Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies with Carob / Chocolate Chips Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then stir in the creamy peanut butter until they're fully combined.

Add the applesauce, vanilla protein powder, and vanilla extract, mixing until the mixture is smooth.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes; this gives the oats a chance to hydrate and soften.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie into a circle. If you prefer your carob or chocolate chips on top, press them into the cookies now.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. If you like a crosshatch pattern, you can use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to gently score the tops while they're still warm.

Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in a covered container.