Soft and fluffy Banana Cake Cookies have a tender crumb in bite-sized form and are bursting with chocolate chips. They’re kind of like a muffin top meets a cookie meets a bite of cake…which means you’re totally welcome to enjoy them as a breakfast cookie or dessert.
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.
Banana Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon banana extract, optional
- 3/4 cup extra ripe bananas, mashed, approx. 2
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Melt butter in the microwave. Whisk in white and brown sugar into butter for 30 – 45 seconds. Make sure it has cooled slightly, then add egg, vanilla extract, and banana extract; whisk until combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into wet ingredients until halfway mixed in, then add mashed bananas and chocolate chips, continuing to fully fold in until just combined. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, ball cookies onto baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until edges are golden brown and the cookies are set, but not dark. Transfer to a cooling rack, and enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature (some moisture may develop) for up to 3 days, then store in the fridge for up to 2 additional days.
Notes
- Chocoalte Chips: use semi-sweet or milk chocoalte chips, depending on which you prefer (I lean for milk chocolate). You can also use either mini chocolate chips, regular size, or chopped chocolate.
- Egg-Free: replace the egg with an additional mashed banana; make them vegan by doing this and using vegan butter.
- 1/2022 Update: increased oven temperature from 325F to 350F and reduced the bake time from 10-12 minutes to 8-12 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
Liz
Congrats on the end of your first year back to teaching! You survived!! lol…. but actually. This is our last week with children too and I couldn’t be more ready for the SUMMER!
Becca
Thanks, Liz! Congrats to you, too! Making it through another year is always an accomplishment 🙂
Kelly W
Becca these are absolutely delicious! The only thing I didn’t have on hand was banana extract but I still loved them. I made some for friends and they loved them, too, and I have passed the recipe along for family to make. I will be making these a lot in the near future, thanks for an awesome recipe!!
-Kelly (your favorite IGH Target cashier – not anymore though, I only worked there for the holiday season…you & your hubby came through my line and you ran back to get more flour and when you came back I got your business card – I’m glad I did!)
Becca
Kelly, hi! It was SO FUN to see your comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies and thank you for checking out the blog! I hope you’re staying healthy and well during these crazy times! Keep in touch 🙂