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I had about four very ripe bananas and wanted something other than the usual banana bread or cupcakes. I love bananas at every stage, from bright yellow to that very soft, deeply freckled brown. I normally freeze the super-ripe ones for smoothies, but these were past their prime and begging to be used right away.
I didn’t want to waste them—my husband only eats green bananas, which is a little odd—but I also didn’t want another loaf of banana bread. After staring at the bowl for a while, I decided cookies were in order.
These bananas were seriously ripe: the kind you can’t peel without squashing them. Perfect for baking.
There’s something oddly satisfying about mashing bananas—maybe because it feels a little cathartic. I’ll admit I enjoy mashing them thoroughly with a fork.
The cookie dough itself was incredible. I may have sampled spoonfuls as I mixed—just to make sure it was good, of course.
The finished cookies baked up with a soft, cake-like texture—like tiny slices of banana bread in cookie form. They’re tender and moist, with bursts of chocolate running through every bite.
In my household, one batch is easily devoured in short order. They’re that good.
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
from allrecipes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas (very ripe)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving space for spreading.
Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are just barely firm. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
I hope you try these and love them as much as I did. Be warned: while making these cookies you might be tempted to eat an entire loaf of banana bread worth of batter—or finished cookies.
Now, I must get back to lounging and avoiding the kitchen cleanup. I’m currently distracted by a cooking show and the idea of indulgent desserts—an amusing contradiction, perhaps, but one I’m happily embracing for the moment.