Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies

What can I say about these cookies? Should I start with the fact that they contain no white flour, only oatmeal and whole wheat? Or is it more important to note that they’re sweetened with pure maple syrup? Or should I remind you that since this is the FatFree Vegan Kitchen, they contain no added oil or margarine, only the fats that are naturally present in the oats and other ingredients?

No. If your loved ones are like mine, they won’t ask you about the flour, sugar, or fat; they just care about the taste. So when they come streaming into the kitchen, drawn by the warm aroma of cinnamon and maple, give them their freshly baked treats but keep the nutrition lecture to yourself. As they ooh and ahh over these soft, sweet cookies, smile, savoring the secret knowledge that you’re showing your love for them in more ways than they know.

A Few Notes:

The banana flavor is very subtle in these cookies, so even if you don’t like bananas, you might not mind it here. But, if you want, feel free to substitute 1/2 cup of applesauce for the mashed banana. The same goes for the maple syrup; you can use agave nectar instead, or any other liquid sweetener.

I used a mixture of ground white chia seeds and water to mimic the consistency of eggs, but I’ve included a couple of other egg replacement options that should work as well. I grind the chia seeds briefly in the blender before measuring them and mixing with water; it thickens in about 5-10 minutes.

To make the heart-shaped cookies, I placed a cookie cutter on the baking sheet, pressed the dough into it, and then lifted the cutter off.

I suspect (though I haven’t tried it) that you could make these cookies gluten-free by using gluten-free oats and baking mix instead of the whole wheat flour. If you experiment, please post your results in the comments.

Hope you have a great Valentine’s Day. Spend it doing something you love!

Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies
(printer-friendly version)

Because they contain no fat, these cookies are softer the day they are made and chewier the next day. If you prefer them soft, warm your day-old cookies in the microwave for a few seconds.

1 teaspoon ground chia seeds or 2 tsp. egg replacer powder or 2 tsp. ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons water
1 cup regular or quick oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 banana, mashed
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the chia seeds (or egg replacer or flaxseed) with the water and set aside until thickened (no waiting is necessary if packaged egg replacer is used.)

Mix the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Add the raisins.

Add the maple syrup, vanilla, mashed banana, and lemon juice to the chia/flax/egg replacer mixture and combine well. Pour into the dry mixture and stir well but don’t overmix.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Flatten each cookie slightly with a fork. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until bottoms and sides are lightly brown. Cool for a few minutes on a wire rack before serving.

Servings: 18

Yield: 18 cookies

Nutrition (per cookie): 78 calories, 5 calories from fat, less than 1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 115mg sodium, 106.1mg potassium, 17.5g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 7.6g sugar, 1.7g protein, 1.3 points.

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points ^TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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