Easy Banana Bread Cookies - No Eggs
Get ready to enjoy these soft, fluffy, and super easy to make Banana Bread Cookies. They're like a fun twist on the classic banana bread, bringing together just the right balance of sweetness and spice.
Servings 16 cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup light brown or white granulated sugar (see note 1)
- ½ cup salted butter, softened (see note 2)
- 1 small ripe banana mashed (⅓ to ½ cup when mashed) (see note 3)
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose (also known as plain flour in the UK) or cake flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt (add ½ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)
Optional
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts roughly chopped (see note 4 for variation)
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, beat together light brown sugar and softened butter (about 3 minutes on medium speed)
- Beat the mashed banana into the mixture for about 1 minute until soft and light in texture.
- Incorporate the flour, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of salt (or ½ teaspoon if you're using unsalted butter). Gently combine these ingredients using a spatula.
- Add ½ cup of pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips into the mixture at this point if you're including them.
- Mix together to form a soft dough.
Shape the cookies
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces, shaping each into a ball.
- Arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, making sure they are spaced at least 1 inch (2 ½ cm) apart to allow for a little spreading during baking.
- Allow them to chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Chilling the dough before baking helps prevent excessive spreading and results in thicker cookies. It also enhances flavor.
Bake
- Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° F / 180° C (160° C fan).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Rotate the baking tray halfway through baking for even color and texture.
- Take the cookies out of the oven. They'll be soft initially, so leave them on the baking sheet for approximately 5 minutes to allow them to firm up as they cool. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to let them cool completely.
Storage
- Room temperature: After baking, let the banana bread cookies cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container. They'll stay fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- Freeze: Store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container or zipper bag for up to 2 months
Notes
1.Sugar: In this recipe, I used brown sugar, but you can opt for white granulated sugar if you prefer. Just remember that it could slightly change the flavor and texture of the cookies.
2. Butter: I used salted butter for this recipe. If you use unsalted butter, make sure to use ½ teaspoon of salt when the recipe calls for it, instead of the ¼ teaspoon indicated.
3. Use Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the better the flavor in your cookies. Look for bananas with brown spots or even overripe bananas for the best results. Adjust Sweetness: Depending on the ripeness of your bananas, you can adjust the sugar level. Riper bananas are sweeter, so you might reduce the sugar slightly if you prefer less sweetness. Mash the bananas well to ensure there are no large lumps. A smooth banana puree blends better into the dough.
4. Variations (optional)
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies: Fold in ½ to ¾ cup of chocolate chips into the cookie dough for a chocolatey twist.
- Nutty Banana Bread Cookies: Add ½ cup of chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the dough to give your cookies crunch and nutty flavor.
- Spiced Banana Bread Cookies: Enhance the flavor by adding ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg or cloves to the dough for a warm and cozy spiced taste.
- Fruit-Filled Banana Bread Cookies: Mix in ½ cup of dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates for a fruity and chewy addition.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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