Banana Bread Cookies: The Irresistible Snack You Didn’t Know You Needed!

The best way to use up ripe bananas on your countertop, these banana bread cookies are the perfect indulgence. With a soft, buttery interior and a slightly crispy outside, these cookies are pure comfort. They capture all the classic comfort of banana bread in an individual treat, topped with crunchy walnuts and packed with sweet banana flavor. Made with only pantry staples, they come together easily and make your house smell amazing. Perfect for potlucks, parties, or family dinners, these cookies are a hit that everyone will want more of.

Ingredients for Banana Bread Cookies

For the dough:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup mashed banana
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

For rolling:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes (including ingredient preparation and cookie
formation)
Chilling time: At least 1 hour
Baking time: Around 10 minutes per batch of cookies.
Cooling time: About 10 minutes (after removing the cookies from the oven).
Serves: 30

How to Make Banana Bread Cookies

Prepare the oven and baking sheet

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Prepare the dough

In a large bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, mashed banana, honey, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Stir in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed in the dough.

Refrigeration

Cover the bowl with the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and firm up the dough.

Prepare for rolling

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.

Shape and bake the cookies

Using a 1/8 cup measuring scoop, form portions of dough. Roll each portion of dough in the sugar-cinnamon mixture until fully coated. Place the dough portions on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them to allow for spreading.

Baking

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Variations and Substitutions

Walnuts: Any nuts work well with banana cookies. Experiment with chopped pecans or pistachios for new flavors.

Chocolate Chips: Use mini, milk, or white chocolate chips for a gooey, comforting addition.

Spices: Roll cookies in cinnamon sugar, or add cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice for seasonal variations.

Dried Cranberries: Add chopped, dried cranberries for a fresh flavor and burst of color.

Frosting: Top cooled cookies with vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting for extra sweetness.

Tips and Tricks For Making The Best Banana Bread Cookies

The riper the banana the sweeter your cookies will be. So, make sure to use up the oldest ones!

To ensure the butter creams properly with the sugar, make sure it’s at room temperature before you need it.

Avoid using too much flour with your cookies. To measure your flour properly, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping it right from the bag can compact the flour and result in using too much.

Do not overmix the ingredients when adding the dry to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined so that your cookies don’t fall flat.

Aim to portion your cookies into balls that are 2 tablespoons worth of batter. Keeping them in similar sizes helps them cook evenly.

You know the cookies are done when they’re golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. Check the cookies a minute or two before the listed time as each oven is different. Also, know that the cookies continue to cook on the baking sheet when pulled out of the oven. So, let them sit for 2-5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 5-7 days. If you want to freeze the cookies, separate them in layers of parchment paper and place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Let them thaw in the fridge when you need them.