Elvis Cookies

I just happened to have some extra-ripe bananas that needed using up, and I've been craving peanut butter and oatmeal, so this recipe seemed perfect!

(chocolate chips are our addition to the recipe,

so the cookies in this picture don't have them)

Ingredients:
1½ cup butter, divided
2 cups rolled oats
3 whole bananas
1 cup brown sugar
⅔ cups granulated sugar
1 cup PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
½ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat. Add the oatmeal and cook, stirring until toasted, about 5 minutes. Don’t skip this step. Toasting the oatmeal really adds a great nutty flavor and softens the oats perfectly for the cookies!
3. Meanwhile, mash the bananas with a potato masher. Mix in remaining 2 sticks of softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until fluffy again. Add the salt and baking soda and beat until combined. Add the oatmeal and beat until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Using a large spoon, scoop the cookie dough into medium-sized balls and place onto the cookie sheet about an 1 1/2” apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Take cookies out of the oven, flatten with the black of your spatula, and place back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.