Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Sundays at home. I always try to prepare a few things for the week ahead, whether it be part of a meal or a few healthy snacks to have on hand for later in the week. These cookies are great for kid’s lunchboxes and perfect for adults who are after a healthier treat to enjoy alongside a cup of tea or coffee.

You could use oats instead of brown rice flakes and brown sugar instead of pure maple syrup if you want a sweeter cookie. However, I was after a really healthy biscuit alternative for Junk Free June and these were divine. They are much chunkier than a crispy thin cookie but delicious all the same.

Banana Choc Chip Cookies – recipe adapted from Nadia Lim

- Makes about 18 cookies

2 free-range eggs
1 Tbspn nut milk (or cow or soy milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbspn pure maple syrup or ½ cup brown sugar, coconut sugar or raw sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ cups ground almonds
1 cup brown rice flakes (or fine oats)
2 ripe medium-sized bananas, mashed
½ cup cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips (>80%)

Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Place the brown rice flakes into a food processor and pulse a couple of times until you have finer flake.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla. Then add the pure maple syrup (or sugar), baking powder, ground almonds and fine rice flakes and mix gently.
Fold through the bananas and cacao nibs so they are evenly dispersed throughout the mixture.
Place tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared tray leaving about 5cm between each cookie. Press down gently on each cookie with the back of a fork.
Place in the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes or until cooked and golden brown. I used pure maple syrup and mine took closer to 25 minutes but the cooking time may vary if you use brown sugar instead so keep an eye on them!
Once cooked, remove from the oven and once cooled slightly, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.