Description
These Banana Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with wholesome ingredients like ripe bananas and old-fashioned oats. They feature a perfect balance of sweetness from brown and granulated sugars, a warm hint of cinnamon, and the delightful addition of semisweet chocolate chips. The recipe is simple to follow and yields 40 delicious cookies perfect for snacks, breakfast treats, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 2 bananas (mashed)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams, slightly melted, 1 stick)
- 1 cup brown sugar (213 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (12 grams)
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1½ cups old-fashioned oats (150 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7 grams)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (6 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (2 grams)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Add-ins
- 1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips (213 grams, divided)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the mashed bananas, slightly melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract. Beat together on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients in the mixer bowl. Beat just until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains, being careful not to overmix to maintain cookie texture.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in 1 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips into the cookie dough using a spatula, ensuring even distribution.
- Prepare Baking Sheets and Shape Cookies: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set one aside. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the dough balls in a single layer, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If the dough balls do not hold a round shape, use your hands to gently press and reshape them without flattening. Press a few of the remaining chocolate chips onto the tops of each cookie for a decorative finish.
- Freeze the Dough Balls: Place the baking sheet with the cookie dough balls in the freezer for 10 minutes. This step helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Transfer Dough to Baking Sheet: Once chilled, transfer the cookie dough balls from the freezer to the second prepared baking sheet, placing them about 2 inches apart to allow for baking expansion.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the bottoms are lightly browned. Avoid overbaking to maintain a soft, chewy texture.
- Cool and Store: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, transfer the cookies to an airtight container for storage and enjoy.
Notes
- Using ripe bananas enhances the natural sweetness and moisture of the cookies.
- Chilling the dough balls before baking helps control spreading for thicker cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies.
- You can substitute semisweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate or white chocolate chips if preferred.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For a gluten-free option, use a certified gluten-free flour blend.