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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Banana Date Cookies from Great Grandma's Kitchen

My great-grandpa Efeard, great-grandma Annabelle and grandpa George Bradley, Christmas 1942
Last year, I was given a box of my great-grandma's and great-great-grandma's recipes and cookbooks.

Great-great grandma Tresa Baker and son Harold, 1904
I know!  Totally a blessing, right?!!

I've been kicking around the idea of doing a series on Great Grandma's Kitchen where I share some of the more unique recipes they kept.  This morning, I was visiting Rachel at Bubbly Nature Creations where I discovered her Heirloom Recipes Blog Hop---the perfect place to link up these inherited recipes!


Please visit her blog hop at the end of this post and be inspired! You might even want to share your own Heirloom Recipes!
Although our family does not have any major food allergies that cause us to have to limit certain ingredients, I still like to be on the look out for wheat, sugar and egg-free recipes.  That way, I have something to either serve to our friends who are avoiding these groups, or offer to my kids for another healthy alternative.  Even better when I can find a recipe that uses up old bananas as we always seem to have a bunch! (Get it?  hee hee)


This recipe was featured in the March 7, 1979 issue of The Oregonian newspaper.  Nutritionist Pat Fitch put together this milk, egg, wheat and sugar free recipe which relies on fruit for sweetness.  It does contain nuts, which some have allergies to, but these can always be omitted.


I changed it up a little bit, substituting applesauce instead of oil (only healthy fats allowed in these cookies!) and adding cinnamon and nutmeg.  You could use several different purees in place of oil---pears, squash and pumpkin are all great substitutes.  They turned out excellent!  Very soft and dense.  They remind me of Erin Baker's Breakfast Cookies that I used to buy when we lived near Seattle.


Banana Date Cookies


3 bananas
3/4 c. applesauce or other fruit puree (or 1/3 c. oil)
1 c. chopped dates
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. oats
 

Mash bananas and use a spoon to mix in all other ingredients. 

Let the mixture stand for a few minutes so the oats can absorb some of the moisture. 

Drop onto a cookie sheet.  I use a Pampered Chef baking stone so I don't oil it but you might want to oil your cookie sheet a little since there's no oil in the recipe.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from sheet and cool on a rack.


Let me know if you try them out---I'd love to hear from you!

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20 comments:

  1. Wow! These sound good. I have just recently discovered the gooey sweetness of dates... yummy!

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  2. These cookies sound really good, I love dates and I bet they taste really good in cookies! What a fun idea to make a series based on your great grandma's recipes! I love finding and trying out old family recipes, hope you have fun with all of yours!

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  3. Was nice seeing some of your family. I would really enjoy a big hand full of those hot cookies with a glass of milk.

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  4. Thank you for the cookie heirloom recipe dear friend! I loved your vintage photos of your beautiful family too! I love it that they don't have white sugar..great! Thank you for your sweet visit. Have a happy weekend.
    FABBY

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  5. You had me at 'breakfast cookie!'
    Found you on Katherine's corner and I would love to have you share this on The HomeAcre Hop!
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/01/the-homeacre-hop-3.html

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  6. What wonderful vintage photos of your family! And thank you for sharing the yummy recipe, sounds great.

    Happy VTT!

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  7. Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop! So glad to have you join me :) Can't wait to see what you have to share next week!

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  8. Your cookies look delicious! Thanks for all of your sweet comments on my blog - I greatly appreciate it :)

    Hugs to you,
    Stephanie

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  9. Anything with bananas is a hit with me! And the dates are so yummy. Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Love seeing new faces. Have a blessed week & come back soon ~EMM

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  10. the photos are spectacular! The recipe looks delish too.
    I don't have any heirloom recipes. Perhaps someday mine will be for our grandchildren. Thank you for sharing st the hop xo

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  11. Yum, those cookies look delish. Happy Blue Monday, Sarah.

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  12. I have made some similar to this but with raisins instead of dates---the dates would be nice . Thanks for the recipe. I use parchment paper so they don't stick on my pans.

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  13. Wonderful story and great recipe, hope to try these out with my kids, certainly healthy for everyone! thanks so much for sharing on Craft schooling Sunday!

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  14. Oh that looks GOOOOOOD! We are going to try it next week.

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  15. Oh! These look right up my alley!!! Thanks for sharing a precious recipe. Your family is beeutiful...i just found you on Titus 2sday link up. Blessings.

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  16. Seems like I've always got several old bananas, too. It's nice to find something to do with them that isn't banana bread.

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  17. Oooo I love date cookies! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

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  18. Thanks for linking up your recipe @ Dearcreatives.com sounds yummy.

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  19. Thanks for this delicious recipe and for linking it up over at WholeHearted Home this week!!

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  20. I love how you shared great grandma's recipe. These look delicious by the way!

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Mrs. Sarah Coller

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