Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast cookies with chocolate chips

2 whole ripe bananas, mashed until creamy
1/3c peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2/3c unsweetened applesauce
1/4c Vanilla whey protein powder
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp butter flavor, optional
1 1/2c quick oatmeal, uncooked
1.4c chopped peanuts
1/4 c chocolate or carob chips, optional

I added an additional 1/4c oats because my bananas were quite large and the mixture seemed too thin. They baked up nicely.

In a large bowl, mix mashed banana and peanut buttter until completely combined. Then add in the applesauce, vanilla protein powder and vanilla and butter extracts. Mix again until completely combined.

Add oatmeal and nuts to banana mixture and combine. Add optional chocolate or carob chips at this time.

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Drop cookie dough by spoonfulls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and flatten into circles about 1/3" thick.

Bake for approx. 30 min. until golden brown and done. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes then move to cooling rack.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Serving Size: makes 35 cookies using a standard cookie scoop. 1 serving = 2 cookies

Number of Servings: 16

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MAMAHOOV.