![Rhubarb, coconut, banana sandwich cookies (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol5khaBqhoZwSAMVMrdepZQyJnf8HcvBvZ-HIDpGJjLYxnZ9KtAZh9YzpaNPCiSFx4BRkkBFYF7nzkKrFdux81gGGz26yIsaEqGonN2gnaCrjktH3UhZa9KEn4AxfTkYEurKZzC_s7vg/s400/20150520_213503.jpg) |
Rhubarb, coconut, banana sandwich cookies |
Mother's Day weekend I picked a bouquet of rhubarb for my sister. I also made a rhubarb upside-down cake for Dale. But I wanted some rhubarb for me. After tasting how sweet the banana coconut cookies were, I decided to try adding rhubarb to them. (As I mixed the ingredients together, I kept thinking of additional twists.) Here is the ingredient list that you will need.
1 1/3 cup finely chopped rhubarb
1/3 cup water
24 drops French Vanilla Stevia (split)
2/3 cup coconut flakes
10 Chocolate nibs finely chopped (Lily's Dark chocolate 55% - sugar free)
2/3 cup coconut flour
2 bananas
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
4 oz cream cheese
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla
Do you notice the 1/3 and 2/3 cup units? Sorry, but my 1/2 cup measuring cup was dirty in the dishwasher. So I thought that I'd have fun and cook in thirds for a change.
I started out taking the chopped rhubarb, water and 16 drops of stevia together on the stovetop. I brought it to a boil then reduced the heat and let it to reduce.
![2/3 cup finely chopped rhubarb (times 2) (Cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfe6EVL3JytgJteyLHTrOG-6ANXSGCDkehfT0PaN6DTre_rujAl6ed1rsPqEEBN12QlxXG7ztYU-rRZ8KqltPcc8bO87BkSp1S36Zr3JV09EWnjH5TfmilIm2s8rkENbDKV8Lmo0DL7dk/s400/20150512_221234.jpg) |
2/3 cup finely chopped rhubarb (times 2) |
With the rhubarb cooling, I mashed the two bananas, added coconut flakes and chocolate. Then I added the rhubarb. When I saw everything in the bowl I thought to myself "cinnamon!" After all, everything is better with cinnamon. MIX it together. After taste testing I wished that I would have prepared more rhubarb.
![Bananas, rhubarb, coconut flakes, chocolate, chinnamon (Cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnCWlIRXr1fgj15zu-EVHqb-i3XvbZtWYJPg4ZjfB0mZvIcvqdFbtvcU3OOZbAW8PYx5REy7MCt2cxX5zt_TTIOLUteJP-28IMu1LHzk1LqdI4hTWgAYTNPmyaMsDM6r1CII3mD-PhLs/s400/20150512_224019.jpg) |
Bananas, rhubarb, coconut flakes, chocolate, cinnamon |
I almost forgot about the coconut flour. I was thinking with the extra moisture of rhubarb that I might not need the eggs. But I could barely get all the coconut flour mixed it because it was so dry.
![coconut flour (Cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwsc-nXKncOZfswJV68BY3Qm639-FHQRN_smP1n_LhlXuGI43YZcMAMcXe7DR7Li7O_VlThTXp4sw3ERah1CwPpMQ28ef3E4q5QOuYjAZYyx04PrN4VK1MF6dLa-hvscx3Jn-VQ_OSDA/s400/20150512_224254.jpg) |
Coconut flour |
Eggs are always a good binder when baking cookies. For people that want a vegan recipe, the eggs are not really needed.
![2 eggs (Cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ufvwfY4JByUbjVwuU3MtHZzSlXWyxJtJqm31HCae2gvG257uT7LkcCsUkx2hCAk26Upr11p59eVRwmoSTozJUp4GBG3ZyvIEyZjKt1dIAXo9vXZvmflUqbJMAZK0R1XyOZoa_Oltaj4/s400/20150512_224424.jpg) |
2 eggs |
Roll into a ball, place it on a cookie sheet, and form a hole in the top of the ball for filling later. I baked at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes on my stone baking sheet.
![Prepare the cookies with holes to fill (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYW3WndnO1q6FB0R0TrabH9aSkzYNY0dx5uJJeabknONgAC6ReJxgkHDYpd61PMDyZiWOc4WwZASuW7bhc1NnlfPZ9IVr-6vi6vmKfoNyct00NisVIqzerl-llbISMG4vYQ5qRAMPUCM/s400/20150512_225327.jpg) |
Prepare the cookies with holes to fill |
While the cookies were baking, I mixed up the cream cheese filling. I actually made two batches on two separate days. The first one I used cream cheese, butter, vanilla and stevia. The second batch, I used cream cheese, milk, and vanilla flavored stevia. (That was better for spreading.)
![Cream cheese, butter, vanilla and stevia (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsVeDEBQ999aBfS_p00DRsrnN3yd8hfy5HsinkCwJ-v2zMaXtTxLLJy3Ke93pFEBIFgDa6IcCv3uOXoyVLZjfzZlS6QsmU_SeJ_zi4NRKYRjW9HbSr7t_V9cSzYTbKxz5QTRWcy_MzJM/s400/20150512_230758.jpg) |
Cream cheese, butter, vanilla and stevia |
I chopped up some walnuts to add to the cream cheese filling for some extra flavor and texture. That was a good choice. (I am thinking that I could sit down and eat the filling without the cookies.)
![Finely chopped walnuts (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGzn5uHoqiaX1FgFiI8naaMZ0lxSbCvkPl2HfiiC-S29872c5RO3PAZXm50hRNYOV5cLGWknNnuRDg34muhw4SJ2HkKCC0OkSAPgHNQAQ71_4kdCPgJeI_LVCwMddvbVq2n-dCFV8Aow/s400/20150512_230806.jpg) |
Finely chopped walnuts |
I didn't plan large cookies. The purpose of making healthy cookies is to make them a size that will provide a sweet treat and don't give you too many calories.
![Cooling and smelling good! (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiMtE4o3rpB2MNq4W7eSaBJjEyMSdnZcvPyx2C6nF6s1QVBY1jK788h28MrXz33jaAN3rACw7xcujGUQxOKL-mwZiYTOSGeKP0h1yr4ID5Cf0XTPdvn6ZLGZcrOvCxzjf3JWdqoqydfI/s400/20150512_231052.jpg) |
Cooling and smelling good! |
I gave each cookie a large amount of cream cheese filling. But even with that, I used only one batch of filling. When I made the sandwich cookies, I had to double the filling recipe to make it to the end of the cookies. I also used my small pampered chef scoop instead of the large one so that it made more cookies.
![Rhubarb, banana, coconut cocolate chip cookie (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpgCyDvg_nYlarjXua0_KaKwmKiYCDCZSgP5z55YrQjYIBWVcdzmUwsl2UvCdGXDw3gQ5P_0te7Ur-UqAS9dg5AjvoTGqRIUCIsLWLGYZ4WMYKRuoJ4Z89YWq6fcwUWxCTyt9ztYIxas/s400/20150512_232049.jpg) |
Rhubarb, banana, coconut, chocolate chip cookie |
Oh, this is a recipe that is a keeper! Whether you choose to punch a whole that should be filled with cream cheese or flatten them down to make a sandwich cookie it tastes great. Many years ago, I traveled to Japan. When I returned home, I realized that sweets made in America are much sweeter than those made overseas. I think that I'm adapting back to a less sweet treat.
![Cookies made for sandwich style (cell photo by Trisha)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwQp5UywFZidsXod7yVgi9hPhTHeyOfeJ51oXtcHo4v_-LYBr3Iz52hbWomkyu5Ck5JzaPUbAKzqA8bzf6e9LjvhSziy7Z21bRZ-vKVFKkDv490C7MGTyrZIKWZHbFS6L6QeuuI5YAVU/s400/20150517_165122.jpg) |
Cookies made for sandwich style |