherine Katz says
September 17, 2014 at 3:24 pmHi Rose, you could and I am sure it would be just as delicious!
My reason for not using coconut oil, is that it contains about 12 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, which means it’s around 90 percent saturated fat, whereas Canola oil only has 7% saturated fat. Canola oil also has the added health benefits of its healthy fats (about 60% monounsaturated fat, 30% polyunsaturated fat — with a mix of omega-6 and omega-3 ). Here is the position WebMD has on coconut oil: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health. But in moderation, and if you prefer coconut oil, enjoy!
rose lorenzen says
September 17, 2014 at 1:40 pmIs there any reason that you could not use coconut oil in these??