Chocolate Banana Cookies

Fudgy, nutty, and packed with chocolate chips and pecans, these chocolate banana cookies are divine with a cup of tea or coffee. You will not resist cookies served warm with a glass of milk, too.

These cookies are tasty. Yes, I only post tasty dessert recipes on the blog, but these particular chocolate banana cookies loaded with chocolate chips and chopped pecans are exceptionally delicious.

I remember when I baked these cookies for the first time. I looked at the batch - 24 cookies to be precise - and thought we would never finish them.

However, the tray was empty in two hours! And take into consideration that we are only three adults with a sweet tooth.

This chocolate banana cookies recipe is easy and fun to make. But cookies require to be chilled two times for 3 hours total. So, make sure to plan your baking to allow enough time.

Do not feel like spending hours to make the cookies? Freeze the dough balls for up to three months (you will even help improve the texture and flavor of these cookies) and bake them at any time!

The best chocolate chips for baking

According to Epicurious, the best chocolate chips to make cookies are Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips with the most beautiful balance of bitterness and sweetness.

Again Ghirardelli, but their semi-sweet chocolate chips perfectly work to make chocolate chip cookies, including these chocolate banana cookies.

If you prefer milk chocolate, try Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. You can also combine dark and milk chocolate chips in a cookie recipe.

How to ripe a banana quickly

To make these delicious chocolate banana cookies, you will need about ½ small ripe banana. If you have an overripe banana, it is even better.

But what if you want to make banana loaded cookies or banana bread, and you do not have the ripe banana? No worries.

To ripen your banana/s quickly, place the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 250 F/120 C for 20 minutes.

Why you should try this recipe

1. Spending one hour of hands-on time (chilling time is not included) reward you with 24 delicious cookies. It makes sense to double the recipe since the active, hands-on time is almost the same.
2. Adding a banana to the recipe brings additional moisture and flavor to cookies.
3. Wrapping unbaked balls with chopped pecans gives some crunchiness to the baked goodies.
4. They are tasty and fun to make with the little ones.
5. Making the dough in advance and freezing unbaked cookies for up to 3 months saves time during the holiday rush.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for detailed amounts and instructions. I recommend making this recipe as written for the best results. 

Butter: the recipe calls for unsalted softened butter. Take it out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours before you start.

Sugar: use granulated or caster sugar interchangeably or replace it with golden brown sugar.

Egg: the recipe calls for one large egg.

Flour: use all-purpose flour to make these cookies.

Baking powder: use fresh aluminum-free baking powder to make the recipe.

Cocoa powder: Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder is the best to use here.

Ground cinnamon: use your favorite brand of ground cinnamon. It brings a warm note to these cookies.

Salt: it enhances the flavors of cookies.

Chocolate chips: use semi-sweet chocolate chips or replace them with milk chocolate chips or chopped Valrhona dark chocolate.

Banana: for the best flavor, use ripe one, or even overripe, to make the recipe. You need about ½ small banana.

Pecan: replace pecans with walnuts if you desire.

Icing sugar: make it yourself with a coffee grinder or use a store-bought powdered sugar.

How to make chocolate banana cookies

To make the cookie dough, place softened butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until pale yellow and fluffy.

Add the egg to the bowl and continue to whisk until the mixture becomes homogeneous (photo 1).

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt, add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Mix everything on low speed for 15 seconds (photo 2).

Add chocolate chips and mashed banana (photo 3) and mix with a rubber spatula (photo 4).

Cover the bowl with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Make the one inch/2.5 cm round balls (about 0.7 oz (20 g) each) from the dough using hands. Wash your hands to facilitate rolling the dough into balls.

Place chopped pecans in a bowl, and roll each ball into the nuts to coat. Try to press the pecans in so that dough balls are completely covered with nuts. (photo 5).

Place cookie balls on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper - the distance between them does not matter - and refrigerate again for at least an hour (photo 6).

Preheat oven to 375 F/190 C. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Place powdered (icing) sugar in a bowl and generously roll each cookie ball in the sugar.

Place balls on the prepared baking sheets one inch/2.5 cm apart, press/flatten cookies to 0.4 inch/1 cm thick (photo 7), and bake 10 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes (photo 8).

Gently transfer chocolate banana cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Expert tips

1. Replace pecans with walnuts if you prefer.
2. Switch semi-sweet chocolate chips for the same amount of milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate, cut into 0.5 cm pieces.
3. Do not over-bake cookies. They have to be slightly underbaked to get the fudgy center. Once the cookies cool, the center will finish cooking but remains soft.
4. Serve cookies on the day of baking: they taste the best!
5. Make-ahead tip: make the dough, wrap cookie balls with chopped pecans and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Or freeze them for up to 3 months. Keep cookies in the fridge overnight to thaw and bake the next day.

Frequently asked questions

Love cookies? Try these next!

• Easy Coconut Macaroons
• Healthy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
• Authentic Italian Shortbread Cookies
• Browse all the Cookie Recipes

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool. Please, read the disclaimers in our Privacy Policy.

The recipe was adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It was originally published on September 27, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.