Description
These Banana Drop Cookies are soft, moist, and packed with sweet banana flavor, enhanced by warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect for a comforting snack or dessert, they come together quickly using simple ingredients and can be optionally topped with a light vanilla icing for extra sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
Optional Icing Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside for later incorporation.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth and airy base for your cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture until well combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Bananas: Stir in the mashed ripe bananas until the mixture is smooth and evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet banana mixture, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing and keep the cookies tender.
- Drop Dough on Baking Sheets: Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough, spacing each about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden brown, indicating that they are perfectly baked.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing breakage.
- Prepare Optional Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk (add gradually until desired consistency), and vanilla extract. Drizzle the icing over cooled cookies for an extra flavor boost.
Notes
- For best results, use fully ripe bananas as they add the most sweetness and moisture.
- You can substitute half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor and added fiber.
- To make dairy-free cookies, replace butter with a vegan butter alternative.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
- The optional icing adds sweetness but can be omitted for a less sweet version.
