Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

This is a variation of a recipe that I just received via email from MarthaStewart.com.  It looked so good that I immediately went to the kitchen and made a batch.  Well, they are every bit as good as the picture of them looks.  The thing that drew me to this recipe was how much you could play with it by adjusting the ingredients.  The cookies have a crispy exterior and an almost cake like interior.  Yup…it’s the best of both worlds.  Cookies and banana bread! These cookies can even double at breakfast.  I love multi-tasking foods.

2 cups flour
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar/Splenda/Stevia
1/2 cup brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar blend
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 cup old fashion oatmeal
8 oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz. bag of chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.  Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and add egg and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Mix in the mashed banana and the add the flour mixture.  Mix until just combined.  Stir in oats, chocolate chips and walnuts.

Using a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with the parchment paper or Silpat.  Space them about 2″ apart.  They don’t spread much at all.  Bake until golden brown and just set, between 13-15 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a wire rack.  Let cool completely.  Or, at least long enough for you to get a glass of milk ready!

Makes 3 dozen