Vegan Skinny Monkey Cookies: Oatmeal Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever heard of Chunky Monkey Cookies? Ever tried one? One word, delicious. Though after eating a few of them, you begin to feel like a "chunky monkey" with all the fattening butter, eggs, oils, sugars, and flour...

These "Skinny Monkey Cookies" taste just like the original but are so much better for you. The ingredients are so simple, you can whip them up on a short notice! In fact, the majority of the ingredients are bound to be in your pantry.

Poor J wasn't hear to lick the batter. I actually had enough to make the full serving this time! :)

Instead of butter, eggs, and oils I used bananas. Like I've mentioned earlier in my healthy Banana Bread recipe, I virtually do not buy butter anymore. I just do not see the point in adding all of the fat and calories when a simple banana can do the trick! Not to mention, bananas are much cheaper to buy. No brainer, go with the banana substitute.

I didn't have mini chocolate chips in the pantry so I placed 1/2 C in a bag and broke 'em up using a spoon! Folded them into the recipe last. Still yummy and chocolatey!

I made these cookies for Jason's mom's graduation. Such an achievement and a women I look up to. Her wisdom has always been a guiding light for me. To show her my love and admiration, I thought these Skinny Monkey Cookies would do just the trick! Healthy, delicious, and made with love!

Jason was working when I made these, without him "tasting the batter" (eating it), I was able to make 26 cookies! Yummmm. Don't forget to check out the variations and tips below! Also check out these cookies for another healthier version of oatmeal cookies.

Nom, nom, nom! To bad I did not snap a picture of the finished wrapped present. Of course it had a pink bow and bedazzled card, so me!

Ingredients:

Wet-

3 Bananas (Mashed, best if use a hand mixer)

1 Cup All Natural Chunky Peanut Butter

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

4 Tablespoons Organic Honey

Dry-

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

2 Cups Whole Grain Oats

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

To do:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, mash up the bananas and add the rest of the wet ingredients (peanut butter, vanilla, and honey).

3) In a separate bowl combine and whisk together all of the dry ingredients. This insures that all of the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.

4) Combine the wet and dry ingredients together.

5) Using a cookie dough dropper place dough on a PAM sprayed cookie sheet, place in the oven for 12-15 minutes and enjoy this deliciousness!

Variations:

Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter- Use Creamy Peanut Butter, Reduced Fat, or Almond Butter.

Organic Honey- Use Organic Agave or Sugar Free Maple Syrup.

Vanilla Extract- Try Almond Extract.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour- Use Almond Flour, Buckwheat, or Protein Powder (Let me know what the protein powder kind tastes like if you opt for this, I am really interested in trying them.)

Chocolate Chips- I like cutting chocolate chip recipes in half by using mini chocolate chips (ex. a recipe calls for 1 Cup, I use 1/2 cup of the mini's). You can definitely add different types of chocolate chips to this recipe. Or other options such as dried fruit or nuts.