A healthy, low-sugar, fudgy treat to tame chocolate cravings
Food@DominionPost.com
In The Dominion Post’s ongoing Wednesday feature, Quarantine Kitchen, we highlight dishes prepared by readers, staffers, wire services and chefs at our local restaurants in an effort to keep us connected through food.
This week, we share a couldn’t-be-simpler recipe from reader Stanley Cohen that’s perfect for taming those chocolate cravings without all the guilt. The perfect go-to treat for those trying to curb their fat and sugar intake in 2021.
Cohen calls them “a close relative of Reese’s Cups without the sugar and butterfat.”
Using only three ingredients — four, if you add the optional chips — these cookies bake up soft and fudgy, with a cakey texture and delightful bitter, dark chocolate flavor. The peanut butter and sprinkling of salt on top adds to the satisfaction.
Not a baker? No problem. These beauties require only one bowl and virtually no skill — a few ripe bananas, some peanut or almond butter and good quality cocoa powder is all you need. Smash those nanners, mix it together and boom, you’re good to go.
We made them for a photo this morning and have already eaten two. After all, they’re healthy, right?
According to the site where Cohen found the recipe, acleanbake.com, these cookies are also paleo-friendly, vegan and gluten-free — and the creator estimates only about 32 calories per cookie. Whaaat?
FUDGY 3-INGREDIENT ‘DETOX’ COOKIES
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed or pureed until smooth (about 1 1/2 cups puree)
- 1/2 cup natural (unsweetened) peanut butter. Substitute almond butter for paleo or Whole30 compliance, or crunchy nut butter
- 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (if using creamy nut butter), (optional)
- 1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional) and somewhat over the top!
- Coarse sea salt, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas and using a fork thoroughly combine the bananas, nut butter, (nuts and/or chips if using), and cocoa powder until it reaches a smooth and uniform consistency.
Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, flatten slightly, keep about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a pinch of sea salt.
If your dough is more like a thick batter, just plop the portions of dough on the cookie sheet and they will spread out by themselves. No need to flatten with a fork.
Bake for 8-15 minutes until cookies lose their sheen. Allow to cool and set on the cookie sheets for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
A cookie dough scoop works well in forming the cookies, but two spoons does the trick just fine, if you don’t have one.
Troubleshooting tips from A Clean Bake:
The moisture content of the dough may vary. If the batter is too runny, you can add more cocoa to absorb the moisture, and/or bake for longer.
Make sure you thoroughly stir your peanut butter if it has separated in the jar
If your peanut butter is too thick/stiff to mix easily, nuke it for 15-20 seconds until it’s easier to work with.
Depending on the moisture content of your bananas, your baking time could vary from 8 minutes to 15 minutes.
If you don’t want to garnish your cookies with salt, add a pinch to the batter.
Recipe by A Clean Bake, www.acleanbake.com
