I´m not a very sweet toothed person, but as soon as I decide to try and eat sensibly for a while to shift a couple of kilos, I find myself craving things I wouldn´t normally eat. Like cookies.
I came across a lovely recipe over at IamSimplyTia which I thought we be a perfect, not so naughty treat. Of course, as soon as I set about making the cookies, I needed to adapt as I was short of some of the ingredients.
Here´s my adapted version for a guilt free but flavour packed snack.
Ingredients (makes 18 large cookies)
- 2 mashed ripe bananas
- ¼ cup of natural yogurt
- ½ teaspoon of almond essence
- ¾ cup of white sugar
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Put all of the above ingredients into a large bowl and beat until well blended.
Now add
- ¾ cup of self raising flour
- 1 ½ cups of oats
- ½ cup of raisins
- ¼ cup of almond slices
- the grated rind of half a large orange
Mix well with a wooden spoon and place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180ºC and line 2 baking trays with ovenproof or silicon paper.
Place heaped tablespoons of the mixture on the baking trays and bake for about 25 minutes until lightly browned on top. Leave to cool for fruity, nutty, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside cookies. Thanks for the inspiration Tia!
Becuase of the changes I made these are best eaten within 48 hours – but I don´t think that will be a problem, will it?!
Chica Andaluza 
Oh chica, that’s always the case… when you’re free to do what you’re like, you’re bored and don’t want half the stuff available… and when you’re busy or constricted by limits, you suddenly want everything that you wouldn’t normally ask for! Tell me about it… story of my life! These cookies, on the other hand, look great. I’m sure I’d be craving them a lot more had I not just eaten almost half a cake… ehm. Make no judgements about me please (I’ve been slowly at it since 5 hours ago……………….
I congratulate you for your dedication in working your way through almost half a cake – and your willpower for not eating the other half!
Hubby will love these! After we work through the Girl Scout cookies we bought, and the Valentine’s brownies Angel and I are making on Monday…
I had a wicked sweet tooth in my 20’s and 30’s, but it’s pretty much gone now. Dessert when we go out on Date Night (Saturday) is usually the only time I eat it anymore – and I share that!
I’m surprised you had maple syrup in your pantry – isn’t it hard to get there?
Like you, I rarely eat dessert and it sounds like you have lots of cookies to work your way through! Maple Syrup was delivered by a UK visitor…can´t get it here, you´re right!
What hardship – having to eat them all in 48 hours – yum!
It was tough, but you have to suffer sometimes for your art!
Chica these look fantastic and I will have to try your recipe. I lovvveeeeee the addition of almond essence (would extract do?) I think they taste wonderful! Thanks so much for trying my recipe (and linking me) I feel special.
You are most welcome – you inspired me! And yes, almond extract would work very well indeed 🙂
Those look healthy and delicious! We, too, are on a healthier bent with a desire to shed some weight. However, if I make cookies of any type, I really will eat them all in 24 hours. They are my true sweet weakness!
Then these may be the ones for you!
Really love the adaptations you made to the original, Tanya. Looks like health food to me! Remember that dieting’s tough on a body so be sure to eat plenty of these to keep up your strength! 😉
I will, I will…the more I eat the thinner I´ll be 😉
These definitely look like a weekend project. I expect they will be warmly welcomed! x
Hope you enjoy them!
Woohoo, good and good for you! If you get close to the deadline and need help finishing them before they “go bad” feel free to call! 🙂
Glad I can rely on you 😉
What a nice looking snack!
Isn’t it the way, when you are on a budget you get th ebiggest urge to SPEND, and then a bit of a diet you want to eat and drink the NAUGHTY stuff. I believe in Sods Law 🙂
Sooooo true!
For someone with not much of a sweet tooth, you sure know how to bake a mean cookie, Tanya! I enjoy a good oatmeal cookie and adding banana to this one makes it a real stand-out. Thanks for sharing!
Well…every so often…you know!
Hi Chica, these look great – they remind me a lot of something my mother makes sometimes, called “rock cakes” (not really cake, more like a slightly puffy cookie) and they’re wonderful, so if these are anything like them I know they’d be fab!
Spot on – they were pretty much like that…harder on the outside and cakey in the middle. Ooh, now I fancy rock cakes for breakfast!
Perfect…a new recipe to try with Mummy’s little helper over the half term holiday. 🙂
Ah, you´ll have such a fun week together!
It’s rather nice because The Husband is having a week off work. Delightful.
Oh, baking. For some reason, I’m a horrible baker, but cookies I somehow seem to manage. My favorite are cookies with oatmeal in them (and I happen to have some oatmeal in my cupboard!), so I’ll have to try your adapted version. 😉
Excellent post! You have a really cool site here!
Thank you!
its gonna be my future home project…
Apart frm studies…..!!
Studies are important too!
Yumm… I could eat a whole plate of these! healthy ingredients and wonderful mix of flavors!! Great recipe!
Yes, a healthier twist on cookies!
Ooh so many yummy ingredients!
🙂 Mandy
And they smell so good when they come out of the oven!
Did you get them all eaten in the 48 hours? If we lived close that would not have been a problem! T has the sweet tooth…
We did, we did!