Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Written by Katerina

Published Apr 10, 2022

If you like banana bread, you’ll love these Homemade Banana Cookies! Soft, chewy, and studded with chocolate chips, they are a quick, crowd-pleasing treat.

overhead shot of banana chocolate chips cookies served on a black plate.

Soft, Light Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Who doesn’t love cookies? Whether they’re soft or crunchy, chocolate chip or snickerdoodle, they’re amazing! 🍪 Plus, they’re basically the most versatile treat there is, so you can make them in almost any way you like.

Personally, I think classic grandma-style cookies like these are the best! Banana cookies have been around for ages, and once you taste the soft, cakey goodness of a sweet banana cookie with melted chocolate chips, you’ll understand why!

Exactly what makes soft banana cookies any better than your average chocolate chip cookie from the store? Well, firstly, my daughters LOVE ’em. That’s super important in a mom of a tween’s life. 😬

Also, this list of ingredients is way shorter and way more wholesome than most store-bought cookies. And, lastly, they can help you with that overripe banana problem you have goin’ on that counter (don’t tell me you don’t have it).

But, really, the best thing about these cookies is their perfectly sweet banana and chocolate taste, plus a meltingly soft texture.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

First thing’s first. What, exactly, is in these little bites of goodness? Here’s the full list. A few simple, wholesome ingredients are all you need.

Flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly in this recipe. You could also use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, ideally one with xanthan gum to make sure that the cookies turn out soft, not crumbly.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: To lighten the cookies and give them their classic cakey texture.
Salt
Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature before using it.
Sugar: Granulated sugar, as well as light brown sugar, give the cookies warmth and sweetness. If you like, you can substitute raw sugar for both the white and brown sugar, or use maple syrup instead of the brown sugar.
Bananas: Ripe bananas are best – they should be speckled with dots of brown, and have no green on the peel.
Egg: A large, whole egg helps bind the mixture together.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor. A scraped vanilla bean would also be great!
Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect in this recipe! You can use regular size, or my favorite: mini!

rubber spatula stirring through liquid batter for banana cookies.

Let’s Make Banana Cookies!

Now for the important part – how to make them. Here’s the process, step by step. It’s super easy to make these, and even easier to watch them disappear!

Get the Oven and Cookie Sheets Ready. Once the cookies are scooped onto the baking sheet, you’ll want to slide them right into the oven, so make sure the oven is preheating to 350˚F. Then, lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray so that they’ll be ready, too.
Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give these ingredients a quick whisk to incorporate.
Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a separate, larger mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and the brown and white sugar, until light and fluffy. (You can do this with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer.) Add in the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla, and beat until just combined.
Combine the Dry Ingredients, Wet Ingredients, and Chocolate Chips. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low just until fully blended. Then fold (not mix!) in the chocolate chips.
Bake! Drop about 1 tablespoonful of dough on the cookie sheet at a time, to make the cookies. Place each spoonful two inches apart. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Cool and Serve. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Serve.

folding mini chocolate chips into a cookie batter.

Tips and Tricks for a Perfect Bake

When it comes to baking banana cookies, there are only a few easy ingredients and steps, so this recipe is perfect for beginners. Want to learn more? Great! Here are some helpful tips for making this easy recipe even easier.

Ripen Bananas Quickly: If your bananas aren’t ripe enough to use in this recipe, try placing them in a low oven (250°F) for about 15 minutes. They should soften up and be much easier to mash.
Toothpick: A good way to tell if the cookies are done is to choose the thickest cookie and stick a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s ready! Choose the thickest cookie to help make sure that they were cooked completely thoroughly.
Mixing: Be careful not to overmix. This can ruin the texture by overdeveloping the gluten, creating a bready consistency.

Tasty Variation Ideas

Banana cookies are heavenly just the way they are, but you can also change them up in all kinds of different ways! If you’d like to try tweaking this recipe, try some of these simple recipe variations!

Mix-Ins: Chocolate chips aren’t the only mix-in that’s good with banana cookies. White chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, or even raisins or berries would be awesome!
Bananas: If you don’t have any perfectly ripe bananas, don’t worry! Overripe bananas work too (and it’s a good chance to get rid of all those old bananas). Soft and spotted is fine – just make sure they aren’t spoiled.
Flour: If you prefer a different type of flour or just don’t have any all-purpose on hand, try using these: whole wheat, cake flour (for a cakier cookie, obviously), bread flour (for more structure).

overhead up close shot of banana chocolate chips cookies served on a black plate.

How to Store Cookies

To store these banana cookies, keep them refrigerated in an airtight container, or food storage bag for up to a week.

Can I Freeze Banana Cookies?

You bet! To freeze the cookies, lay them out on a tray, not touching, and freeze the tray.
Then put the frozen cookies in a plastic bag or airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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5 from 3 votes