Description
Deliciously soft and cake-like banana cookies made with ripe bananas, oats, and a touch of cinnamon. Perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack, these cookies combine wholesome ingredients like mashed bananas, nuts, and chocolate chips for a flavorful treat that freezes well and is easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ½ cup chocolate chips or raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the cookies don’t stick during baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the mashed bananas, followed by the egg and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Mix Dry Into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, stirring gently to combine without overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Add Oats and Optional Ingredients: Stir in the old-fashioned oats and fold in the optional chopped nuts and chocolate chips or raisins if using, evenly distributing them throughout the dough.
- Portion Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating the cookies are cooked through but still soft inside.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely for best texture.
Notes
- These cookies have a soft and cake-like texture, making them ideal for breakfast or as a wholesome snack.
- For a healthier variation, substitute half the butter with applesauce or swap all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
- Cookies freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before eating.
