We’re big fans of baking around here, so when we noticed a recipe for rainforest cookies at the back of one of our rainforest books, of course we had to make them.
It was educational.
Plus, as healthy recipes kids can make (or, at least, about as healthy as cookies can get) this was one we needed to try.
This recipe includes many ingredients that are found in rainforests, including cinnamon, bananas, sugar, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, and cashews (although we skipped the nuts at Maia’s request).
I like the idea of talking about the world around us based on the ingredients we cook with —I think we’ll start doing this more.
Note: the banana makes these cookies nice and soft, but the taste is subtle.
Rainforest Cookies Recipe
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(Adapted slightly from the recipe in “The Rainforest Grew All Around” by Susan K. Mitchell)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups white wheat flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped cashews (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Use an electric mixer to beat butter, banana, and sugars until creamy.
- Mix in eggs and coconut.
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Stir in chocolate chips and cashews (if using).
- Drop by spoonful onto parchment paper-covered baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
- Enjoy!
P.S. This makes a LOT of cookies! We only baked a third of them. For the other 2/3 we put a baking sheet of unbaked cookies in the freezer to flash freeze then put them in a freezer bag. That way we can pull some out and pop them in the oven (no need to thaw) anytime we want cookies. We do this with almost all the cookies we make.
Learning About the Rainforests Series
- Rainforest Books for Kids
- Rainforest Cookies :: Learning About Where Our Food Comes From (this post)
- Creating a Forest on Our Kitchen Table
More Healthy Recipes Kids Can Help Make
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10 Comments
Carly
June 14, 2011 at 9:41 amOooh, sounds delish. I’m going to make these with the kids today for our playgroup tomorrow! Thanks!
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June 14, 2011 at 11:40 amLooks and sounds delicious. Pari loves baking. We will try this, this weekend…
Mel
June 14, 2011 at 4:12 pmThanks! These look great!
E11studioplayschool
June 15, 2011 at 12:21 amThanks for this ~ now I know what to do with those dozen black bananas in the freezer :)
Caitlin Block
March 10, 2019 at 10:28 pmCan I make these with gluten free flour? Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 substitutes…
Thanks! Would I just use 2.25 cups GF flour instead of the white wheat flour and regular flour…
Jean Van't Hul
March 11, 2019 at 9:04 amI would imagine so! Give it a try and let us know how it works!
tasha
June 15, 2011 at 11:08 amWe were on a jungle/ rainforest kick yesterday, so these were perfectly on time for us! We made them, and they were amazingly delicious. Thanks!
Julie Liddle, ART IN HAND
June 15, 2011 at 11:08 pmmmm…I think I’d try this WITH the nuts, but WITHOUT the coconut!
Darius Adlam
November 9, 2011 at 4:51 pmRainforest cookies? I’ve never heard of that before, but it sounds divine. It looks delicious too.
Jo
November 12, 2013 at 12:50 pmHow many is a lot?
I want to make 65 and would like to know quantities!