Banana Cake Cookies

This might be the most out-of-the-box and “just happened upon” recipes here at Fork in the Kitchen. It’s a recipe that just kind of happened because I had one too many leftover bananas and while I love banana bread, and banana cake, I wondered if I could make a cross between the two. A cookie, in fact, because who doesn’t love banana and chocolate together, and warm cookies?

Banana cookies are what I was after, and what I got wasn’t a chewy crisp cookie, but rather a cookie resembling the tender crumb of a cake, with a light, fluffy texture. Like a cake and a muffin top together, but in cookie form. Plus a bright banana flavor throughout, paired with melty chocolate? Sold.

Banana Cookie Ingredients

This recipe lends itself more to a basic cookie recipe, with the usual ingredients, which is why it’s most definitely a dessert recipe. But you know, we can all have some sweet treats for breakfast too, so there’s that. I digress. The ingredients…

Simple baking ingredients are all you need here! Yes, it’s more than a fun 3-ingredient recipe, but I promise you it’s worth it!

• All-Purpose Flour: I recommend weighing the flour for the most accurate measurements; over-measured flour will result in more dense cookies.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: both leaveners add to the height and texture of the cookies. And let’s just give salt a notable mention here. I recommend fine sea salt.
• Unsalted Butter: I like to use unsalted butter so that I know how much salt is going in the recipe. It’s getting melted so there’s no need to worry about bringing it to room temperature, either (yes!).
• Granulated and Brown Sugar: both sugars are going into this recipe…just a hint of brown sugar though.
• Egg: I preferred the texture of these cake cookies with the egg, with a little more structure.
• Extracts: a must is the vanilla extract, but for even more banana flavor throw a little banana extract in, too. And now that you’ll have it, make this banana anglaise, too!
• Ripe Bananas: just like when making any other baked banana recipe, extra ripe bananas are best for their moisture and flavor.
• Chocolate Chips: originally, I made and photographed this recipe with mini chocolate chips, but lately I’ve just been using what I have on hand (including these chocolate discs and chopped chocolate you see here). So all of that being said, mini or regular chips will work!

How to Make Banana Cake Cookies

These cake cookies are so easy to make, and they can even be mixed in one bowl. I do recommend stirring together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, just to make sure they’re thoroughly mixed…but I also realize that this doesn’t always happen (ahem, absolutely guilty here).

So, mix the dry ingredients together. Then, melt the butter and whisk in sugars. Let it cool slightly so that when you add the egg next, it doesn’t turn into scrambled eggs. Add that egg and the extracts and whisk until everything is completely combined, then begin to fold in the dry ingredients (photo 1).

Once the dry ingredients are about halfway combined, add the mashed ripe bananas and chocolate (photo 2), continuing to fold them as the dry ingredients become completely incorporated too (photo 3). Folding in the banana and chocolate midway through stirring the dry ingredients helps ensure the batter isn’t overmixed.

Then, dollop the cookies onto a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper for best results) and bake until light, fluffy, and golden brown on the edges (photo 4). Let them cool slightly, and enjoy!

And I do mean slightly…because there’s absolutely nothing better than a bite into a cookie that’s warm with melted chocolate. It’s basically heaven.

Can I make these without the egg? Or vegan?

Bananas are a substitute for baking recipes when it’s applicable, and in fact, this is one of those perfect recipes to sub a banana for an egg, because, well, we are already using them! So if you have an egg allergy or want to make these vegan, just add an additional banana to sub for the egg.

If you are making these vegan, be sure to use vegan butter, too!

Storage

Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; any longer, store them in the fridge. They can also be stored in the fridge once they’ve cooled if desired. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them back up.

Stored at room temperature, the tops may have a little extra moisture after a day or so.