Paleo coconut date cookies/energy bars

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This week I baked two batches of cookies: one, a healthier-than-average chocolate chip cookie I loved. This is the other batch. It could possibly be appropriate to label "cookie" with quotes.

Don't balk, though. I like the cookie. Really like it. A lot. It's clean, it's paleo, and it tastes just like what it's made of, a pleasing meld of dates, coconut and banana. It makes for a great after-school snack, and I'm certain will make a super swap for an energy bar on the trails.

I used this recipe from Weelicious, and tweaked just slightly. Instead of using straight sesame seeds, I combined chia seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds. The result was that delicious, crunchy-chewy combination so many cookies delight in.

These are a healthy cookie, and as such they do taste like they're healthy...but seriously in a seriously good way. But even if you're not specifically seeking 'healthy', these breakfast/snack/trail fuel/bike fuel cookie bites may very well take you by surprise regardless.

Next time I make these, I will do one thing I will do differently. I'm going to double the recipe (to the quantities below), at least. I was skeptical to begin with that 5 dates could generously spread to 20 cookies, even with the magnanimous assistance of one banana. And they didn't. I got  a mere 9 grown-up/"big kid" sized cookies. So unless you're baking for Lilliputions,the updated amounts will probably work for you, too. Chances you'll regret it are slim, promise.

Paleo coconut date cookies

Makes 18-20 cookies

Slightly adapted from Weelicious

  • 2 bananas, chopped
  • 10 medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons flax seeds

*Or, try any combination for about 1/3 to 1/2 cup worth of chia, flax, and sesame seeds. Ground nuts would work great, too!

1. Preheat oven to 275° F. 2. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. 3. Using a tablespoon measure, form the dough into balls and then press down to form cookies. 4. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and serve.