I finally perfected Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies with a tiny pantry swap that subtly changes the dough’s chemistry.

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I call these Perfect Banana Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies my happy accident. I fold mashed ripe banana into the batter and throw in way too many milk chocolate chips because I cant help myself.

They come out with a crackly top and a soft, almost pudding like center that makes you second guess everything a cookie can be. They remind me of Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies from my childhood, but somehow richer and less predictable.

I mess up oven temps all the time and they still turn out amazing, so if you like Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with attitude, try these.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: main carbs gives structure, can taste bland but holds cookies together
Mashed ripe banana: natural sweetness, fiber and potassium, makes cookies moist and soft
Unsalted butter: rich fat adds flavor and chew, but also lots of saturated fat
Light brown sugar: sweet with molasses notes, keeps cookies moist and slightly caramelized
Large egg: protein and binding helps texture, also adds moisture and lift
Milk chocolate chips: melty sugar rich chunks that make cookies sweet and kid friendly
Walnuts or pecans optional: add crunch, healthy fats and some protein, taste a little bitter
Vanilla extract: tiny bit but it amps flavor and rounds sweetness, doesn’t add calories

Ingredient Quantities

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar

1 cup (240 g) mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)

1 large egg, room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 1 1/2 cups (170 to 255 g) milk chocolate chips, more if you want

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; if you want firmer cookies, cool the sheets between batches so they dont smear.

2. In a bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with dense cookies.

3. In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar until lighter in color, about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer; scrape the bowl.

4. Mix in 1 cup (240 g) mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas), 1 large room-temperature egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until just combined; overmixing will make the cookies tough.

5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, mixing gently until you just lose dry streaks; then fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups (170 to 255 g) milk chocolate chips and if using 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (toast nuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes first for more flavor).

6. For neater cookies, chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes; banana adds moisture so chilling helps prevent excessive spread. If youre impatient you can bake right away but expect wider, softer cookies.

7. Scoop dough with a tablespoon or small cookie scoop (about
1.5 to 2 tablespoons per cookie) onto the prepared sheet, spacing 2 inches apart; press a couple extra chocolate chips into the tops for looks and more melty pockets.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden but centers still look soft; ovens vary so bake a test cookie first and adjust time by a minute or two if needed.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; they firm up as they cool but stay chewy and banana-sweet inside.

10. Store cooled cookies airtight at room temp up to 3 days or freeze baked cookies or scooped dough for up to 3 months; to revive a day-old cookie microwave 8 to 10 seconds for soft, warm goodness.

Equipment Needed

1. Baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (for firmer cookies cool the sheet between batches so cookies dont smear)
2. Oven mitts or pot holders
3. Large and medium mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale for grams
5. Whisk
6. Rubber spatula
7. Hand mixer or sturdy wooden spoon (hand beat about 2 minutes if no mixer)
8. Tablespoon or small cookie scoop
9. Wire cooling rack (and a small dry skillet if toasting nuts)

FAQ

Q: Can I use overripe bananas or frozen ones? A: Yes, overripe are actually best cause theyre sweeter and mash easy. Use about 1 cup mashed (about 2 medium bananas). If they seem super watery, drain a bit or chill the dough before baking so cookies dont spread too much.

Q: Can I swap or change the sugars? A: Yep. Using all light brown sugar makes chewier, more caramel like cookies. All granulated will be a bit less moist and less brown flavor. You can reduce total sugar a little but the texture will change.

Q: Do I have to chill the dough? A: No, you can bake right away, but chilling 30 minutes to overnight firms the dough, gives better flavor and less spread. If dough is very cold let it sit a few minutes so scooping is easier.

Q: How do I get soft centers and slightly crisp edges? A: Bake at 350 F until edges are set and centers still look a little soft, about 9 to 12 minutes depending on your oven. Let cookies cool on the pan 5 to 10 minutes so centers finish gently, that helps keep them soft.

Q: Can I make these nut free or gluten free? A: For nut free just omit the walnuts or pecans. For gluten free use a reliable 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend by weight and if the blend lacks xanthan gum add a small amount, about 1/4 teaspoon, texture will be a little different though.

Q: What about different chocolate or extra chips? A: Any chocolate works. Milk chocolate is sweeter and softer, semisweet gives more contrast. The recipe calls for 1 to 1 1/2 cups but you can add more if you want, just fold them in gently so they dont sink or melt into the dough.

Perfect Banana Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour → use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend if you’re avoiding gluten, or swap for whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser cookie. Cookies may be a bit crumblier with GF flour so chill the dough first.
Unsalted butter → use solid coconut oil 1:1 by weight (or vegetable shortening 1:1). It’ll change the flavor and spread a little, so chill the dough if you want thicker cookies.
Mashed ripe banana → use unsweetened applesauce or canned pumpkin puree 1:1 for similar moisture and binding. You’ll lose banana flavor, so maybe add an extra 1/4 tsp cinnamon or a drop more vanilla if you want more warmth.
1 large egg → make a flax egg: mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes and use in place of the egg. Good for binding and keeps cookies soft, but texture is slightly different.

Pro Tips

– Use bananas that are really spotty and soft, they give way more flavor and sweetness. If yours are still firm, wrap them in foil and roast at 400 F until they blacken and sink, then mash — the caramel notes really make a difference.

– Chill the scoops, not just the whole bowl. Scoop the dough onto a tray and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes before baking if you want taller, less spread-out cookies. Also cool the baking sheet between batches so they don’t flatten into each other.

– Toss the chocolate chips and nuts in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in, that keeps them suspended instead of sinking to the bottom. Save a few chips to press on top right before baking so they look and feel extra melty.

– For chewier cookies add one extra egg yolk or a teaspoon of cornstarch, and if you want more banana depth brown the butter briefly in a pan until nutty, cool it, then use it. Store cooled cookies with a slice of bread or an apple wedge to keep them soft, or warm one for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave to revive.

Perfect Banana Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally perfected Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies with a tiny pantry swap that subtly changes the dough's chemistry.

Servings

servings

Calories

334

kcal

Equipment: 1. Baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (for firmer cookies cool the sheet between batches so cookies dont smear)
2. Oven mitts or pot holders
3. Large and medium mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale for grams
5. Whisk
6. Rubber spatula
7. Hand mixer or sturdy wooden spoon (hand beat about 2 minutes if no mixer)
8. Tablespoon or small cookie scoop
9. Wire cooling rack (and a small dry skillet if toasting nuts)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
1 cup (240 g) mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1 large egg, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 cups (170 to 255 g) milk chocolate chips, more if you want
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; if you want firmer cookies, cool the sheets between batches so they dont smear.
In a bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with dense cookies.
In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar until lighter in color, about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer; scrape the bowl.
Mix in 1 cup (240 g) mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas), 1 large room-temperature egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until just combined; overmixing will make the cookies tough.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, mixing gently until you just lose dry streaks; then fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups (170 to 255 g) milk chocolate chips and if using 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (toast nuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes first for more flavor).
For neater cookies, chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes; banana adds moisture so chilling helps prevent excessive spread. If youre impatient you can bake right away but expect wider, softer cookies.
Scoop dough with a tablespoon or small cookie scoop (about
5 to 2 tablespoons per cookie) onto the prepared sheet, spacing 2 inches apart; press a couple extra chocolate chips into the tops for looks and more melty pockets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden but centers still look soft; ovens vary so bake a test cookie first and adjust time by a minute or two if needed.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; they firm up as they cool but stay chewy and banana-sweet inside.
Store cooled cookies airtight at room temp up to 3 days or freeze baked cookies or scooped dough for up to 3 months; to revive a day-old cookie microwave 8 to 10 seconds for soft, warm goodness.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.