Banana Bread Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Sometimes the craving for banana bread hits hard, but the patience to wait for it to bake is lacking, or you find yourself with just one overly ripe banana. Enter these delectable banana chocolate chip cookies. Imagine all the moist, banana goodness of a thick slice of chocolate chip banana bread, but in the form of soft cookies with a chewy edge and a gooey center. Trust me, it's a dream come true.
The best part? They're whipped up in just one bowl with a mere 10 ingredients and require no chilling time, meaning you can have warm cookies in your hands in under 30 minutes. That's a major win.
Enjoy!
xoxo
SiLLibake
Banana Bread
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Banana Bread in a cookie!
Banana Bread Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients for Banana Bread Cookies: This one-bowl banana chocolate chip cookies recipe calls for only 10 ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry:
Overripe banana: Opt for a super brown small-sized banana for maximum sweetness. If your bananas vary in size, aim for around 1/4 cup of mashed banana.
Brown Butter: You can use melted butter or vegetable oil, but brown butter adds an incredible flavor to these cookies.
Brown sugar: Keeps the cookies chewy, soft, and just the right amount of sweet.
Egg yolk: Using only the yolk ensures chewy cookies rather than cakey ones.
Vanilla extract: Adds a gourmet touch to the cookies.
All-purpose flour: Creates the perfect crumb for these cookies.
Baking soda: Gives the cookies their classic crinkly top.
Ground cinnamon: Adds cozy warmth to the cookies.
Chocolate: Load them up with your preferred type of chocolate chips or chunks for gooey pockets of chocolate in every bite.
Tips for the Best Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies:
This easy banana recipe is beginner-friendly, but here are three tips to guarantee perfect cookies every time:
Use an overripe banana: The riper the banana, the more intense the flavor and sweetness of your cookies.
Don't overmix the batter: Mix until no streaks of flour remain, then stop. Overmixing can lead to a dry texture.
Underbake them slightly: Cookies will continue to bake as they cool, so remove them from the oven when they're slightly raw in the middle for a perfect gooey center.
Mastering Brown Butter:
Start by selecting a heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure even heat distribution and prevent burning.
Cut the desired amount of butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place them in the saucepan. It's best to use unsalted butter for making brown butter to have more control over the salt content in your recipe.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt completely, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once the butter has melted, it will begin to bubble and foam. This is the water content evaporating from the butter.
Continue to cook the butter, stirring frequently, and keep a close eye on it as it starts to change color. The butter will go through several stages:
Foaming: The butter will foam up as the water content evaporates.
Bubbling: The butter will bubble vigorously as the milk solids separate from the fat.
Browning: After the foam subsides, the butter will start to turn a golden brown color. At this point, you'll notice a nutty aroma filling the air.
As soon as the butter turns a rich golden brown color and releases a nutty fragrance, remove the saucepan from the heat. Be careful not to let it burn, as it can go from browned to burnt quickly.
Immediately transfer the brown butter to a heatproof bowl or container to stop the cooking process and prevent it from burning.
Allow the brown butter to cool slightly before using it in your recipe. You can use it immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.
Brown butter adds a depth of flavor and richness to a wide range of dishes, from baked goods and sauces to savory dishes like pasta and vegetables. Experiment with incorporating brown butter into your favorite recipes to elevate their flavor profile.
Banana Bread Chocolate Chunk Cookie
Yield 16 Cookies
Prep 10 mins
Cook 12 min
Total 22 min
Banana Bread Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Get ready to enjoy the yummy flavor of banana bread packed into a soft, chewy, and super moist banana chocolate chip cookie. You'll adore everything about these cookies, from their incredibly soft texture to how simple they are to make.
Ingredients:
· 1 small overripe banana, mashed (ours was about 1/4 of a cup)
· 1/2 cup brown butter (or melted butter or vegetable oil)
· 1 cup brown sugar, packed
· 1 egg yolk
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
· 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 2/3 cup 60-70% dark chocolate chopped (or chocolate chips)
· ½ Walnuts or Pecans, lightly toasted (optional)
Directions:
Cut unsalted butter into pieces and place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning. Transfer brown butter to a heatproof container to cool for 5 min before adding ingredients.
Take a big bowl and mix the brown butter, brown sugar, and mashed banana together until they blend.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and mix them in thoroughly.
Stir in the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon until they're just combined, leaving a few streaks of flour.
Next, gently fold in the chocolate and nuts (if you're using them) until no flour is visible. Allow the dough to sit while the oven preheats, allowing the flour to hydrate.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F. Once it's ready, use a cookie scoop or a spoon to form 1-inch dough balls, rolling them between your hands. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookies have puffed up.
Note: For a vegan option, you can replace the egg yolk with a mixture of 1 1/2 teaspoons ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Let the flax egg sit for 5 minutes to thicken before using it in the recipe.
Storing & Freezing:
These soft, chocolate chip cookies are most enjoyable when baked right before serving. They aren't ideal for mailing to a friend or preparing days in advance for a party, as they tend to lose their freshness after a couple of days in a sealed container.
Our suggestion? If you'd like to get ahead, prepare the cookie dough in advance and scoop it into balls. Store the dough in a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. This way, you can have freshly baked cookies whenever you desire!
Inspired by: Broma Bakery
