BANANA BREAD AND ALMOND-BUTTER COCOA SANDWICH COOKIES

BANANA BREAD AND ALMOND-BUTTER COCOA SANDWICH COOKIES image

Categories Banana

Yield 9 Cookies

Number Of Ingredients 15

BANANA BREAD COOKIES
2 large very ripe bananas
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned oats
¼ cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
ALMOND BUTTER COCOA FILLING
½ cup unsalted almond butter
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plus
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

Steps:

1. Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350˚ and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas and combine with the maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla. (The mixture shouldn't be too smooth; small chunks of banana are great.) In a large bowl, combine the oats with the brown rice flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the banana mixture to the oat mixture and mix until just combined. 3. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies an inch apart. (Do your best to make them all the same size and shape, because they will be sandwiched together.) Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, or until they are golden brown and set but still soft and spongy. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets. 4. Make the filling: When the cookies are nearly done cooling, in a small bowl, mix the almond butter with the cocoa powder and maple syrup until combined. 5. Scoop a heaping teaspoon of filling and spread it on the bottom of a cookie. Take another cookie and sandwich them together. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies to make 9 sandwiches total. Serve.