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Thick and chewy banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips - the best oatmeal cookies!
I am very particular about oatmeal cookies. I only like them if they have a really chewy texture; and I am not too fond of cakey oatmeal cookies. Luckily, I found a great recipe that, with some of my changes, delivered exactly what I was looking for! Not only did I get my thick and chewy banana oatmeal cookies, they also turned out to be low fat. I use only 2 tablespoons of oil for 30 cookies, with banana and yogurt substituting for the rest of the fat. As though that was not good enough, I also added in some chocolate chips!
So, please meet these most wonderful, very thick and chewy banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips! They are so thick, they look super tall when I stack them up, one on top of the other:
How to properly measure flour using measuring cups
The proper way to measure flour using measuring cups (as opposed to weighing the flour using the scale) is to aerate it first. This is done using one of the two methods:
- Sift the flour using a strainer. Sifted flour is lighter than unsifted flour.
or
- Aerate the flour by fluffing it up and whisking it well. Then spooning the flour into the measuring cup, carefully removing any excess flour with a knife. If you just stick that measuring cup in the bag of flour and scoop some out, you will get a lot more flour than what the recipe calls for. Do aerate the flour, or you will end up with dry cookie dough!
Recipe notes
- What makes these cookies so chewy and thick? First of all, I am using old-fashioned (or rolled) oats, and NOT quick or instant oats. Using old-fashioned oats will always produce a chewier texture, while if you use quick or instant oats, your oatmeal cookies will be too soft, almost cake-lake, and flat.
- I am also using banana and yogurt to substitute for what otherwise would have to be butter or oil, and that also adds some chewiness and creates this nice sticky texture. The cookies taste like there is a touch of honey in them!
- It's also important to chill the cookie dough for about an hour before you bake the cookies, as that will also help the cookies to remain thick as they bake.
Stuffed with chocolate chips, these banana oatmeal cookies are quickly becoming my new favorite! Overall, this is a very successful cookie recipe, and I am very happy with it! If you like thick and chewy oatmeal cookies - this is the recipe for you!
Other cookie recipes
Banana oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour , sifted or aerated (see important note below!)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 banana , ripe
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Important note about properly measuring flour using measuring cups:
- The proper way to measure flour using measuring cups is to aerate it first. This is done either by sifting flour, or aerating it by fluffing it up and whisking it well, then spooning it into the measuring cup, then carefully removing any excess flour with a knife. If you just stick that measuring cup in the bag of flour and scoop some out, you will get a lot more flour than what the recipe calls for. Do aerate the flour, or you will end up with dry dough! 🙂
How to make banana oatmeal chocolate cookies:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mash the banana. Add the egg, oil, brown and granulated sugars, yogurt, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Add the banana-egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the oats, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take a tablespoon of dough, form a ball and drop the cookie dough ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat, spacing the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart. At this point, I would refrigerate baking sheets with cookie dough balls for about an hour to chill the dough. This will ensure that cookies, when baked, will not flatten out, and that they will remain tall, so that we end up with thick and chewy cookies!
- Bake for 12 minutes until cookies are slightly golden brown. Let the oatmeal cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I love thick and chewy oatmeal cookies and love that you added banana!
Wow... these cookies look really delicious!!! I want to try them next weekend, I will let you know.
Ciao.
I love these cookies!! Not only do they look incredibly tasty (!!!) but they're low-fat, too. Irresistible... <3
OMG, only looking at these gorgeous pics made my mouth water.
Love the little tricks you shared with us to prepare the SUPer cookie.
Thanks you, Julia!
Omg these look phenomenal! I need to make these asap. Love thick & chewy cookies. 🙂
I adore thick and chewy cookies. This looks amazing Julia! *drool*
Oh, these look delicious, Julia! I love how the banana and yogurt make them low fat. I really would eat these for breakfast!
Yes please! These look so good!
I am with you on oatmeal cookies having to be chewy! These cookies look chewy and delish, and normally I don't like to mess with replacing fat in cookies, but in this case I don't think I'd be missing the fat at all!
Oh my goodness, that top photo is drool city!!!
Oooooh, how lovely! Low-fat and a good source of low-GI energy, flavonoids from the chocolate as well as potassium from the bananas all wrapped in one delicious bundle! They're practically a health-food 🙂 I think Mr VP would like these, too, so I will have to give them a go when I get the chance. Yum!
Oooh! Gorgeous banana and oatmeal cookies, girl. Love that you added chocolate chips and used yogurt in the cookie batter, too!
They are irresistable with their melty places:)
Oh my... don't I wish I had one of those right now! Julia, when are you going to make a cookbook? I'd be the first to buy it! 🙂
Ok these cookies look beautiful and so gooey and chewy and delicious AND I can't believe they're low fat, that's awesome!!