Banana Cookies

Bake a batch of banana cookies from a cherished family recipe! Soft and cake-like, these cookies are a delicious way to use up overripe bananas.

Overhead view of a plate of banana cookies.
Kelly Hamilton

This banana cookie recipe came from my grandmother, Sybil Capune. She made me fresh orange juice in the mornings, loved her toast burnt, and was an amazing home cook.

When I inherited her recipe boxes, each filled with yellowed hand-typed note cards, I began exploring my family's culinary history.

This particular recipe, now about 70 years old, is one of the best in the bunch. It has become one of my favorite cookie recipes ever!

What Can Overripe Bananas Be Used for? These Cookies!

These banana cookies are soft, not crispy. They're almost cake-like or like muffin tops. They're seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and peppered with pecans.

They're perfect for using up overripe bananas. (Who hasn't had plenty of instances where some bananas have gotten a bit overripe?)

Side view of banana cookies on a white plate with a white linen underneath it.
Kelly Hamilton

The Best Bananas for Baking

You want speckled yellow and black bananas for this recipe. They are sweeter and mash more easily.

You can easily freeze bananas that become overripe to use later for banana cookies or other recipes.

So Many Different Ways to Make Banana Cookies!

  • Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.
  • Eliminate the spices if you don’t care for them (or don’t have them on hand).
  • Add raisins for more sweetness, or dried cranberries for tartness.
  • Use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour.
  • Add a cup or two of rolled oats for added texture.
  • Use half white sugar and half brown sugar.
  • Reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup.

How to Store Banana Cookies

You can freeze the baked cookies. Be sure they are completely cooled. Then, place them in a freezer-safe zip top bag. Leave them out to thaw overnight before enjoying.

Baked banana cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, as long as they are covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.

More Banana Recipes to Use up Overripe Bananas!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Banana Cookies

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 30 servings (1 cookies/serving)
Yield 2 1/2 dozen cookies

These cookies are soft and cake-like.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 1/2 large bananas)

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • Pinch salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 cup chopped pecans (walnuts or chocolate chips are fine alternatives)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Cream the butter and sugar:

    Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

    A glass bowl with hand mixer adding eggs to make a banana cookie recipe.
    Kelly Hamilton
    A glass bowl with hand mixer mixing ingredients to make a banana cookie recipe.
    Kelly Hamilton
  3. Mix the banana and baking soda:

    In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit for 2 minutes. The baking soda will react with the acid in the bananas, which in turn will give the cookies their lift and rise.

    Mashing bananas with a fork in a glass bowl to make a banana cookie recipe.
    Kelly Hamilton
  4. Combine the banana and butter mixtures:

    Pour the banana mixture into the butter mixture.

    Simple Tip!

    Sometimes the banana/butter mixture curdles because the bananas are high in moisture, which will make the creamed butter "break." Carry on; once you add the flour mixture, the batter will be cohesive and bake up just right.

    A hand mixer mixing the batter to make a banana cookie recipe.
    Kelly Hamilton
  5. Whisk the dry ingredients, then add the the banana mixture:

    Whisk together the flour, salt, and spices. Add to the butter and banana mixture, and mix until just combined.

    Dry ingredients added to a bowl to make the batter for banana cookies.
    Kelly Hamilton
  6. Add the mix-ins:

    Fold pecans or chocolate chips (if using) into the batter.

    Chopped pecans added to the batter for banana bread cookies.
    Kelly Hamilton
  7. Drop the dough and bake the cookies:

    Drop in dollops onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool on wire racks before serving.

    Dropping banana cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
    Kelly Hamilton
    Banana cookies cooling on a rack.
    Kelly Hamilton
  8. Store:

    Baked banana cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, as long as they are covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
118 Calories
6g Fat
15g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories 118
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 50mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 55mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.