Banana Bread Cookies

by Taylor October 12, 2024 (updated May 20, 2026)

Gooey chocolate chips and sweet bananas are the perfect combination in this banana bread cookies recipe. These soft, cakey drop cookies use simple ingredients and are easy to make. Just mix the dough, chill for 30 minutes, and bake!

Banana bread cookies bunched next to eachother

What readers are saying
Recipe testing notes
Ingredient notes
How to make banana bread cookies
Storage tips
Frequently asked questions

I’ve baked hundreds of from-scratch desserts, and this banana bread cookies recipe is one of my very favorites. It’s my go-to when I want the delicious flavors of classic banana bread without baking a full loaf.

These banana bread cookies have a soft, cake-like texture similar to pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Start to finish, they’re ready in about 55 minutes—which is less time than most loaves of banana bread need to bake!

These are delicious with a cup of coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up or alongside a glass of milk for an after-school snack. You could even sandwich vanilla ice cream between two cookies for a delicious ice cream cookie sandwich.

What readers are saying

“Wow! These cookies are amazing and so delicious!!! They came out great and are fluffy and airy. I didn’t have chocolate chips but I did add some cinnamon and a little nutmeg in the mix and I can’t stop eating them…Thank you for sharing!” – Eunice

Recipe testing notes

Don’t be thrown off by the dough – The dough for this recipe is wetter than your average chocolate chip cookie dough due to the bananas. But that’s exactly what also gives the cookies their cakey texture!
Don’t skip the chill time – Because of the stickiness of the dough, you must chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. When I tried to portion the dough before chilling, it was much harder to scoop and the cookies spread too much. Even with a 30-minute chill time, you can have these out of the oven in under an hour!
The mix-ins are up to you – My family prefers these banana bread cookies with semi-sweet chocolate chips mixed in. But they’re just as delicious with dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or chopped walnuts or pecans. Just try to keep the mix-ins to 1 1/2 cups total.

Ingredient notes

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll to the recipe card below.

Salted butter: Allow to soften to room temperature before making the dough. If you only have salted butter, you will need to add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt to the dough. For a dairy-free or vegan version, I recommend using plant-based butter.
Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar adds richness to the cookies. If you are out of brown sugar, learn how to make brown sugar on the fly. Coconut sugar can also be used in place of the brown sugar but may change the flavor.
Large eggs: For a vegan version, you can use flax eggs, but note that it can slightly change the texture of the cookies.
Vanilla extract: To round out the flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste.
Very ripe mashed banana: 1 whole banana yields about 1/2 cup of mashed banana on average. This recipe calls for 2 bananas, or about 1 cup of mashed banana. If using frozen bananas, be sure to let them thaw completely and drain excess liquid before mashing.
All-purpose flour: This will create the base of the dough and provide structure. For a gluten-free version, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend. Note that the final cookies may be slightly more tender.
Baking powder and baking soda: Both are needed to give the cookies a light, airy texture.
Chocolate chips: I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use dairy-free dark chocolate chips for a dairy-free version.

brown sugar, chocolate chips, white sugar, baking soda, flour, mashed banana, eggs, butter, vanilla

How to make banana bread cookies

To get the light, cakey texture we want in these cookies, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to make the dough.

When creaming the butter and sugar together, beat until the mixture has slightly lightened in color and has a “fluffy” texture. That’s when it’s time to add the eggs and vanilla.

When adding the dry ingredients, only mix just until the dough comes together and there are no more dry pockets of ingredients. This will prevent the dough from getting tough.

At that point, I prefer to switch to a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips.

After chilling the dough for 30 minutes, you can portion and bake the cookies. If you have a medium (1.5-tablespoon) cookie scoop you can use that. Otherwise, you can easily portion the dough by using two spoons.

Lining the pan with parchment paper will make it easier to remove the cookies after baking, but I have successfully baked these on unlined pans before.

Bake until the tops of the cookies no longer appear wet and the edges are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

banana bread cookies scopped onto cookie sheet

finished banana bread cookies on cookie sheet

Storage tips

These banana bread cookies are best stored at room temperature. When kept in an airtight container, they will keep for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze the cookies in a zip-top freezer bag for up to a month. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature for 30-60 minutes or pop one or two into the microwave for 15-30 seconds to thaw and warm through.

Frequently asked questions

Should the cookie dough be wet?

This dough is much wetter and stickier than your typical drop cookie dough. This is also why chilling the dough is important, as it helps make the dough easier to scoop and prevents it from spreading too much.

Do I have to use ripe bananas in this recipe?

Yes. It is important to use ripe bananas because they are more sweet and that flavor will come through more prominently in the cookies. You will want at least some brown spots on the banana, but you can also use bananas that are almost fully brown. Not only will this increase the flavor of the cookies, but ripe bananas will also be easier to mash.

The easiest way to mash the bananas is in a shallow bowl with the back of a fork. This will give you a nice and smooth consistency, as you will want it as smooth as possible with only a few small chunks of banana.

Can I add some spices to the dough?

Absolutely. For an even more prominent banana bread flavor, you can add anywhere from 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and up to 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg to the dry ingredients.

banana bread cookies stacked next to a wooden spoon

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