Hi friends! Let’s talk about a few things. Are you ready for a midweek chat? Consider this a check-in / overshare / banana bread cookie recipe. This is what friends do.
It’s February which means that last month (which feels like a lifetime ago) I did that thing so many of us do – I made a New Year’s resolution (though I prefer to call them intentions) to myself to survive another pandemic year if not become a marginally better versions of myself in the process. You too?
My intentions this year have been these:
• I intend to feel as strong and healthy going into my 40th (literally WHAT!?) birthday as possible. We’re talking body, brain, and heart strong and no one is in charge of that but me.
• I intend to teach myself how to enjoy swimming and running and otherwise train my mind and body for a triathlon.
• I intend to stay curious about my life, all the newness I can add to it, the growth I can experience, and all the joy I can squeeze out of it. It’s an everyday choice.
One month and eleven days into the new year and here’s the real question: how’s it all going? WELL…
Before I answer this question let me tell you: I tend to be a person who is reeeaaaalllyy hard on myself. The ol’ inner monologue can be a bit of a bully. I have to remind myself to be generous before answering.
How am I doing? Most superficially I ate too many potato chips and didn’t drink nearly enough water today, but I’d like to remind myself that there’s more to the story.
How am I doing?
I’m staying motivated to move my body. What’s worked for me the last month or so is Nike Run Club and Nike Training Club. I noticed that I’m a person who needs a lot of verbal encouragement to work out and let me tell you – Coach Bennet in the Nike Run Club app has done the impossible and turned me into a runner. I actually look forward to crossing another starting line aka just stepping outside my front door to jog my slow slow mile.
I’m practicing my swimming which means I drag my butt out of the house at 7:30pm when the pool will be empty at the gym down the street so I can work through the drills in Total Immersion Swimming. There are times when it’s so frustrating that I don’t think I’ll ever figure it out. Have I cried in my car about it? Yes absolutely. There are also fleeting moments where things feels almost like swimming and those are the moments I hold on to.
There are times when I talk myself out of swimming and opt for watching television in bed, but there are more nights that I remind myself that no one can do this for me. It’s me @ me in this life lesson and I’m trying to stay curious about how I can rewrite this swimming story for myself.
Does it suck sometimes? Yes. And yet I’m still just out here trying.
Lastly friends, I’m really trying to get a handle on the pain I have associated with my endometriosis which was diagnosised 2018. Yay, finally, it only took 10 years to figure out! These bodies are wild. I’ve been on a specific-to-me anti-inflammatory diet under the supervision of a functional nutritionist for the last three months and I miiiiight be seeing progress. I’ve done a lot of research for myself about endometriosis, had one laparoscopic surgery, and am currently exploring how I can live with this disease.
I know I know… we haven’t talked about this whole diet thing mostly because it’s all been so weirdly specific to my body (I’m sensitive to things like sunflower seeds and olive oil WHO KNEW!?). I also just needed space to simply see if I would feel a change with a shift in diet. I think the answer is yes but I’m still on the road.
BUT!
The want to share the banana bread cookies that I’ve kept in my fridge the last few weeks. It’s a little treat sweetened mostly with bananas and a hint of monkfruit sugar. They’re packed with almond flour and flax, crunchy walnuts, and chocolate (my favorite being the unsweetened chocolate chips from Trader Joe’s). When stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed cold, they taste JUST like sneaking a perfect little slice of banana bread from the fridge right before bed. I’ll leave the recipe for you below and continue to share recipes I love on my tuned-up alternative diet. Just be patient with me.
That’s my half of our check-in, friends. How are you!? (You don’t have to tell me but definitely tell yourself.)
I just wanted to give you a quick glimpse of my small world. I wanted to give you a peek into my efforts in case you needed a little encouragement yourselves. Encouragement to put your feet on the ground in the morning. Encouragement to prep your kids for another day of distance learning… whatever it may be. We’re still well within an insane time and I feel like the only rule is to do our best to take care of ourselves. I respect that that surely looks different for all of us. Some days are harder to motivate than others but we’ve got a whole year to make progress and a ton of small (tiny, even) victories to celebrate along the way.
I’m rooting for you. I’m rooting for us. Now cookies.
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The Almond Flour Banana Bread Cookies I Always Have In The Fridge
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: about 18 cookies 1x
Description
Gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free snacking cookies. Sweetened with banana, studded with dark chocolate and walnuts, they’re a perfect little banana bread bite!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (145 grams) almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons flax seed meal (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup (about 375 grams) lightly mashed banana
- 2/3 cup (about 100 grams) coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
- 2/3 cup (about 108 grams) chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven o 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray (or spread very lightly with coconut oil, whatever you prefer).
- In a medium bowl whisk together almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and flax seed meal (if using).
- In a small bowl or a large liquid measuring cup whisk together egg, maple (or your chosen sweetener) vanilla, and mashed banana.
- Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry and stir until well combined. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate, if using.
- Spoon cookie batter by the two tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 16-20 minutes (longer than traditional cookies because there’s so much moisture), until lightly puffed and golden brown. Keep an eye on them past 16 minutes of baking.
- Allow to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Enjoy cookies warm and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week or so. These cookies are actually super delicious cold from the fridge.
Justina
Thank you for this lovely recipe! I earmarked this recipe a while back and am now on a journey to figuring out some gut issues/allergies. I love baking so this was a delicious alternative. I used all ingredients except walnuts because I didn’t have any on hand, but hope to add them next time! I hope you’re still keeping up with your goals :).
★★★★★
Almaz
I made this recipe. I only had two ripe bananas, so slightly less than amount required. I also baked it 10 minutes longer, as I like my cookies brown. It was delicious, and I will be making it again and again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sheila Handler
I made these like the recipe minus the ginger. I used a monk fruit/stevia combination for the tablespoon of sugar and both walnuts and chocolate chips. Absolutely delicious!!
Rachel
Just made these and tasted one still warm – delicious!
I’m in my second trimester and was so pumped about the idea of keeping these in the fridge to eat the moment I get up in the morning. :-) I am in Switzerland and only had ground almonds so I used those instead of meal, added just a bit of oats and maybe 2 T of AP flour.
Thanks for the great recipe and for sharing your life with us!! <3
★★★★★
Julia W.
These are so great. I’ve made them many times. Today I swapped the banana for pumpkin purée and added pumpkin pie spice instead of ginger and some golden raisins. A great healthier fall snack!!
★★★★★
Jennifer
These are amazing and they lend themselves well to some modifications! I only had 2 bananas (about 1 ish cups mashed) so I made each cup about 1.5 tablespoons. I didn’t have chocolate chips so I used cacao nibs and they were delicious! I also used whole flax seeds instead of flax meal and only added 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts and thought that amount was perfect. Definitely recommend adding some sort of nut (if you’re not allergic) for some crunch. Great for a treat or even a pre workout snack!
★★★★★
Gabriela
Hi! I tried the recipe but my cookies turned out more cakey like and reeally chewy. Any ideia what might have gone wrong in the process? Thank you!
Sherri Hertzog
Hi,Do you happen to know the nutritional information for the almond flour banana bread cookies? They were delicious ,btw..
Nicola
I’ll make them on Sunday for breakfast, but without cinnamon: I don’t like the taste of it.
I think cinnamon is not essential, right?
Joy the Baker
Cinnamon is not essential if you prefer to leave it out!
Carrie
Sorry my exclamations were accidentally question marks..???
See that’s how good these cookies are???
Carrie
I just made these for my neighbors…. They are so lucky they are even getting them?? in fact I’m on my way to the store just to buy bananas ( I’ll try to be patient in the ripening ?) they are the BOMB????????????????
I added butterscotch chips??? next I’ll add chopped pecans. YUMMY YUMMY
★★★★★
Lisa
Excellent recipe!! Thank you very much. Doubled the batch and this is recipe is definitely a keeper! So easy too!
★★★★★
Mikael
I love these cookies so much!! I’d like to ship some overnight to my friend, I just recently moved a few states away – is that okay, or would that be too long without refrigeration?
★★★★★
joythebaker
They would be totally ok shipped overnight!
Carolina Campos Sheridan
Made these for back to work/ school and wow super moist and delicious. I didn’t have any fun mix ins; so I added one tablespoon of really good quality peanut butter – wow! Really took it to the next level. Thanks for this one!
Laura
Could I sub regular flour?
Annaliese
These are wonderful! I made some modifications, and enjoyed the same. Great with Greek yogurt smeared on top. Thank you!
★★★★★