These easy Banana Cookies are half muffin, half cookie, and 100% totally delicious. They taste just like banana bread, only with a lighter, more cake-like texture. Moist, chewy, and likely your new favorite breakfast recipe, make them with melty morsels of chocolate chips or pack them full of buttery, crunchy walnut bits! If you prefer your breakfast cookies fully loaded (and excessively delicious), try a combination of the two.
These banana-flavored delights are both make-ahead and freezer-friendly, making them ideal for busy mornings and breakfasts on the go. You'll also find them a superb low-calorie mid-day snack for curing sweet-tooth cravings!
You'll adore these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and these Banana Oatmeal Muffins!
INGREDIENTS
This easy breakfast treat makes like most basic cookie recipes, the only difference really being the mashed bananas! Banana Cookies start with a simple mix of dry ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda (not to be confused with baking powder)
- Salt
Then, the wet ingredients are mixed together:
- Unsalted Butter (make sure it's room temperature)
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg
- Ripe Mashed Bananas
- Vanilla Extract
CHOCOLATE CHIPS, WALNUTS, OR BOTH!
And, lastly, the yummy extras go in. You can use chocolate chips, walnuts, or a combination of the two!
For Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies, add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Want to make them rich with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids? Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts. If you can't decide which route to take, add a ½ cup of each!
ABOUT THE BANANAS
It's best to use ripe bananas for baking. In fact, if there’s more brown/black showing than yellow, they’re probably perfect. Once they have browned and start to feel a little squishy from the outside is when they’re just right for baking.
HOW TO MAKE BANANA COOKIES
- Prep - Preheat the oven, have your baking sheet ready and lined with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat), and mash the bananas in a bowl.
- Mix Dry Ingredients - In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together by mixing medium-high speed with a handheld mixer for about 2-3 minutes. Then, add the egg, followed by the mashed bananas and the vanilla.
- Add the Dry Ingredients to the Wet Ingredients - Now mixing at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Then, add the chocolate chips (and/or walnuts) and mix once again to evenly distribute throughout the batter.
- Scoop and Bake - Scoop large tablespoon-sized mounds of batter onto the baking sheet and be sure to space each cookie at least 1" apart so they do not bake together. Bake for 13 minutes at 350°F, or until the edges are tinging golden-brown, allow to cool slightly on the pan, serve, and enjoy!
HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE BANANA COOKIES
Banana Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days sealed in an airtight container at room temperature. As mentioned earlier, they are an excellent make-ahead breakfast item and if you'd like for them to keep longer than a few days, freeze them!
To freeze these breakfast treats, first allow them to cool to room temperature, then place them in a freezer-safe gallon-sized ziplock bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze. You can also freeze them in layers separated by sheets of wax paper in a sealed, airtight container. Use within 3 months for best quality.
To reheat the cookies, simply place them on a paper towel and pop them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds.
5 MORE BREAKFAST TREATS YOU’LL LOVE
The absolute BEST recipe for Banana Cookies with chocolate chips, walnuts, or both! These easy breakfast drop cookies bake up soft, cake-like and totally delicious!
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (walnuts or a mix of the two)
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed and mix until well combined and lightened in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Then, add the mashed bananas and the vanilla and mix once more.
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Mixing on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until all of the ingredients have been combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix just until evenly dispersed.
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Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of batter onto the baking sheet, spacing them at least 1" apart. Bake for 13 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on the pan, serve, and enjoy!
