BANANA DROP COOKIES

Right now I have bananas in three stages of ripening. That means I am always on the lookout for  recipes using bananas besides banana bread. I have so many recipes for banana bread, but I have to recommend my latest great find. This recipe has replaced my all-time favorite Banana Split Bread.

I saw this recipe for Banana Drop Cookies a few weeks ago and decided they would be the perfect next cookie for me to bake. That's how I spent part of my Saturday morning.

BANANA DROP COOKIES

1/4       cup oil
1/2       cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2       cup sugar/stevia blend (or 1 cup sugar)
1           egg
1           cup mashed bananas
1           teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4   cup flour
1/2       teaspoon baking soda
1           teaspoon baking powder
1/2       teaspoon salt
1/2       teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon (I did use the latter)
1           cup old-fashioned oats
1/2       cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease and flour two cookie sheets. (I just lined my cookie sheets with parchment paper. So much easier to clean up. Plus I like the end result of the cookie.)

Combine the oil, applesauce, sugar, bananas, egg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat well.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spice together. Add to the oil mixture

and mix well.

Add the oats and nuts and

stir well.

Drop using a cookie scoop (mine holds 1 tablespoon of water) drop batter about 2 inches apart. (I usually cook 12 cookies at a time.)

Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown.

Cool on cookie sheet a few minutes before removing to finish cooling on wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Here is a picture of my bowl of bananas. Can you see the three stages of ripening? The "youngest" ones are on the bottom.

Believe it or not that top banana when peeled will still be nice and firm. 

How can this be you might ask? 

It is a trick I learned from Pinterest, I think, not sure. Wherever I saw it, it has to be right up there at the top of my list of Best Tips Ever! 

Here is the tip .... when you bring the bananas home from the store, separate them. You can then stack them in a bowl. I don't know why it works, but I can tell you the top banana is probably two weeks old. I have used them when the peeling was totally brown but the banana wasn't when I peeled it. In fact, one of the bananas I used to make these cookies was solid brown. When the peeling gets black, the banana will finally be ripe. You know when recipes tell you to use "ripe" bananas. They are soft and a very light color not white like a firmer banana. 

I see other tips all the time ... like wrapping the ends while still bunched together with foil. I don't think this works. I don't really know. I figure ... why waste the foil when just separating them will work for sure. Hope you will give it a try.