Three-Ingredient Soft Baked Cookies | PALEO, Vegan

I have come up with many fun Paleo-fied dessert recipes over the years, and love whipping them out on special occasions to impress friends & family with how delicious grain- & dairy-free baking can be.  A couple of my favorites?  My simple Lemon Bars and popular German Chocolate Cake Bars.   

Both are Paleo friendly, but do require a little time and effort.  And while I love them *so much*... I don't always feel like spending a ton of time in the kitchen... especially when I've already spent my time cooking dinner & cleaning all that up.

Without fail, though, Dathan will make an off-the-cuff mention after dinner when we have nothing sweet in the house:  "Wish I had some dessert..."  And my girlfriend guilt kicks in.  Would I love to make and also eat some Ooey Gooey Almond Joy Cookie Bars?  Yup.  Do I want to dirty the kitchen all over again making them?  Nope.

So over time I've taken those special occasion desserts and broken them down to the bare-bones basics - the fewest # of ingredients and the least amount of time possible that will still lead me to a tasty after-dinner treat.  And that recipe has been tested (and eaten) enough times that I am SO excited to share it with you guys!

One of my favorite "super girlfriend" hacks?  Mix up a quick batch of cookie dough while dinner is finishing up.  Then, pop the dough in the freezer to set.

By the time you've finished eating, and your boyfriend/spouse/child is saying how they wish they had "something sweet"... you're ready!  Just pop these babies in the oven and make all their dreams come true in 15 minutes or less.

Let me know - would you eat these as is, or throw in some mix-ins?  Our favorite style is the three ingredients + chocolate chunks (and a sprinkle of sea salt over top).  That melty, gooey chocolate cannot be beat!

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut*
• 1/3 cup nut butter*

Optional additions (feel free to mix & match!):

• 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks, dried fruit, or chopped nuts
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
• 1/3 cup collagen peptides
• a pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth.  Add the coconut and nut butter, and mix until well combined.  Stir in any additions you like.  Pop the cookie dough into the freezer to firm up a bit (15 minutes or so).
3. Scoop the dough onto the lined baking sheet.  Use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to flatten each one just a little, to the thickness you prefer.
4. Transfer into the oven & bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes.  Allow them to cool & enjoy!

*Notes:

• Try substituting oats for the shredded coconut if you tolerate grains!  We've used both steel cut and quick oats and both worked out great.
• For the nut butter, we have used both almond and peanut butter with great results.  You can also try cashew butter or sun butter - whichever you prefer & have on hand should work fine!