Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies bring the cozy flavor of homemade banana bread into a soft, chewy cookie loaded with melty chocolate chips. Made with ripe banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, these cookies have warm bakery-style flavor without requiring a mixer or complicated preparation.
This easy banana cookie recipe is also a delicious way to use that one overripe banana sitting on the counter. The result is a batch of tender banana chocolate chip cookies with lightly crisp edges and wonderfully soft centers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These cookies combine two classic favorites: comforting banana bread and chocolate chip cookies. Mashed banana keeps the centers moist and tender, brown sugar provides caramel-like sweetness, and cinnamon adds the familiar warmth of banana bread.
They’re also incredibly simple to prepare. The dough comes together in one bowl, needs only a short 15-minute rest, and bakes in about 10 minutes. They’re family-friendly, freezer-friendly, and perfect when you don’t have enough bananas for a full loaf of banana bread.
Ingredients
- 1 small overripe banana, mashed to measure exactly 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add the melted butter, packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup mashed banana to a large mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and incorporated.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined and no visible streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold the chocolate chips evenly throughout the cookie dough.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. This gives the flour time to hydrate while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or spoon, portion the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave approximately 2 inches between each cookie. The dough will be softer and wetter than traditional chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes, or until the edges look set and the cookies have puffed slightly. The centers should still appear a little underbaked when removed from the oven.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cool before serving so the soft centers have time to set.
Tips & Tricks
Use a very ripe banana with plenty of brown spots. An overripe banana provides more sweetness and a stronger banana flavor than a firm yellow banana.
Measure the mashed banana carefully. You need 1/4 cup, and using substantially more can make the cookie dough overly wet and cause excessive spreading.
Let melted butter cool slightly before combining it with the other ingredients so it doesn’t affect the egg yolk.
Don’t skip the short resting period. Giving the dough approximately 15 minutes to hydrate helps improve its consistency.
For soft banana bread cookies, don’t wait for the centers to look completely baked before removing them from the oven. They’ll continue setting as they cool.
For picture-perfect cookies, press a few additional chocolate chips onto each dough portion just before baking.
Details
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10–11 minutes
- Total Time: About 35 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 18 cookies
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dietary Notes: Vegetarian; halal-friendly when prepared with suitable vanilla extract and chocolate chips
Notes
Semi-sweet chocolate chips provide a nice balance of sweetness, but milk or dark chocolate chips can also be used.
For extra texture, add chopped walnuts or pecans. You can also sprinkle a little flaky salt over the cookies after baking to contrast with the chocolate and brown sugar.
If avoiding alcohol-based vanilla extract for halal dietary preferences, use alcohol-free vanilla flavoring or another halal-suitable vanilla product.
Serve these cookies with milk, coffee, or tea, or warm them briefly before serving for softer chocolate chips and an extra-cozy dessert.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 18 cookies:
- Calories: 175
- Protein: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fat: 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates and depend on the butter or oil, chocolate chips, cookie size, and specific ingredients used.
FAQ
What are Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies?
They’re soft cookies that combine classic chocolate chip cookie ingredients with mashed ripe banana and cinnamon. The banana creates a tender texture and gives the cookies the familiar flavor of banana bread.
Why are my banana chocolate chip cookies cakey?
Banana naturally adds moisture and can create a softer, more cake-like texture. Carefully measuring exactly 1/4 cup mashed banana and avoiding extra flour or overmixing helps maintain the intended soft, chewy texture.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes. Vegetable oil works well and creates especially moist cookies. Melted butter provides a richer flavor, so choose whichever result you prefer.
Can I use a whole egg instead of an egg yolk?
It’s best to use only the yolk. A whole egg introduces additional liquid and egg white, which can change the texture and make the cookies more cake-like.
Can I make banana bread cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate it. Because chilling can change spreading and baking time, allow very cold dough to soften slightly before portioning if necessary.
Can I freeze banana chocolate chip cookies?
Yes. Baked cookies freeze particularly well. Once completely cool, place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers and freeze for up to 2–3 months.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 2 days. Because banana adds considerable moisture, refrigeration is a good choice for longer storage.
Refrigerated cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Allow them to return to room temperature before serving or warm them briefly in the microwave.
For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies for up to 2–3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before enjoying.
Similar Recipes
Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 small overripe banana mashed to measure exactly 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add the melted butter, packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup mashed banana to a large mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and incorporated.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined and no visible streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold the chocolate chips evenly throughout the cookie dough.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. This gives the flour time to hydrate while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or spoon, portion the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave approximately 2 inches between each cookie. The dough will be softer and wetter than traditional chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes, or until the edges look set and the cookies have puffed slightly. The centers should still appear a little underbaked when removed from the oven.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cool before serving so the soft centers have time to set
Notes
Conclusion
Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies are an easy way to transform one overripe banana into a warm, chocolate-filled dessert. Brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and banana give them classic banana bread flavor, while plenty of chocolate chips make every bite feel like a proper cookie.
With one bowl, a short rest, and about 10 minutes in the oven, this easy banana cookie recipe is a simple option whenever you’re craving homemade cookies with an extra-soft, cozy twist.