Banana Cookies

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

This homemade banana cookies recipe makes the most delicious cookies. They are crispy on the edge and soft and fluffy on the inside – just like biting into a slice of your favorite banana bread. Simple to make and ready in just 20 minutes!

Overhead of banana cookies on a wire rack.

Banana cookies? I know, I know – they sound a little unusual, don’t they? But you know how much I love my banana recipes.

I can’t remember the last time a week went by where I didn’t make a loaf of banana bread or a batch of banana chocolate chip muffins. I usually buy an extra bunch of bananas every week at the grocery store – one to eat and one to let ripen to use in my banana-flavored baked goods.

If I am feeling particularly festive, I’ll whip up some banana cupcakes. I’ll be honest, those cupcakes sort of inspired this recipe.

Banana bread and banana muffins have been a staple in my house since I was a kid. Only recently though did I venture to try banana cupcakes. Taking a staple baked good and adding an unexpected banana flavor turned out to be a great success.

So I started thinking – and decided to give banana cookies a try. This took a little bit of trial and error. I didn’t want cake like cookies – too much like banana bread. They needed their own unique thing.

I discovered that by adding a little cornstarch, brown sugar, and both baking powder and baking soda, I could create thing cookies that are crispy on the outside but light and fluffy on the inside.

These are moist, chewy, and fluffier than your standard chocolate chip cookie. The texture is a little more like a sugar cookie or snickerdoodle, but with a crunchier outside.

I’m telling you, these cookies are delicious. And even better, they require almost no special equipment – you can use an electric mixer but you can also just use a good old wooden spoon to mix the batter. There is no chilling time required, so you can start making these and enjoying your first bite within 30 minutes.

Between the delightful texture and the unexpected delicious banana flavor of these cookies, I promise you they’ll be requested on repeat in your house!


Recipe Snapshot

  • TASTE: Like banana bread in a cookie
  • TEXTURE: Crispy on the edges and soft and fluffy inside
  • EASE: Super easy
  • TIME: 20 minutes

What You’ll Need

This recipe requires just a handful of ingredients and makes the most delicious banana cookies

Ingredients

  • Flour – All-purpose flour is the base of these cookies.
  • Cornstarch – Adds just a bit of soft fluffy texture.
  • Leavening – These cookies call for both baking powder and baking soda
  • Salt – To activate the leavening agents and balance the flavors.
  • Brown sugar – Brown sugar adds a bit of moisture to the cookies and gives a slight caramel flavor.
  • Butter – As always, unsalted, and softened here so it blends well with the other ingredients.
  • Mashed ripe banana – The more brown spots the better.
  • Vanilla extract – For a bit of flavor.
  • Egg – This holds together the ingredients. It works better if at room temperature

Recommended Tools

Close up of banana cookies on a cooling rack.

How to Make Banana Cookies

These homemade banana cookies are so simple to make – and there is no chilling of the dough required. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

  1. Combine dry ingredients. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
  2. Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Using an electric mixer, or elbow grease, beat in the mashed banana, vanilla extract, and egg until well blended.
  3. Mix together. Using a silicone spatula, stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until well combined.
  4. Scoop. Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  5. Bake. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Handy tip:

Don’t overmix the batter – you don’t want it to become too dense. Just stir or mix until everything is combined.

Tips For Success

  • Make sure the bananas are very ripe – the more brown spots, the more banana flavor they will have when mashed up.
  •  It’s important to measure the flour correctly. Using too much flour can result in thick, dense cookies. Read this post on how to measure flour.
  • You can omit the cornstarch if you don’t have it. I like to add it to cookies because it breaks down gluten development resulting in soft cookies with crisp edges.
Two banana cookies on a plate.

Storage & Freezing

  1. Cookie dough can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and continue baking per recipe instructions.
  2. Baked cookies will keep for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Overhead of banana cookies on a wire rack.
4.62 from 67 votes

Banana Cookies

Crispy on the edge and soft and fluffy on the inside, these banana cookies are just like biting into a slice of your favorite banana bread. Simple to make and ready in just 20 minutes!
Prep Time :10 minutes
Cook Time :10 minutes
Total Time :20 minutes
Servings :18
Author :Jen Sobjack

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅔ cups (217 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (210 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup (56 g) mashed ripe banana
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, room temperature

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
  • In a large bowl beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the mashed banana, vanilla extract, and egg until well blended.
  • Using a silicone spatula, stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until well combined.
  • Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

  • Flour: It’s important to measure the flour correctly. Using too much flour can result in thick, dense cookies. Use weight measurements for accuracy.
  • Cornstarch: You can omit this if you don’t have it. I like to add it to cookies because it breaks down gluten development resulting in soft cookies with crisp edges.
  • Banana: Make sure the banana is extra ripe. Spotty peels contain bananas that are perfect for baking!
Make ahead tips
  1. Cookie dough can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and continue baking per recipe instructions.
  2. Baked cookies will keep for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 142mgSugar: 10g
*Nutrition Disclaimer
Course :Dessert
Cuisine :American
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. I made these the vegan way. And I halfed the entire recipe, except this one thing – I used 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup old fashioned oats, and. 3 tbsp canola oil instead of egg I used 1 flax egg, the same amount of banana 56g and added 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8tsp cardomom, and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. I also subbed the vanilla extract for banana extract. Baked for 13 minutes. Delicious. TY for this amazing base recipe.

  2. My first batch was as written (cups version, for which I thank you!), and very good. For the next batch, I added some leftover topping from a German chocolate cake (caramel, unsweetened coconut, chopped nuts) and it was also delicious; the banana flavor is enhanced. I used to be a more precise baker, until I decided to try my grandmother’s handwritten recipes — no grams for old Grams, I tell you! I now prefer the cups and teaspoons, noting the smell, feel, and look of batter at each step, (as well as noting the occasional disappointment). Thanks for the great recipe.

  3. Good cookies. Wanted something different than traditional banana bread. I doubled the recipe and drizzled dark chocolate on them.

  4. Great recipe. I had to adjust because I didn’t have unsalted butter so used lightly salted but reduced the added salt by 1/3 or so. Also had a largish banana, more than 1/4 cup mashed so put in an extra couple of tablespoons of that but also added 1/2 cup of coconut and it seemed to have thickened up the extra banana. Also baked it less time – about 7 minutes – as my spoonfuls were smaller and I got 29 cookies out of the batch (gas oven too so maybe a little hotter).

  5. Can I add raisins in these cookies, if so how many grams?

  6. Kenny Blomlie says:

    I just made your banana cookie recipe today. They are delicious. A little thin, but they are very good.