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Banana Bread Cookies

Banana bread cookies are soft, puffy drop cookies with chewy centers and golden edges—baked in cookie form instead of a loaf. Mashed ripe bananas and chocolate chips make each bite taste like banana bread, with a slightly domed top and set-but-moist middle.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread cookies
  • 2 ripe bananas Mashed until mostly smooth.
  • 0.5 cup butter Softened.
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts Choose chocolate chips or chopped walnuts.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and line
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line sheet pans with parchment for easy release and even browning.
Mix the cookie dough
  1. Beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, then add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  2. Stir in the mashed ripe bananas; the batter may look slightly broken, but keep mixing until incorporated.
  3. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until just combined—stop once you no longer see dry streaks.
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped walnuts so they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Shape and bake
  1. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared pans, spacing them about 2 inches apart so they can spread.
  2. Bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers are just set; do not overbake for soft, chewy cookies.

Notes

For the most banana-bread texture, mash the bananas well but don’t puree them—small lumps help keep the cookies moist. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce (use the same amount by volume) for slightly softer cookies.