Don't throw out your over-ripe bananas! You only need two to make this delicious old-fashioned Banana Cookie Recipe like grandma would use. It takes only 30 minutes, and only a few pantry ingredients are needed!
Ingredients
Bananas—ripe
Butter and egg
Pantry—all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, salt
Spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
Optional—chocolate chips, quick oats, chopped walnuts or pecans
This easy recipe makes delicious cookies that taste like banana bread. With a soft and chewy texture, they are the perfect cookie 'n milk cookie—done in 30 minutes with these simple step-by-step photo instructions.
Make banana nut or chocolate chip banana cookies with simple options. Or add some quick oats for banana oatmeal cookies.
👨🍳How to Make Banana Cookies
A couple of ripe bananas and other things you have. Let the butter and egg rest and come to room temperature before starting. Preheat oven to 350° conventional, not convection.
In a mixing bowl, add one stick (½ cup) of butter at room temperature and 1 cup of sugar. Cream together at high speed for a few minutes with a hand or stand mixer until it becomes fluffy. Add 1 room-temperature egg and whip for a few minutes.
Mash 2 large bananas to make about 1 cup of mashed banana. Then mix in 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and let sit for a few minutes.
Mix the banana with the butter. Add 2 cups flour, one pinch of salt, and ½ tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. I cut back the nutmeg and cloves to ¼ tsp each (personal taste). Optional: Stir in 1 cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
Prep two baking sheets with parchment paper. I like a larger cookie, so I used an ice cream scoop to spoon batter that makes a larger cookie.
Cook until the edges are turning a bit darker brown. These large cookies took 15 minutes. A smaller cookie might take as little as 12 minutes.
Allow to rest on the tray for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven before moving to a cooling rack.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
Variations
Make banana pecan cookies by adding 1 cup of chopped pecans. Or make a walnut or other nut version.
Make chocolate chip banana cookies by adding 1 cup of semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips.
Add other things like raisins or similar dried fruit.
Add a cup of quick-cooking oats to make a version of banana oatmeal cookies.
You may mix and match these additions to your taste. But you may need to back down the nuts some if you add other things.
Related recipes
There are lots of things to do with ripe bananas. Try our favorite Old Fashioned Banana Bread or Banana Cake. Or use your bananas for breakfast to make Oven Baked Banana Pancake or Banana Muffins.
🍌What bananas to use
This recipe needs about one cup of mashed ripe bananas. That is about 2 medium to larger bananas.
We want ripe or “overripe” bananas. Why? They are sweeter and make the recipe much better than greener bananas.
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👨🍳What spices to use
The original recipe had cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It was a little heavy in the last two, and I suggested a range in the recipe for both. I will stay with the low end of the ranges.
❄️Storage of leftovers
In an airtight container, your leftover cookies will be good at room temperature for about 2 days. Refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and frozen for 3 months.
❓FAQs
While over-ripe bananas are great for baking, peel and freeze them until you can bake bread or muffins if you don't have time to use them now.
Freeze them for 3-4 months. They can be frozen whole but peeled, cut into slices, or mashed. I suggest a Zip-Lock bag to get as much air out of the container.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
📖The Recipe Card
Soft Banana Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 bananas - ripe
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼-½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼-½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup optional chopped pecans or walnuts -
- 1 cup optional semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chip
Step-by-Step Instructions
- A couple of ripe bananas and other things you have. Let the butter and egg rest and come to room temperature before starting. Preheat oven to 350° conventional, not convection.
- In a mixing bowl, add one stick (½ cup) of butter at room temperature and 1 cup of sugar. Cream together at high speed for a few minutes with a hand or stand mixer until it becomes fluffy. Add 1 room-temperature egg and whip for a few minutes.
- Mash 2 large bananas to make about 1 cup of mashed banana. Then mix in 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and let sit for a few minutes.
- Mix the banana with the butter. Add 2 cups flour, one pinch of salt, and ½ tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. I cut back the nutmeg and cloves to ¼ tsp each (personal taste). Optional: Stir in 1 cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
- Prep two baking sheets with parchment paper. I like a larger cookie, so I used an ice cream scoop to spoon batter that makes a larger cookie.
- Cook until the edges are turning a bit darker brown. These large cookies took 15 minutes. A smaller cookie might take as little as 12 minutes. Allow to rest on the tray for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven before moving to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Ripe bananas are best in this recipe.
- The original recipe had cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It was a little heavy in the last two and I suggested a range in the recipe for both. I will stay with the low end of the ranges.
- Good at room temperature for about 2 days. Refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 2-3 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Adapted from a Food.com recipe.
Originally Published December 12, 2013. Updated with expanded discussion and refreshed photos.
Donna Carlsen says
on the Ingredients list, EGG is not listed. I intend to make this recipe, because it's unusual and sounds DELISH!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Donna,
Welcome to the blog. So sorry about the delayed response.
I fixed the lack of egg in the list as soon as you brought it up but the house was full of company and my note got delayed.
I suspect it has been like that for years but nobody brought it up.
Thanks so much for the note and the proofread. Hope the cookies work well for you.
Dan