1. Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet: Setting the Stage for Baking

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Line Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup much easier.

2. Prepare the Bananas: Creating a Sweet and Creamy Base

1. Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until they are smooth and creamy.

3. Combine Ingredients: Making the Cookie Dough

1. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the rolled oats and almond butter to the mashed bananas.
2. Mix Thoroughly: Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly until you have a well-combined, thick, and slightly sticky dough.
3. Add Strawberries: Add the chopped strawberries and optional chocolate chips.
4. Mix: Mix until evenly distributed.

4. Shape and Bake the Cookies: Achieving Golden-Brown Goodness

1. Form Dough Balls: Form the dough into 12 small balls. You can use your hands, a cookie scoop, or a spoon.
2. Place on Baking Sheet: Place each dough ball on the lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie.
3. Flatten Slightly: Press each dough ball gently with your fingers or the back of a fork to flatten it into a cookie shape.
   • Tip: These cookies won’t spread much during baking, so the shape you create before baking will be similar to the final shape.
4. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown.
   • Tip: The centers may still be slightly soft, but they will firm up as they cool.

5. Cool and Serve: Enjoying Your Healthy and Delicious Cookies

1. Cool on Baking Sheet: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet completely. They will firm up more as they cool.
2. Serve: Once cooled, enjoy your 4-Ingredient Strawberry Cookies!