Banana Nut Cookies

An original recipe of the Spirit Rock Kitchen, especially Mary Schjeldahl
Yields approx. 2 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/3 cups unsalted almonds, toasted
• 1 2/3 cups unsalted cashews, toasted
• 2/3 cup very ripe bananas, frozen and then thawed
• 1 TBS vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60%-75% is delicious, but any chips will do)

 DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

 Using a food processor, finely grind almonds and cashews until they are slightly coarser than sand - don’t over-grind or they will become nut butter! Remove nuts from food processor, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Place the thawed bananas, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder and salt into the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula, fold this puree into the ground nuts. Once these ingredients are incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop (about 2 TBS), scoop dough into balls. Keep mounded high for rounder, chewier cookies, or flatten slightly for crispier cookies. Place dough balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat mat.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cookies are baked through and turning golden.