I like easy recipes. And I generally categorise an “easy” recipe as one that incorporates minimal preparation faff and few ingredients. It’s not that I’m a lazy Madame per se, it’s just I find myself more likely to even consider baking something from scratch if it doesn’t involve hours of kitchen time and a significant supermarket sweep.
These banana and date cookies are delicious, gluten free and only contain natural sugars. They are also a dream to make and look ever so pretty when placed on individual pieces of greaseproof paper and stacked to serve.
[ezcol_1third id=”” class=”” style=””]
{The Ingredients}
- 3 ripe bananas
- 180g pitted dates, chopped
- 160g rolled oats
- 80ml sunflower oil
- 1tsp vanilla extract
[/ezcol_1third]
[ezcol_2third_end id=”” class=”” style=””]
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then add the dates, oats, sunflower oil and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Leave the mixture to stand for 15-20 minutes to firm up a little and for the oats to absorb some of the liquid.
- Drop teaspoons of the mixture on to the baking sheets and flatten with the back of the spoon as they don’t tend to spread much. Bake for 15-20 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve. Eat. Feel very pleased with yourself.
[/ezcol_2third_end]
I now intend to present every desert in this way. Think it will work with some angel cake slices? Not so chic.
Am very excited to try this recipe- I often buy snack bars a bit like this in the health food shop, look at the ingredients and think “I should be able to make this” but have never found a recipe so thank you! Just for info, oats contain gluten so this recipe is wheat free but not gluten free. It’s also vegan, which is awesome.
Hi Christina – I’m exactly the same. The amount of stuff I buy that I should really make myself is staggering… Please do have a go at the banana and date cookies and share your results with us. We are on instagram @rockmystyleblog.
And rolled oats – they should be gluten free. Due to processing in factories that use other ingredients that contain gluten means that they can’t be advertised or sold as gluten free but you can find official gluten free rolled oats if you look in the right place, check out these ones on amazon for example.
Hi Christina,
Glad you like the recipe! It’s always good to be careful with oats being classed as gluten free so this is a good point to make sure no one has any reactions. Generally oats can’t be classed as gluten free but this is primarily just a labelling issue as the risks are so low. Adam is right that rolled oats are generally fine and only not labelled as gluten free due to the potential risk of wheat making its way in during crop rotation, factory etc. To make doubly sure I always bake these with oats that are clearly classed as gluten free. I have to be careful as my friend is coeliac so can’t take any risks. Good old waitrose stocks these but guess most supermarkets do in the free from section.
Good luck baking!
Charlotte x
[…] (and delicious) Friday recipe. Admittedly these muesli bars are not quite as healthy as last weeks banana and date cookies (that’ll be the extra butter and um….muscovado sugar) but they are gluten and wheat […]
Charlotte, these are amazing, and so simple to make. The only problem is I keeping eating three at a time, using the excuse that ‘it’s okay because they’re good for me’!! Keep sharing your great gluten-free recipes with us!
Hi Hannah – we will 🙂 did you see the gluten free muesli bars? Yum.
I made these at the weekend and they are yummy!!! Really simple and I think they taste better the next day (if they last that long…!). Thanks for the great recipe.
Officially on my weekend ‘to do’ list! More homemade healthy snack like this please- such a great idea! 🙂