The only thing better than a traditional banana bread is banana bread cookies.
I’m a huge fan of desserts that also count as breakfasts and these healthy banana bread cookies double as both! They’re light, fluffy, and filled with all the spices you’d expect a banana bread to have in cookie form!
Honestly, what more could you want?!
Tips for making the best banana bread cookies ever
Make sure you use over ripe bananas. To really get that banana flavor, you’ll need to use a super ripe banana! We’re talking brown spots and all baby! A ripe banana helps keep these banana bread cookies sweet.
Slightly underbake them! This is a rule of thumb for almost allll cookies, but underbaking them will yield the best results if you’re after a gooey center in the middle! Crisp on the outside, a lil gooey on the inside (almost as if you were eating banana bread)!
Over mixing these cookies is 100% okay! Typically, when you over mix cookie dough, it leads to a more bread-like cookie. Which… you sort of want when making banana bread cookies! With that said, you don’t have to go out of your way to over mix them, but… if you do, you’re good!
Ingredients
To make banana bread cookies, you’ll need:
- Bananas – You want ripe bananas when making banana bread, so of course you’ll need ripe bananas for banana bread cookies! More specifically, a mashed banana!
- Flour – I use all purpose flour for my banana bread cookies, but you could use 1:1 gluten free flour if you have it on hand.
- Egg – You only need one egg to make these soft banana bread cookies!
- Baking soda – Baking soda helps these banana bread cookies rise! Make sure you grab baking soda and not baking powder!
- Maple syrup – I love the flavor maple syrup brings to these banana bread cookies. However, you can use granulated sugar or even brown sugar in place of the maple syrup!
- Spices – For these banana bread cookies, I use a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves! Feel free to omit any that you’re not a fan of! Also, a pinch of salt is used too!
- Vanilla – I’ll typically use vanilla extract in my banana bread cookies but!!! I love the flavor that vanilla bean paste brings as well. If you have some vanilla bean paste on hand, I’d recommend using that (otherwise, vanilla extract works great)!
That’s all you need for this banana bread cookies recipe!
There are a few additional things you can add into your banana bread cookies, however…
- Chocolate chips – Whether you use milk or dark chocolate chips, one thing’s for certain: they’ll make these banana bread cookies taste like a chocolate covered banana! I recommend using mini chocolate chips!
- Cream cheese frosting – If you’re after a 100% true banana bread in cookie form, you can’t skip out on the cream cheese frosting. It pairs so well together!
- Nuts – Walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts… you name it! Any (and all) nuts are welcome in these cookies.
How to make banana bread cookies
First, line a baking sheet with some parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the flour, baking soda, and spices to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set this bowl to the side.
Add three ripe bananas to a medium sized bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher. After you’ve mashed the bananas, add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl and stir well to combine.
Pour the mashed banana mixture into the flour mixture and, with a rubber spatula, combine until evenly incorporated.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the banana bread cookies onto your prepared baking sheet. I used a 1.5 TBSP cookie scoop to make these banana cookies!
Bake for 26-30 minutes (or until the middle of your cookie is no longer super wet). Allow the cookies to come to room temperature before eating and enjoy!
WANT TO JAZZ THESE BANANA BREAD COOKIES UP A BIT MORE? Melt some chocolate chips and drizzle on top of your banana bread cookies to make these taste like a chocolate covered banana!
Storing banana bread cookies
There are three ways to store banana bread cookies – but regardless of how you store these banana cookies, you’ll need to store them in an airtight container for best results!
If you plan on storing them on the countertop, they’ll stay fresh for up to five days.
If you plan on storing them in the refrigerator, they’ll stay fresh for about a week.
If you plan on freezing your banana bread cookies, they’ll keep fresh for up to three months!
I will say this – try not to store banana cookies after you’ve drizzled chocolate or put cream cheese frosting on them. This will make them a bit soggy after a day or two (and no one wants that)!
Looking for more banana recipes? I’ve got you:
PrintBanana Bread Cookies
What’s better than banana bread? Banana bread cookies of course! These cookies are soft, sweet, and could be served as breakfast or dessert!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 TBSP maple syrup
- 1 TSP each: cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg
- 1 TSP vanilla extract
- 1/4 TSP baking soda
- 1/4 TSP salt
- Optional – Melted chocolate chips for drizzling
Instructions
- First, line a baking sheet with some parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and spices to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set this bowl to the side.
- Add three ripe bananas to a medium sized bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher. After you’ve mashed the bananas, add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl and stir well to combine.
- Pour the mashed banana mixture into the flour mixture and, with a rubber spatula, combine until evenly incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the banana bread cookies onto your prepared baking sheet. I used a 1.5 TBSP cookie scoop to make these banana cookies!
- Bake for 26-30 minutes (or until the middle of your cookie is no longer super wet). Allow the cookies to come to room temperature before eating and enjoy!
