Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Maple Syrup (Grade A or B)
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Very Ripe Banana, mashed
  • 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour (or plain)
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 2 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
  • 2 Tbsp Chia or Flax Seeds (ground)
  • 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries or Raisins

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two large baking trays with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. In the large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and maple syrup until just combined and slightly lighter in colour (about 1 minute).
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana until the mixture is uniform. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. In the second, smaller bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Ensure there are no lumps of leavening agent.
  5. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed (or with a spatula) until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as you see no streaks of dry flour remaining.
  6. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the rolled oats, chia/flax seeds, and dried fruit. Mix only until the oats are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  7. Use the 2-Tbsp scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking trays, spacing them about 5 cm (2 inches) apart. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
  8. Gently flatten each mound of dough with the back of a fork or your fingers to about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thickness, as these cookies do not spread much on their own.
  9. Bake for 14–16 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centres look set.
  10. Remove the trays from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to achieve the perfect chewy texture.