These cookies have a lovely banana flavor, deliciously combined with shredded coconut and dark chocolate chunks. The bananas are roasted whole in their skin, then cooled and peeled before the fruit is added to the mixture. The result is heavenly!
We created this recipe to support the Nonhuman Rights Project and their efforts to free Happy, a 48-year old elephant held in the Bronx Zoo in isolation. The NhRP wants to help get Happy safely to an elephant sanctuary, where she can bond with the other elephants and enjoy her remaining years surrounded by her own kind. We'll be attending their virtual #FreeHappy event on Wednesday November 18 @ 5pm PST / 8pm EST to learn about their efforts to release this highly intelligent pachyderm into a sanctuary.
We thought it would be perfect to honor Happy by whipping up a recipe with our Buttery Spread, which uses responsibly sourced palm oil to help protect and regenerate wild rainforest habitat for all kinds of wildlife. Buttery Spread uses palm oil that's been certified by Palm Done Right, and it's fair trade and organic too. We believe that agriculture will play an enormous role in fighting climate change, and we need to do our part to help protect natural wildlife in all of its forms. Everything we do starts with love for our planet.
We love AlterEco's dark chocolate for its rich flavor, and their 70% Dark Chocolate Sea Salt bar is ideal for these cookies. The company is committed to using clean ingredients and sourcing its cocoa from small family farmers, which makes their chocolate extra delicious. AlterEco is also working to become Regenerative Organic Certified, a mission that we strongly support and believe in (way to go, AlterEco!).
Almond flour makes these cookies completely gluten-free, and the recipe can be adapted to be paleo or vegan as well (see notes below).
* To make these cookies completely paleo, swap the brown sugar for 1/2 cup maple syrup instead. You may want to add an additional 1/4 cup of almond flour as well to compensate for the extra liquid.
* For a vegan version, leave out the egg and add an extra banana (roasting three bananas instead of two). You may want to chill the dough in your fridge for 30 min or so before shaping dough into balls and shaping them on the baking tray.
This recipe makes about 24 cookies.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ripe bananas (do not peel)
- 3 c. almond flour
- 1 bar AlterEco Sea Salt 70% dark chocolate, chopped into 1/4" chunks
- 1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 c. chopped brazil nuts (optional)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 2/3 c. brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 6 Tbsp. Buttery Spread, melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Rinse bananas (still in the peel) under cold water and pat dry.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange bananas side by side with space between them.
- Roast for 20–25 minutes or until skins are completely black and shiny. Set bananas aside to cool before handling.
- Once cooled, slice bananas in half lengthwise and scoop the fruit out into a small bowl (be sure to avoid including the bitter nub at the bottom of the banana). Mash thoroughly with a fork.
- In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, chocolate chunks, shredded coconut, chopped nuts (if you're using them), baking powder, sea salt, and brown sugar.
- In a separate bowl (or a stand mixer), beat eggs on medium-high for 5 minutes or until they've doubled in volume.
- Lower mixer speed to medium-low and whisk in melted Buttery Spread and vanilla extract. Add mashed bananas and mix until texture is consistent throughout.
- Add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Shape dough into 1" balls and arrange on a lined baking sheet with about 2" in between each cookie (you'll have to bake the dough in batches). Lightly flatten each dough ball into shape.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are just brown.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate or cooling rack.
- Repeat until all the cookies have been baked. Serve and enjoy!
Cookies will keep for 2–3 days in an airtight container.
