These banana cookies taste like your favorite banana bread, but in cookie form! Feel free to omit the nuts or swap in chocolate chips, if desired. 

An overhead view of a pile of banana nut cookies on a wire cooling rack. Chopped walnuts are scattered around the cookies. A banana rests on the side.

These banana cookies are practically perfect. No, scratch that. They are perfect! 

They’re easy to make, use ingredients you likely have on hand already, and share the same flavors as my favorite banana bread recipe. Even better, the cookie dough doesn’t have to be chilled before being scooped and baked. 

I used this recipe to make banana nut cookies, but you’re welcome to omit the walnuts. Or, swap in your favorite baking chips. 

This is a great recipe to have tucked up your sleeve for when you need to use up those brown bananas on your counter!

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make banana cookies.

Ingredients in This Recipe 

Because these cookies are made with bananas, they end up being incredibly soft, chewy, and flavorful. Let’s quickly go over the ingredients needed for this recipe. 

  • All-purpose flour: Be sure to spoon and level the flour when measuring it. This will prevent you from accidentally measuring out too much. 
  • Baking soda: Gives the cookies some lift.
  • Ground cinnamon and salt: Add lots of flavor and perfectly complement the mashed banana.  
  • Unsalted butter: Always use unsalted butter when baking, because the amount of salt in salted butters can vary between brands. 
  • Sugar: I used a mixture of granulated sugar and light brown sugar to make this recipe. The mashed banana is already quite sweet, so I used slightly less sugar than I would in a typical cookie recipe. 
  • Bananas: Make sure to use overripe bananas with a lot of brown specks on them. If you need to ripen your bananas faster, place them in a brown paper bag for a couple of days.
  • Egg yolk: The mashed banana helps bind together the cookie dough, so you need just one egg yolk. Save the egg white in an airtight container to use in your morning egg scramble. 
  • Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract will give the best flavor. 
  • Walnuts: These are completely optional, so feel free to omit them or swap them out with another mix-in like chocolate chips.

How to Make Banana Cookies

These easy banana cookies come together very quickly. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars until well combined. Then, mix in the mashed banana, egg yolk, and vanilla. 

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. If making banana nut cookies, you’d want to mix in the chopped walnuts at this point. 

Banana nut cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.

Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto three parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Leave some room between each cookie dough ball as the cookies will spread in the oven. 

Bake the cookies until the edges are slightly browned and the tops are just set. They’ll continue to set up as they cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet. 

I recommend transferring the cookies to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. 

A close-up overhead view of banana nut cookies on a wire cooling rack.

Can the Cookie Dough Be Frozen? 

This recipe makes about 32 cookies, so you’re welcome to scoop out the dough and freeze it for later. To do so, scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, slightly flatten each ball of cookie dough, and freeze for 1 to 2 hours.

Then, store in a large freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. You may bake the cookie dough from frozen, but you’ll likely need to add 1 to 2 minutes to the total bake time. 

Can the Walnuts Be Omitted? 

Yes! I love making this recipe as banana nut cookies, but I know some people can’t have nuts. If that’s the case, you may omit the walnuts entirely or substitute them with chocolate chips. 

A close-up view of a banana cookie split in half, resting among a pile of cookies.

Baking Tips 

  • Make sure to bring the butter and egg to room temperature before starting this recipe. To quickly bring the egg to room temperature, set it in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes. 
  • You’ll want to use very ripe bananas for this banana cookie recipe. The more brown spots the bananas have, the sweeter they’ll be.
  • I used just 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in this recipe, but you’re welcome to add more if you’re a cinnamon lover. As written, the cookies will have a subtle cinnamon flavor to them without it being too overpowering.

More Banana Desserts to Make!  

Several banana cookies on a wire rack with a piece of parchment paper underneath them. Pieces of chopped walnuts are scatter on top of and around the cookies.

Banana Cookies

4.50 from 4 ratings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
These banana cookies taste like your favorite banana bread, but in cookie form! Feel free to omit the nuts or swap in chocolate chips, if desired. 

Ingredients

Servings: 32 cookies
  • 2 ½ cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter (softened)
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (125 grams) mashed banana
  • 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (90 grams) chopped walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined.
  • Mix in the mashed banana, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then mix in the chopped walnuts on low-speed until fully incorporated.
  • Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

Notes

Freezing Instructions: Scoop cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, slightly flatten each ball of cookie dough, and freeze for 1 to 2 hours or until firm, then store in a large freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cookie dough make be baked from frozen for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Baked cookies will freeze well for up to 3 months.
Bananas: Make sure to use an overripe banana for this recipe. You will need about 1 large banana to get 1/2 cup of mashed banana.
Walnuts: These are completely optional! Feel free to omit them or swap them out with another mix-in like semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Danielle
Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.