Description
Delightfully soft and flavorful Banana Bread Cookies combine the comforting taste of banana bread with the convenience of cookies. These easy-to-make cookies boast a moist texture from ripe bananas and a pleasant chewiness from rolled oats, optionally enhanced with walnuts and chocolate chips for extra richness. Perfect for a quick snack or dessert, they bake in just under 15 minutes and make a batch of 24 delicious treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mashed ripe bananas (about 1 medium banana)
Add-ins
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. This ensures even distribution of leavening agents and spices.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both granulated and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugars. Then fold in the mashed ripe banana, which adds moisture and natural sweetness.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cookies.
- Fold in oats and optional mix-ins: Gently fold in the old-fashioned rolled oats, and if desired, add walnuts and/or chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture.
- Form cookie dough balls: Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden, signaling doneness.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps them firm up and prevents breakage.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, omit walnuts or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Use ripe, overripe bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Adjust baking time slightly depending on your oven and cookie size.
- These cookies can also be made dairy-free by swapping butter for a vegan butter alternative.
