Banana Cookies

I absolutely adore a good banana bread. It’s a total classic and one of the very first things beginner bakers learn to make. However, needing three or more overripe bananas can sometimes be a barrier to banana bread bliss. Plus, the hour bake time for a loaf is an awfully long time to wait. These banana cookies deliver all the same vibes with just one banana in about 30 minutes, start to finish — no electric mixer needed.

Adding in mashed banana to a standard cookie recipe can leave you with a baked good that resembles a muffin top more than a cookie. To maximize chewiness, this cookie starts with melted and browned butter. A balance of white and brown sugar, and a good measure of whole-wheat flour and toasty walnuts add a toothsome quality to this cookie that bakes up with a soft and tender top, chewy center, and crispy edges.

Sugar-rich blackened bananas are ideal for baked goods. Their intense natural sugars and flavor make for delicious cakes and cookies. While an overripe banana is not 100% necessary for these cookies, you’ll get a much more pronounced banana flavor the riper your banana is. A firmer, less ripe banana will work, but the flavor won’t immediately read as “banana.” At the very least, you’ll want a few freckles on the peel. The best part of these cookies is that they only need one banana — perfect for when you’ve got one sad-looking straggler left from the bunch but not enough for banana bread.

These banana cookies straddle the line between over-the-top-treat and health food. Banana, whole-wheat flour, and walnuts bring more extra fiber and nutrients to the party than your typical chocolate chip cookies, while the browned butter and sugar still ensure they’re a sweet treat. It’s the best of both worlds.