Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips

***Note—this wouldn’t post on National Peanut Butter Day for me.  sigh

Let’s not talk about how long it’s been since I’ve blogged.  There’s not really an excuse anyway.  Let’s talk about these cookies!  Hurry, National Peanut Butter Day is almost over!  That said, you have my permission to make these cookies anytime you’d like.  They are perfect for using up those two or three overripe bananas you have on the counter.  Admit it, you have some, don’t you?  Well, I always do.  I buy more than I think will get eaten just so there are plenty to freeze for my morning smoothie AND for making all kinds of banana treats--muffins, banana bread, coffee cake, and cookies!

I was thinking earlier today that I’d love to do something for National Peanut Butter Day.  And I remembered these Banana Peanut Butter Cookies I made from Picky Palate that long ago, like nine years ago, I dubbed as possibly my favorite cookie ever.  I’ve realized over the years I have many favorites and they change all the time.  

Probably the only thing in those cookies from yesteryear that I still eat is the bananas.  So I went to work changing them up to be similar and reminiscent of those peanut butter cup filled banana cookies and I threw all the ingredients together and am so happy with how they turned out on the first try!  No, they don’t have peanut butter cups and they aren’t even rolled in sugar, but they amazingly taste just like them, except that they have all good things—gluten free, refined sugar free, natural peanut butter and of course chocolate.   They are flying off the cooling rack and will be gone before I know it.  You now, usually when I make something and tell the boys they are gluten free and don’t have regular sugar, they won’t even try them, but they went for it with these and I’m a little sad they won’t last.  Never fear, I will make them again soon!

 Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1 cup pureed/mashed bananas

¾ cup coconut sugar

¼ cup raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, room temperature

½ cup natural peanut butter (I used crunchy)

1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend (with xanthan)

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Add banana, coconut sugar and honey to a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Add vanilla and egg whisk well. Stir in the peanut butter. Add the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Mixture will almost be like a muffin or thick cake batter. Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack. Cool completely, store in an airtight container.

Hurry, you can whip these up in no time—there’s still tie for National Peanut Butter Day, that said, nothing will stop me from making these any day of the year!