Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

These soft, chewy, moist banana chocolate chip cookies bring together the best qualities of both heartwarming banana bread and classic chocolate chip cookies. Plus they are so quick and easy. What are you waiting for?

Ever been stuck on what to bake? You know you're craving something familiar that harkens back to walking into the kitchen as a kiddo and smelling delicious sweetness wafting from the oven. In my house, it was always banana bread or chocolate chip cookies. Which one should you make? What if you didn't have to decide between the two?

These banana chocolate chip cookies marry the best of both worlds. The moist, soft quality inherent in a comforting, warm loaf of banana bread is matched beautifully with the chewy center and just-the-right-amount-of-crunchy exterior of your favorite chocolate chip cookie. Look no further for the perfect recipe when you can't decide what to make.

Why You'll Love These Banana Cookies

These soft, chewy, banana-y, chocolaty cookies are pretty tough not to love (unless you hate chocolate...or bananas). It's hard to pick just a couple of favorite things about them but I did my best. Here they are.

• Best of both worlds. I love that these cookies really bring together two heartwarming classics; chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. They are moist and soft (and banana-y) like banana bread and chewy with an ever so slightly crisp exterior just like your favorite chocolate chip cookie. Never choose between baking one or the other again.
• Quick and easy. 15 minutes of prep time (just a little whisking and mixing), 10 minutes in the oven, and you're done? You can whip these cookies up in a heartbeat regardless of your level of culinary mastery.
• Waste not. Ever hold onto that last banana in the bunch for a little bit too long? These cookies are a great way to use your past-prime bananas. Waste not want not.

Recipe Ingredients

It doesn't take much to make these scrumptious treats. In fact, you may already have most (if not all) of the ingredients in your kitchen. Here's a list of what you'd need. Scroll to the recipe below for more details.

• Banana - Very ripe and mashed.
• Butter
• Light brown sugar - For a richer cookie, feel free to use dark brown sugar instead.
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Cornstarch - The cornstarch helps keep the cookies from spreading and will produce a softer, fluffier cookie.
• Chocolate chips - I like milk chocolate chips here, but semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or chunks!) will work great too.

How to Make Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

In just 15 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes in the oven, you will have yourself a magnificently comforting, tasty treat. Here's a basic rundown of how to make banana chocolate chip cookies. Scroll to the recipe below for more detailed instructions.

• Whisk together the mashed banana, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
• Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch in a separate bowl.

• Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the mashed banana mixture until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Chill the dough. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

• Bake. Form the dough into balls and arrange them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 9-11 minutes at 350 degrees F

• Cool. Let the baked cookies sit for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Tips for Success

As per usual, I have some tips and tricks to set you up for success when making these banana chocolate chip cookies. It's an easy recipe to get right but these little gems will end you with the best cookies possible.

• Ripe banana. The sugar content in the overly ripe banana (not present in an under to medium-ripe banana) plays an important role in this cookie. So have patience and wait for your bananas to ripen. Want to speed along the process? Seal a banana in a brown paper bag with an apple and place it in the refrigerator. This will quicken the ripening process.
• Don't over-mix. Overmixing cookie dough causes the glutens in the flour to develop too much. Gluten provides structure to the cookie but, when overdeveloped, it can cause the finished product to be unpleasantly tough. So mix to incorporate, but not much more than that.
• Don't skip the chill. It might be tempting to pop the cookies in the oven right after mixing the dough. I get it! But try to be patient. The chilling process allows the dry ingredients to absorb some of the moisture in the dough, which helps prevent excess spreading in the baking process.

How to Store and Freeze

I'm guessing you won't have leftovers, as these cookies tend to fly right off the plate. But, in the rare case that you do, allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They will be happy on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days.

If you want to keep them for longer, skip the refrigerator and go straight to the freezer. Storing cookies in the refrigerator can dry them out. Instead, allow the cookies to cool, seal them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer, and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow the cookies to thaw at room temperature before enjoying them.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Chocolate chip cookies are such a classic. So, naturally, I have spent a lot of time playing with variations on that most loved cookie. This banana chocolate chip version is delicious but don't stop there. Here are some of my other favorites.

• My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Andes Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cookie Butter Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

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