Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Once upon a time, a loaf of banana bread and an oatmeal cookie fell in love. The result is these delicious Banana Oatmeal Cookies. A little bit banana bread and a little bit oatmeal cookie, these cookies are a whole lot of yum. Pair with a hot cup of coffee for a quick breakfast on the go, or have ready for an after-school snack that your whole family will love.

Like mother, like daughter

This recipe for Banana Oatmeal Cookies is another that comes from the depths of my recipe box. The truth is this recipe box isn't exactly "mine". It belonged to my mom, who also inherited her love of cooking from her mom (see a pattern here?). My mom was famous for baking dozens of tins of Christmas cookies to give away during the holiday season. She attended culinary school and made her career working in restaurants, hospital foodservice & country clubs. 

When I was about 2 years old, my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). From that point on, her health gradually declined to the point where she was confined to a wheelchair by the time I was 10. Because of these health challenges, she was no longer able to cook and bake like she loved to do. Growing up, I always knew of my mom's passion for cooking but I only have vague memories of being in the kitchen with her.

In August 2012, my mom passed away from complications of MS. I would be lying if I said it wasn't the hardest thing I've gone through in my life. She wasn't here for my wedding day and she's not around to watch her granddaughters grow up, but I can keep her memory alive through these recipes.

I still feel connected to her when I pull a handwritten recipe out of the box, or use her stand mixer to whip up a batch of these cookies. I make it a point to involve my daughters in the kitchen, and I love seeing their excitement when they get to stir the batter or crack an egg into the bowl. If nothing else, I hope to encourage my girls to follow their passion and to share it with others. I hope that years from now they remember the stories I told them about their grandma and the recipes and memories we made together in the kitchen. 

Making Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I will take any excuse to have a cookie for breakfast, who's with me? These Banana Oatmeal Cookies aren't too sweet and don't spread too much while baking, making them a perfect little morsel any time of day. Just a warning, it will be hard to eat just one!

First, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda & spices. I find whisking these dry ingredients is a good alternative to sifting everything together. In another mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix well. 

Next, mix in oatmeal, banana and chopped nuts. I used walnuts but pecans would be a great option too. Finally, add flour mixture and mix until well combined. The dough will be a bit more wet than a typical cookie dough.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Space cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet about 2 minutes before moving cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Banana Oatmeal Cookie Add-ins

Some other ideas for add-ins that would be great in these Banana Oatmeal Cookies are:

• Chocolate chips
• A different kind of nut, such as pecans or peanuts
• Dried fruit
• Peanut butter

Be careful not to add more than 1 cup of add-ins to the cookie dough or it could affect the texture and bake time of the cookie.

These Banana Oatmeal Cookies don't last too long in my house! I hope you'll give them a try!

 

Other yummy cookie recipes:

Orange Iced Cranberry Cookies

Molasses Cookies