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Banana Cookies Recipe
If you’ve got a couple of spotty bananas on the counter and a cookie craving, this Banana Cookies Recipe is your new best friend—soft, chewy, cozy, and ready with very little fuss.
Full Recipe Introduction: Soft, Cozy Cookies From Those Ripe Bananas
This Banana Cookies Recipe takes everything we love about banana bread—the warmth, the sweetness, the homey smell drifting from the oven—and tucks it into a tray of soft, chewy cookies. Think of them as the love child of banana bread and a classic chocolate chip cookie.
I started making these homemade banana cookies when my kids were little and I was determined not to throw away one more overripe banana. Banana bread is wonderful, but you know what? Sometimes you just want a cookie (or three) and a cup of coffee. These easy banana cookies became the solution: small, portable, and somehow “snacky,” even though they taste like dessert.
They’re naturally softer than a typical cookie—almost cake-like in the middle—with lightly crisp edges if you bake them just right. This recipe uses ripe bananas for sweetness, a bit less refined sugar than standard cookies, and hearty oats for texture, so they lean toward healthy banana cookies without losing the fun.
Whether you call them soft banana cookies, chewy banana cookies, or your new favorite banana dessert recipe, this is one banana baking recipe you’ll come back to every time those bananas start getting freckles.
Why You’ll Love This Banana Cookies Recipe
- A delicious way to use ripe bananas – No more guilt about those brown bananas staring at you from the counter.
- Soft, chewy texture – These soft banana cookies stay tender for days, thanks to the banana and oats.
- Easy, beginner-friendly recipe – Straightforward steps; no fancy tools or pastry school needed.
- Lighter than typical cookies – Less sugar and a boost of fiber from oats make these feel like a smarter treat.
- Customizable mix-ins – Chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, or even dried fruit work beautifully.
- Family-approved flavor – Kids think “cookie,” grown-ups taste all the cozy banana bread notes.
- Great for meal prep and snacks – They pack well in lunchboxes and hold up in the freezer.
- Freezer-friendly dough – Freeze scoops of banana cookie dough for fresh-baked cookies anytime.
- Perfect year-round – Comforting in winter, but light enough for summer picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients for the Best Homemade Banana Cookies
Let’s walk through what you’ll need to make this easy banana cookies recipe. I’ll include simple substitutions where it makes sense.
Wet Ingredients
- 2 medium very ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
- The more speckled, the better—overripe bananas = sweeter, more flavorful cookies.
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- Room temperature butter creams better; salted butter works too, just reduce the added salt a bit.
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- Adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavor that pairs so well with banana.
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Helps with structure and light sweetness.
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Room temperature eggs mix more evenly into the batter.
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Don’t skip it—vanilla makes the banana flavor shine.
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- You can use half whole wheat pastry flour if you’d like slightly healthier banana cookies.
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- Gives these chewy banana cookies great texture; quick oats work in a pinch but will be slightly softer.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Warm spice that makes the whole house smell amazing.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Balances the sweetness and brings out flavor.
Mix-Ins (Customize to Your Taste)
Pick one or a mix—aim for about 1 to 1 1/4 cups total:
- 3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (nice if baking for kids)
You can keep it simple with just chocolate chips, or get creative. The banana cookie dough is very forgiving.
Step-by-Step Directions: How to Make This Banana Cookies Recipe
1. Preheat and Prep
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Parchment keeps the bottoms from over-browning and makes cleanup easy.
2. Mash the Bananas
- In a medium bowl, peel and mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
- A few little lumps are fine; you’re aiming for a thick puree, not baby food.
3. Cream Butter and Sugars
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for about 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- This step traps air and helps your soft banana cookies bake up tender instead of dense.
4. Add Egg, Vanilla, and Banana
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the mashed banana and mix again on low speed until the banana is fully incorporated.
- The batter will look a bit looser now—that’s normal for banana cookie dough.
5. Combine Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisking helps distribute the leavening agents evenly, so you don’t get “pocket explosions” in some cookies and flat ones in others.
6. Bring the Dough Together
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until combined.
- Don’t over-mix here; once the flour disappears, stop. Over-mixing can make cookies tough.
- Fold in your mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.) with a spatula.
The dough will be thicker than cake batter but softer and stickier than a classic chocolate chip cookie dough. That’s exactly what you want for these chewy banana cookies.
7. Chill the Dough (Quick But Helpful)
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 20–30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- This step is optional but highly recommended. Chilling helps the banana cookie dough firm up, so the cookies spread more evenly and bake thicker.
8. Scoop and Shape
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop 1 1/2–2 tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- If you’d like a more uniform shape, gently flatten the tops with slightly damp fingers; these cookies don’t spread as aggressively as classic cookies.
9. Bake Until Just Set
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, or until:
- Edges are lightly golden.
- Centers look set but still soft and slightly puffy.
Remember: a slightly underbaked cookie in the oven usually cools into a perfectly soft banana cookie. If they look dry in the middle, they’re probably overdone.
10. Cool and Enjoy
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy warm (my favorite way) or at room temperature with coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk.
Servings & Timing
- Yield: About 22–26 cookies, depending on size
- Prep Time: 15–20 minutes (including mashing and mixing)
- Chill Time: 20–30 minutes
- Bake Time: 10–12 minutes per sheet
- Total Time: About 50–60 minutes from start to first bite
If you skip the chilling time, you’ll shave off some minutes, but the cookies may spread a little more and be slightly thinner. Still delicious, just a bit different in texture.
Fun Variations: Make This Banana Cookies Recipe Your Own
You know what? This is where baking gets fun. Once you nail the base, you can play.
- Banana Nut Cookies – Add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans and reduce chocolate chips to 1/2 cup.
- Healthy Banana Oat Cookies – Use half whole wheat flour, reduce sugar by 2 tablespoons, and use dark chocolate chips.
- Peanut Butter Banana Cookies – Swirl in 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter with the banana and add peanut butter chips.
- Banana Breakfast Cookies – Add 1/4 cup ground flaxseed and 1/4 cup raisins; they’ll feel almost like soft banana granola cookies.
- Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies – Add 1/3 cup shredded coconut and a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips.
- Spiced Banana Cookies – Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger for a warm, cozy, almost holiday flavor.
Storage & Reheating: Keeping Your Banana Cookies Soft
One nice thing about these soft banana cookies is how well they hold up over a few days.
Counter Storage
- Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
- Place a small piece of parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
Refrigerator Storage
- For slightly longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- They’ll firm up a bit when cold; let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before eating, or warm gently.
Freezer Storage
- To freeze baked cookies:
- Arrange cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container.
- Freeze up to 3 months.
- To freeze cookie dough:
- Scoop portions of banana cookie dough onto a lined tray, freeze until solid, then bag or box them.
- Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–3 extra minutes to the bake time.
Reheating
- Warm a cookie in the microwave for 8–10 seconds for that “just-baked” feel.
- If reheating from frozen, 15–20 seconds in the microwave usually does the trick.
Make-Ahead Tip
You can make the dough up to 24 hours ahead and chill it, tightly covered. Let sit on the counter 10–15 minutes before scooping if it’s very firm.
Notes & Tips From My Kitchen Tests
- The riper the banana, the better the flavor. When the peel is heavily speckled and the banana feels very soft, that’s perfect for ripe banana cookies.
- Weighing flour can be helpful. If you have a kitchen scale, 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour is about 180 grams. Too much flour makes dry cookies.
- Don’t skip the salt. Especially with sweet, soft cookies like this, a little salt keeps them from tasting flat.
- Banana cookies will be softer than classic cookies. That’s by design; think of them as tiny banana bread cookies. Don’t chase a super-crisp texture with this recipe.
- If your dough seems very loose: Add 2–3 tablespoons of extra oats and chill a bit longer. Humidity and banana size can change texture slightly.
- If your cookies spread too much: Next batch, chill the dough longer and try adding 1–2 more tablespoons of flour.
- For prettier cookies: Press a few extra chocolate chips onto the tops of each scoop before baking.
Over a few rounds of testing, I found that baking these on the center rack, one pan at a time, gave the most even color and best texture. If you bake two trays at once, rotate them halfway through.
FAQs About This Banana Cookies Recipe
1. Can I use frozen bananas for this recipe?
Yes. Thaw frozen bananas completely, drain off any excess liquid, then mash and measure. The flavor is great, but the dough may be a little softer, so chilling helps.
2. Can I make these banana cookies gluten-free?
You can try using a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour and certified gluten-free oats. The texture will be slightly different, but still soft and tasty.
3. Are these cookies healthy enough for breakfast?
They’re still a dessert, but they do use banana and oats, and less sugar than many cookies. For a more breakfast-style cookie, cut a couple of tablespoons of sugar and add nuts and seeds.
4. Why are my banana cookies cakey instead of chewy?
Too much flour or over-mixing can make them more cake-like. Next time, spoon and level your flour, and mix only until just combined.
5. Can I leave out the oats?
You can, but the texture will change. Use an extra 1/4–1/3 cup flour to help the dough hold together, and expect a softer, more cake-like cookie.
6. How do I know when the cookies are done?
Edges should be lightly golden and the centers should look set but still soft. If the middle looks wet or shiny, give them another minute or two.
7. Can I reduce the sugar in this banana baking recipe?
Yes, you can cut the total sugar by 2–4 tablespoons without major issues. Just know they’ll be less sweet and may be a touch less chewy.
8. Do these cookies taste like banana bread?
They have a similar flavor—banana, cinnamon, a little vanilla—but the texture is more like a soft, chewy cookie than a slice of bread.
Conclusion: A Cozy Banana Dessert Recipe You’ll Make Again and Again
This Banana Cookies Recipe is one of those little kitchen tricks that turns a couple of tired bananas into something everyone gets excited about—soft, chewy, banana-scented cookies that feel like a hug in dessert form. They’re easy enough for a weeknight, special enough for sharing, and flexible enough to fit your favorite mix-ins.
If you try these homemade banana cookies, I’d love to hear how they turned out—tell me what you added, what your family thought, or how you made them your own. And when you’re ready for more banana baking ideas, keep a few extra bananas on the counter; we’ve got plenty of delicious ways to use them.
Banana Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 medium very ripe bananas about 1 cup mashed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or mix of chocolate chips and nuts
- optional mix-ins such as chopped walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut, or mini chocolate chips (aim for about 1 to 1 1/4 cups total mix-ins including chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, peel and mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine; you want a thick puree.2 medium very ripe bananas
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the mashed banana and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. The batter will look looser, which is normal.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 2 medium very ripe bananas
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed just until combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and any additional mix-ins with a spatula. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional mix-ins
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to help it firm up and reduce spreading.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop 1 1/2–2 tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. If desired, gently flatten the tops with slightly damp fingers for a more uniform shape.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set but still soft and slightly puffy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
