Confession: I never really liked bananas until I moved into a house that had several banana plants on the property. I always found them a bit dry and starchy, and unless they were soaked in rum and set aflame in a pan (or blended with espresso in a frosty smoothie), I usually passed them up in favor of fruits like oranges. Peaches. Strawberries. Bold, juicy, refreshing fruits.
But then I tried one of the bananas that we grew. They were fat and short, unlike anything I’d ever seen in the market, and they tasted like a cross of banana and apple — light and sweet. Certainly sweeter than a standard banana, but not cloyingly so. Come to find out, our particular variety is called an apple banana!

In our Southern California coastal climate, our banana plants produce fruits (I mean, berries — you remember that a banana is actually a berry?) year-round and continue to multiply every season with new shoots. I swear that we started with only half a dozen banana stalks but now, five years later, we have a cluster of at least two dozen.
At harvest time, we typically overripen our bananas for the freezer (and for future banana bread) but we also use them fresh for donuts, pancakes, cupcakes, muffins, pies, milkshakes, and more recently, multiple batches of these bite-sized cookies. They’re crunchy-chewy and reminiscent of granola. Mashed banana and gooey dates bring together oats and spices in a cookie that’s filling and feels healthy at the same time. Keep a few of them on hand when you have a busy morning ahead and are running out the door — they’re a quick and easy breakfast in a bite.


Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite
Makes 34 cookies
Ingredients
1 large very ripe banana
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
8 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Making Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside until ready to use.
In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Stir in the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and stir until no dry pockets remain.
Fold in the dates and chocolate chips.


Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, drop rounded mounds of dough onto the cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Lightly flatten each ball with the back of the fork.


Bake for about 15 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.
Transfer them to a wire rack to cool, then enjoy!


Choco Banana Date Cookies

They’re crunchy-chewy and reminiscent of granola. Mashed banana and gooey dates bring together oats and spices in a cookie that’s filling and feels healthy at the same time.
Ingredients
- 1 large very ripe banana
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside until ready to use.
- In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Stir in the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and stir until no dry pockets remain.
- Fold in the dates and chocolate chips.
- Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, drop rounded mounds of dough onto the cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Lightly flatten each ball with the back of the fork.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool, then enjoy!
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25 Comments
Kim Dao
November 30, 2018 at 12:03 amHi, if I don’t particularly like dates (or raisin) and skip them, how should I make up for this adjustment?
Linda from Garden Betty
November 30, 2018 at 2:05 amYou can try substituting approx. 1 cup of another sticky dried fruit, like dried cranberries.
SS Poker Junkie
June 20, 2016 at 2:13 amI made a few of these
Linda Ly of Garden Betty
October 17, 2016 at 12:11 amI’m glad you enjoyed them!
Lauren Parnass
November 28, 2015 at 11:20 amLauren Parnass liked this on Facebook.
gardenbetty
November 27, 2015 at 9:01 pmSo good, you’ll want to make two batches. Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/92gmzFvdZ3 #recipe
gardenbetty
November 26, 2015 at 3:02 pmMy current favorite banana #recipe! Quick and easy: Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/iuiFRtdyxD
gardenbetty
November 26, 2015 at 9:04 amDelicious bites for busy mornings. Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/PnnZcGxK71 #recipe https://t.co/3OOQcxicJy
gardenbetty
November 25, 2015 at 6:01 pmCrunchy-chewy and reminiscent of granola. Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/KXFTsU1sZK https://t.co/vZb5CFXMYe
Michi Cedillo
November 25, 2015 at 11:05 amMichi Cedillo liked this on Facebook.
Irene Skrybailo
November 24, 2015 at 11:05 pmIrene Skrybailo liked this on Facebook.
Tiana D Preston
November 24, 2015 at 11:05 pmTiana D Preston liked this on Facebook.
Shannon Brown
November 24, 2015 at 11:05 pmShannon Brown liked this on Facebook.
Katy Eggleton
November 24, 2015 at 11:05 pmKaty Eggleton liked this on Facebook.
lemonpath
November 24, 2015 at 8:25 pmChoco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/a5niWfszrR via @gardenbetty
Irene Skrybailo
November 24, 2015 at 3:38 pmI saw this picture and all I could think was YUM MUST TRY, it sounds delightful!!! <3
Abigail Ryder
November 24, 2015 at 3:05 pmAbigail Ryder liked this on Facebook.
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November 24, 2015 at 3:05 pmWill Taylor liked this on Facebook.
Glatter Claudiu
November 24, 2015 at 3:05 pmGlatter Claudiu liked this on Facebook.
Amy Bauman
November 24, 2015 at 3:05 pmAmy Bauman liked this on Facebook.
gardenbetty
November 24, 2015 at 12:02 pmPerfect with coffee. Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/UIDzScbnCc #recipe https://t.co/sWVkaI6SYi
Jamie Huff Smith
November 24, 2015 at 10:50 amJamie Huff Smith liked this on Facebook.
Michael Martino
November 24, 2015 at 8:35 amMichael Martino liked this on Facebook.
Laurie Smith
November 24, 2015 at 7:35 amLaurie Smith liked this on Facebook.
gardenbetty
November 24, 2015 at 6:00 amBlogged on Garden Betty: Choco Banana Date Cookies aka Breakfast in a Bite https://t.co/oiUSa1x3eD