I've got a delicious and healthy treat for your family! Double up the recipe batch for these delicious and healthy cookies, because they will go fast! These cookies are my all time favorites. They are a great alternative to chocolate chip cookies, and have such a wonderful texture and flavor. You will not believe that these little devils are refined sugar and white flour-free. They contain healthy proteins, healthy fats, and the best ingredient that you can healthily substitute white sugar with: Raw Honey! There are no artificial colors or sweeteners in this recipe.

If you are gluten sensitive, then substitute coconut or almond flour in place of the whole wheat flour. Kids allergic to nuts? No problem! Leave them out, and replace them with dried cranberries or cherries, which just so happen to go superbly with dark chocolate! You can substitute any kind of milk for the almond milk, and any kind of natural, no sugar added nut butter for the peanut butter.

Dream up your own version of my Choco-nut Crunchies… you can freeze these cookies in air-tight Ziploc baggies or BPA-free containers in your freezer for up to 3 months, as well as the actual cookie dough itself. To thaw cookies, remove desired amount from bag, and leave out on your counter top for about 30-40 minutes. For the raw dough, defrost it in the container for about an hour on the counter top. You can’t go wrong with these. Your kids will never know they are snacking healthy unless you tell them!

Recipe:

Before you begin: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Wet Ingredients:

1 large (or 2 small) ripe bananas
¼ cup good quality Coconut Oil
½ cup all natural, no sugar added peanut butter (no more then 3 grams sugar on the label)
¼ cup pure raw honey
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/2 cup all-natural and unsweetened apple sauce
1 teaspoon good Vanilla
2 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened Almond Milk
1 whole egg plus one egg white

Dry Ingredients:

¼ cup whole wheat flour (can sub almond or coconut flour for the wheat)
1 cup whole oats, uncooked
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add-in Ingredients:

½ cup shredded raw fresh coconut
½ cup total of the following nut and seeds combined mix: sliced almonds, unsalted peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
½ cup Ghirardelli’s Dark Cacao chips, 60% or greater Cacao content (or other dark choc chips)

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, & maple syrup. Mix well to incorporate all. Next, add in the mashed banana, eggs, apple sauce, vanilla, and almond milk. Stir well to combine all wet ingredients.

In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon. Stir well, with a fork. Add the whole oats. Stir to combine.

Next, add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl of wet ingredients. Stir well to combine everything, scraping bottom of mixing bowl to incorporate flour. Add in the coconut, nuts and seeds, and chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. Dough should be firm, just like chocolate chip cookie dough.

Scoop heaping tablespoon sizes of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Place in center rack of oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check around 20 minutes to make sure edges aren’t overcooking. Cookies should feel firm to the touch and not leave indentations in the cooked dough when they are done. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before eating. These cookies get hot on the inside due to the chunks of nuts and seeds… they will burn your mouth if you eat them too soon! Enjoy! Makes about 1 ½ to 2 dozen cookies, depending on the size of scoop you are using.