Description
These soft and cake-like banana cookies combine ripe bananas, oats, and a touch of cinnamon for a deliciously wholesome treat. Perfect for breakfast or an anytime snack, these cookies can be customized with nuts and chocolate chips or raisins for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
Optional Add-ins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup chocolate chips or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer or spoon to cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined, creating a smooth base for the batter.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until the batter is uniform and smooth with no streaks of butter or sugar.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and spices before adding them to the wet mixture.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture, folding them in gently to avoid overmixing while ensuring a smooth, slightly thick dough forms.
- Add Oats and Optional Mix-ins: Stir in the oats thoroughly. If desired, fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips or raisins to provide extra texture and flavor.
- Scoop Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow for gentle spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn lightly golden, signaling they are done but still soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes; this helps them set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely and prevent crumbling.
Notes
- These banana cookies are soft and cake-like, making them perfect for breakfast or snacking.
- For a healthier option, substitute half of the butter with applesauce or try using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- The cookies freeze well, so store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months to enjoy later without losing freshness.
