How to make super soft and tasty banana bread cookies with this quick and easy recipe perfect to go with my apple banana smoothie. You'll only need one banana to make these cookies to enjoy for breakfast or a snack.
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This soft banana bread cookies recipe with chopped walnuts are delicious and will satisfy everybody who loves banana desserts and mostly banana bread recipes 🍌.
These banana cookie has a texture that is closer to a cake than a chewy chocolate chip cookie and that's what makes this cookies recipe taste just like banana bread recipe.
Why you'll love this recipe
Craving for more banana recipes? Give these a try: banana bread, banana walnut bread, banana bread muffins and this banana apple smoothie.
Ingredients You Need
You need these ingredients to make these soft banana nut cookies:
- Butter: Use melted and cooled unsalted butter, or softened butter for a creamier texture.
- Sugar: A mix of white sugar and brown sugar works best. You can also use coconut sugar for a less refined option. Avoid powdered sugar.
- Egg: Make sure the egg is at room temperature for better mixing.
- Banana: Use a ripe, mashed banana to add natural sweetness and flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is great, but you can use whole wheat or gluten-free flour if needed.
- Leavening Agent: Baking soda is ideal for a soft texture, but baking powder can be used as a substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a nice flavor boost and aroma.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall taste of the cookies.
- Nuts: Add chopped walnuts or pecans for a crunchy texture. Feel free to switch them out with your favorite nuts!
How to Make Banana Bread Cookies
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the main recipe card below!
Step 1: Start by mashing the banana with a fork in a bowl or plate.
Step 2: Place softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar (in this case, light brown sugar) in a large bowl. Beat with a hand whisk or hand mixer for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add the mashed banana, vanilla extract and egg and mix again with an electric mixer for a good minute to incorporate them well.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients, flour, baking soda, salt, chopped walnuts and mix this time with a spatula gently to incorporate them just enough to have homogeneous cookie dough.
Bake cookies
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and form small balls of dough with your hands or use an ice cream scoop and place them on the cookie sheet covered with parchment paper (be sure to space them at least 2 inches apart as they will spread out during baking).
Step 6: Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the diameter, until the cookies are puffy and golden on top.
Enjoy! Remove the banana cookies from the oven and let them cool a bit on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for best results
Storage instructions
Room temperature: Store your banana bread cookies in an airtight container with a lid and keep for about 1 week.
Freeze: Yes, you can freeze banana bread cookies. Place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking, and they should stay fresh for several months in the freezer.
Defrost: Let them come back to room temperature or heat them up a bit by using the defrost function of your microwave
Variations & Substitutions
Recipe Questions
Can I use overripe bananas for banana bread cookies?
Yes! Overripe bananas are perfect for these cookies because they add natural sweetness and a strong banana flavor.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Yes, simply use a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour to make the cookies gluten-free.
Can I substitute the walnuts with other nuts or skip them?
Absolutely! You can use other nuts like pecans or macadamia nuts, or leave them out if you prefer nut-free cookies.
Why are my cookies too soft or cakey?
Banana bread cookies are naturally soft due to the banana, but if they’re too cakey, you may have added too much flour or overmixed the dough. For a chewier texture, reduce the flour slightly or chill the dough before baking.
Can I add chocolate chips to banana bread cookies?
Yes! Chocolate chips are a delicious addition to these cookies and pair wonderfully with the banana flavor.
Can I replace the butter with a dairy-free option?
Yes, you can use coconut oil or a dairy-free butter substitute to make the cookies dairy-free.
What’s the best way to mash bananas?
Simply use a fork or potato masher to mash the bananas until smooth, with no large chunks remaining for a more consistent dough.
More Cookie Recipes
I hope you love these banana walnut cookies. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
Banana Bread Cookies
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
Description
Recipe for soft banana bread cookies with chopped walnuts (for 12-14 cookies)
Ingredients
- 80 g ( ½ stick + 2tbsp or ⅓ cup) Butter - softened
- 70 g (⅓ cup)Sugar - granulated
- 50 g (¼ cup) Brown light sugar
- 1 egg - room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 banana - about 100 g
- 220g ( 1 ½ cup) Flour - all purpose
- 1 tsp Baking soda - or baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon - ground
- 85 g (¾ cup) Walnut - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
- In a bowl or plate mash the banana with a fork and set aside.
- In a large bowl, place the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat with a whisk or electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes.
- Then add the egg, vanilla and mashed banana and whisk again.
- Finish by adding the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, pinch of salt, ground cinnamon (optional) and crushed nuts.
- Mix with a flexible spatula or wooden spoon until the cookie batter is smooth and a little sticky.
- Form balls of dough with a spoon or ice cream scoop and place them on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown and puffy.
- Allow cookies to cool slightly before moving them to a cake rack to cool completely.
Notes
Storage: Approximately 1 week at room temperature in a covered storage box and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Option: You can add chocolate chips to the recipe when you add the nuts.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: cookies, desserts
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 214
- Sugar: 11.2 g
- Sodium: 307.2 mg
- Fat: 10.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.9 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 29.8 mg
Great recipe! They are soft, and you can taste the banana flavor, but it’s subtle, which is perfect!