Ingredients:

  • 3 large overripe bananas, mashed (340g)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (60ml)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5ml)
  • 1 tbsp melted coconut oil (15ml)
  • 2 cups rolled oats (180g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon (2g)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (5g)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (1.5g)
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (85g)
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (30g)

Instructions:

  1. Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
  2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Keep going until they reach a smooth, liquid like consistency.
  3. Whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and melted coconut oil. Stir until the mixture is velvety and cohesive.
  4. Mix in the ground cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt. Note: Doing this first prevents clumps of baking powder in the final bars.
  5. Fold in the rolled oats. Stir carefully until no dry pockets remain.
  6. Fold in the dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Do this last so the chips don't melt into the batter.
  7. Pour the batter into the pan. Press the mixture firmly into the corners with a spatula to ensure it's level.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes until the edges are deep golden brown.
  9. Press the center lightly. It should feel springy, not jiggly.
  10. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting them out to slice.