Banana Date Oatmeal Cookies

The kids had a snow day this week.  It was the first time schools have been closed for a very long time.  Luke says it has never happened, but I think perhaps five years ago there was another winter storm that blew through.  The night before both kids slept with their pj's inside out and a spoon under your pillow.  Rumour has it this will bring on a snow day.  Luke is now convinced it worked.  I don't have the heart to tell him that every weather station was predicting this storm.  Why not let him believe in a little magic?

We had no trouble filling our day with snow shovelling, fort building and cookie baking.  The banana cookies are surprisingly sweet for no sugar being added.  The chocolate drizzled on top breaks the cloying sweet of the bananas.  It's a little like oatmeal cookie meets banana muffin~ in a good way.  They remind me a little of the date sweetened banana mufins I made awhile ago.  Both are baked without refined sugar and sweetened with both dates and bananas.  We tossed in some hemp seeds for extra protein, but you could substitute chopped walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds or pepitas. 

adapted from Weelicious

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup pitted and chopped dried dates

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate

In a small saucepan combine dates and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until dates are softened.  Cook until water is evaporated and dates are soft and mushy.  Cool and reserve.
In a large bowl, combine the bananas, oats, dates, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt and hemp seeds.  Allow to sit about 10min before scooping onto baking sheets.
Preheat oven to 325degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop about 1Tbsp of dough onto prepared sheets.  Bake 20-25min. In a double boiler (or metal bowl over pot of boiling water), melt chocolate and reserve for topping cookies.  Cool and top with melted chocolate drizzle.  Enjoy!