I’m the only one in my household without special dietary needs, so I’ve learned to please everyone by keeping ingredients simple. When it comes to sweet treats, who doesn’t love a good cookie? What I love about this recipe is its versatility. You can leave out the chocolate chips, add raisins and dried cranberries or you can go nuts with almonds or walnuts. You can also get a chewy texture with reduced baking time or, oppositely, cookies with lots of crunch if you let them sit in the oven a little longer. But the best part is that the sweetness from the bananas is enough for you to feel as though you’re indulging in a treat, without regret.

If you’re not sure what to do with ripe bananas sitting in your fruit bowl, and aren’t enticed by banana bread, this is the recipe for you!

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• ½ cup chocolate chips (amount varies depending on your preference)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 cups oats

Yield: 9 large cookies or 12 small cookies

Step 1: Mash

• Mash bananas until smooth using a fork or a hand blender (I used my Braun tool to save time while minimizing clean-up)

Step 2: Mix

• Add chocolate chips, oats and cinnamon to the dough and mix well with a spoon

Step 3: Bake

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Lay parchment paper on a cookie sheet
• Spoon mixture unto palm and shape sides until you form a circle
• Place on parchment paper and bake for 18 to 25 minutes (cooking times will vary based on your oven, so keep an eye on your first try)

Step 4: Cool

• Place on a cooling rack

Step 5: Serve

And that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Ain’t it sweet? Be sure to sport your apron so your significant other will think you’ve been hard at work in the kitchen all day.