Banana-Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars

It’s that time again.

Brown banana baking time.

So, instead of throwing together a loaf of banana bread, which is standard but always delicious, I decided to do something in cookie bar form. It’s been awhile since I’ve made bar cookies. As a kid, bar cookies were always an extra added treat. Even more so than my favorite tollhouse chocolate chip cookies. Depending on how you slice it, I guess it’s possible to get more cookie volume in a bar than in your traditional round cookie shape. In any case, I loved bar cookies as a kid because I was sure in this form, I was getting more chocolate chips and more coconut per square cookie inch.  

This is a simple and pretty traditional recipe but one that is always good. I love the sweet moist texture that the ripened bananas add to the mix. Usually, I would throw in some kind of chopped nut like toasted macademias, but alas, no nuts on hand today. The chewy coconut adds texture and goes well with the subtle banana flavor. I used whole wheat and a little quinoa flour because it’s what I had available. It produced a dense “cake-like” texture which was very good. This recipe is also great using all purpose flour which yields a cookie with a thinner crisp texture. Kid’s party or adult get together, these are always a definite favorite!

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp

1 egg at room temp

1/2 cup packed dark brown muscovado sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 large very ripe banana mashed

1 cup of quick cooking oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup of chopped toasted macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 375.

Line a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish with parchment and set aside.

Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Mix butter and sugars on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Lower speed and add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add the banana and mix until just incorporated. Add the flour in thirds, mixing each addition only until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, coconut and nuts by hand.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake 10 min. Rotate pan and bake for another 10 min or so. 

Let cookies cool in pan on wire rack for about 2 hours.

Tagged as: banana coconut bars, bar cookies, chocolate chips