Vegan Date, Banana, & Chocolate Cookies Recipe

"This is not my recipe; but, worth passing along. I can bake; but, I really - I don't like too. So, quick and easy baking recipes are what I love. Also, I have a couple of vegetarian and vegan friends; so, this is really nice to have on hand. Also, they are just really good. I also like to chopped dried cherries to mine; but, my friend prefers just the dark chocolate. The original recipe is from minimalistbakerdotcom And, you can always add other nuts, or dried fruit as well. Prep time does NOT include time for dough to chill and firm up."

Original is 8-12 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Ingredients

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175 grams dates (chopped, 1 cup, packed, soaked until soft, drained and rough chopped)
1 banana (rough chopped, ripe)
3/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup oats (gluten free rolled oats)

2 tablespoons almond butter (or peanut butter can be substituted)
2 to 3 ounces dark chocolate (24 small pieces vegan dark chocolate chunks or chips
OPTIONAL
40 grams dried cherries (1/4 cup, chopped, soaked until soft, drained)

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (79.6 g)
Calories 286
Total Fat - 12.2 g
Saturated Fat - 2.6 g
Cholesterol - 0.2 mg
Sodium - 4.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 41.3 g
Dietary Fiber - 5.5 g
Sugars - 24.8 g
Protein - 6.3 g
Calcium - 78.4 mg
Iron - 2.3 mg
Vitamin C - 6.9 mg
Thiamin - 0.1 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Dates and Optional Cherries ... First, I like to soak the dates in water; just to soften them up. Five (5) minutes in hot tap water is all it takes. Now, if you decide to add cherries; I actually like to soak those in a little warm brandy. That is completely optional; but, really good. You can always soak them just in hot water like the dates; or, decide not to use them all together.

Step 2

Dough ... Drain the dates well, and pat dry; then, add them to a food processor. Pulse a couple of times until chopped. Then, add the banana and almond butter; and pulse again until mixed through. Finally; add the almond meal, oats, and optional cherries; and process a couple more times, until everything is well combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides, so everything is mixed through. If the dough seems too wet; add another teaspoon or two of almond meal/oats/or both. You want to be able to pick up a small amount of the dough without it being too sticky.

Step 3

Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap; and, refrigerate until firm and chilled - a couple of hours.

Step 4

Bake ... Preheat the oven to 350 degree; and, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Using a tablespoon or small scoop (I prefer the scoop); add your cookies to your baking sheet. They don't spread out much as they bake; so, about 1" apart. Add a piece of chocolate on the top of the cookie, and slightly press down. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown; and, firm to the touch. Under baking is OK ... there are no eggs; they will just be softer. So, don't worry. After they have cooled a few minutes; transfer to a plate or cooling rack. Once cooled, store in a tupperware container.

Step 5

Serve and ENJOY! ... They are chewy and delicious. If you are not a vegetarian or vegan - you would never know these cookies are. They are totally addictive.