Description
These Classic Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies combine the moist, sweet flavor of ripe bananas with the rich touch of chocolate chips and a hint of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfectly soft and chewy, these cookies offer a delightful twist on traditional banana bread by transforming it into a convenient and irresistibly tasty cookie form.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1.5 large bananas (well-speckled for natural sweetness)
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (I prefer C&H for consistent moisture)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1.33 cups all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Add-ins
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips (Ghirardelli semi-sweet adds the best richness)
Instructions
- Prepare the bananas and wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash the 1.5 well-speckled bananas until smooth. Add 2/3 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg yolk, and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract to the mashed bananas and mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes smooth and uniform.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1.33 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to ensure all spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain the cookies’ tender texture.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in 2/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the batter to distribute generous chocolate bits in every cookie.
- Chill the dough (optional): For better cookie shape and flavor development, cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, though this step is optional.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
- Scoop cookies: Use a spoon or cookie scoop to drop rounded tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centers look set but still soft.
- Cool and serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these soft, flavorful banana bread-inspired chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk or your favorite beverage.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum natural sweetness and moisture.
- Chilling the dough before baking can help the cookies hold their shape better and enhance flavor but is not required.
- Use high-quality chocolate chips like Ghirardelli semi-sweet for best taste and texture.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep the cookies tender and soft.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
