Imagine a slice of banana bread shrunk into a cookie, with melty chocolate chips in every bite. That’s what you get here. These cookies are soft, moist, and tender, with warm cinnamon and sweet banana flavor.
They’re also quick. You mix everything in one large bowl, give the dough a short rest, and bake. From start to finish, it takes about 22 minutes, and it makes 16 cookies. With a 4.8-star rating from 182 reviews, plenty of bakers agree they’re worth making.
The recipe also uses just one small banana, so it’s a good way to use up a lone overripe one sitting on your counter.
Recipe Card
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 12 minutes (the instructions say 10 to 11 minutes)
- Total time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 small overripe banana, mashed (it should measure 1/4 cup; if it’s more, discard the overflow)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 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
Before You Start
Pick a ripe banana. The recipe calls for a small, overripe banana. Mash it well before you begin.
Measure the mashed banana. You need exactly 1/4 cup. If your banana gives you more, set the extra aside, since too much could make the dough wetter than intended.
Choose your fat. The ingredient list allows either vegetable oil or melted butter. The method below mentions melted butter, so that’s the version the steps describe.
Plan for a short rest. The dough sits for about 15 minutes before baking, which gives you time to heat the oven.
How to Make Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Part 1: Mix the Dough
- Combine the wet base. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and mashed banana until they’re blended.
- Add the yolk and vanilla. Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix well so everything is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir until no streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Gently stir them in last, until they’re spread evenly through the dough.
Part 2: Let the Dough Rest
- Cover and wait. Cover the bowl and set it aside for about 15 minutes. This gives the flour time to soak up the liquid in the dough. Use this time to get the oven ready.
Part 3: Shape and Bake
- Prep the pan and oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Scoop the dough. Once the oven is hot, use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a spoon to portion out the dough. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. The dough will be a little wet, and that’s normal.
- Bake. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges are set and the cookies have puffed up, but the middles still look underbaked.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool before you eat them.
Tips and Variations
Measure the banana. Use 1/4 cup of mashed banana and toss any extra. This keeps the dough from getting too wet.
Use an overripe banana. The recipe specifically asks for one, so wait until yours has plenty of brown spots.
Don’t skip the rest. The 15-minute pause lets the flour hydrate, which helps the dough come together.
Expect a wet dough. The recipe warns that the dough is a little wet. You don’t need to add more flour.
Watch for underbaked middles. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the cookies have puffed up, with centers that still look soft. That’s how you keep them chewy.
Space them out. Leave about 2 inches between the dough balls.
Wait before eating. The recipe says to let them cool first.
Swap the fat if you like. Either vegetable oil or melted butter works.
You might like: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies: Soft, Chewy, and Loaded with Chunks
Serving Suggestions
The recipe doesn’t list specific pairings or toppings. It simply says to let the cookies cool before eating. Once they’re ready, serve them as they are, on a plate with a drink of your choice.
Final Thoughts
These banana chocolate chip cookies are an easy way to get banana bread flavor in a faster, handheld form. The dough is made in one bowl, the rest time is short, and the bake is quick. You end up with cookies that are soft, moist, and full of cinnamon and chocolate.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and tell me how your cookies turned out. I’d also love to know whether you used oil or melted butter.