By Matthew Amsden
Banana Cookies
We’ve struggled with banana cookies. Bananas contain so much water and fiber that their addition to a cookie dough usually results in a soft, cakey cookie. Our goal was to get a crisp cookie packed with natural banana flavor. Precooking the banana with a bit of the flour did the trick. You can skip the chips altogether and enjoy these as pure banana cookies or as the base for decorated cookies. However, the addition of different types of mini chips works really well with the bananas. We used semisweet chocolate, but banana also pairs well with peanut butter, cinnamon, caramel, or white chocolate. Feel free to mix and match! For standard-size chips, chop the chips into small (⅛-inch or so) pieces so that the dough will roll out flat and even.
Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 06:40:11 GMT
Nutrition balance score
Unbalanced
Glycemic Index
71
High
Glycemic Load
7
Low
Nutrition per serving
Calories48.1 kcal (2%)
Total Fat0.2 g (0%)
Carbs10.6 g (4%)
Sugars4.1 g (5%)
Protein1 g (2%)
Sodium2.6 mg (0%)
Fiber0.2 g (1%)
% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Ingredients
48 servings
1/2 t salt
1 medium banana
227 grams butter
Instructions
Step 1
Whisk together 2¾ cups (390 grams) of the flour, the salt, and cloves in a medium bowl; set aside.
Step 2
Use a fork to mash the banana in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons (18 grams) of flour. Microwave the banana mixture on high (100%) power, stirring every 30 seconds, until the mixture has thickened to a paste, about 2 minutes (see “The Tangzhong Technique,” here). If you don’t have a microwave, cook the mixture in a small nonstick pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula. Transfer the banana paste to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 3
Combine the banana paste and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, and beat together on medium speed to break up the banana paste and incorporate the sugar. Allow this mixture to cool completely before proceeding, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 4
Once cool, add the butter and resume mixing until the mixture is smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until the mixture is uniform.
Step 5
Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the flour mixture until combined and no dry flour is visible. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula
Step 6
Divide the dough in half. Roll each half of the dough to a ¼-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper. Stack the paper-covered sheets of dough on an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet, and refrigerate until cold and firm throughout, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Step 7
Position two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350°F. Line two 18-by-13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
OvenPreheatStep 8
Cut desired shapes from the dough (use your banana-shaped cutter, if you have one) and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between cookies. These cookies keep their shape well, so you can crowd the pan a little more than with cookies that spread more during baking.
Step 9
Bake until the edges are just starting to brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Large (over 4 inches) or delicate shapes should cool completely on the sheets to prevent breaking. Repeat with the remaining dough, rerolling the scraps of dough, if necessary, once the baking sheets have completely cooled, or prepare additional baking sheets. After cooling, the cookies
