Banana-Oat-Chocolate-Chip-Walnut Cookies

Whenever I have overly ripe bananas, I make banana bread. However, I had just made a double batch of bread and still had left over, much too ripe, bananas to use up.

The search began for a recipe. And, hooray! Enter "Cooking Light" magazine.

These things kick. They are chewy, but not too cake like. Crisp, but soft. Lots of flavors and chunks, and subtle banana flavor throughout the entire confection.

I am a HUGE fan of natural banana flavors. The artificial kind, such as laffy taffy or popsicles, makes me want to throw up. Luckily, comprised of mashed bananas, this bread is the good kind of fruit flavor.

Make these instead of banana bread next time. I pinky promise, you'll be glad you did.

Cooking Light's Banana-Oat-Chip-Walnut Cookies

• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• Cooking spray

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add egg; beat well.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture in bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until golden. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

*UPDATE* I don't know why this thing insists on writing parts of this post in all caps. If you know why and can help me change it, let me know! Otherwise, it just looks like I am yelling about these cookies. No matter how many times I try to reformat. I assure you, while they are delicious. I am not yelling. I am merely stating delicious facts.

Yay CAPS! Happy New Year, all :)