Having overripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter is a very common thing. Children won’t even touch them when the brown spots start to appear. But do you know that these spotty bananas are exactly what you need for the best banana bread cookies?
Usual banan loafs are quite boring. That’s why I prefer turning those bananas into cookies recently. Banana cookies are soft and cakey, almost like biting into a slice of banana bread but in handheld form. And since the cookies are smaller, they disappear much faster at gatherings.
Today, I’ll share two of my favorite banan bread cookie recipes. The first one comes with cram chees frosting that takes the flavor to another level. Then there’s a caramelized version that has a deep and rich banana flavor.
Let’s begin.
Why I Love Soft and Fluffy Banana Bread Cookies
The biggest reason is these recipes are the most favorite treats to my children. Their precious smiles whenever they see bread banana cookies melts my heart.
The batter is sticky and soft, but that’s what makes the cookies moist. It’s impossible to make a blunder in this desserts unless you overbake the cookies.
You are just recycling the leftover banana here. Along with that, you’re barely using anything special to make these recipes. The basic pantry items are enough here.
And somehow, if you have some medical conditions, you can use 1:1 fluten free flour blend for gluten free banana bread cookies. The texture will still hold nicely.
Banana Bread Cookies with Frosting Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Use the brownest bananas you can find. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your cookies will be. Green or yellow bananas won’t give you enough moisture or taste.
Want a stripped-down version? Mashed banana, a box cake mix, and chocolate chips make a quick 6 ingredient banana bread cookies option when you’re short on time.
How To Make Banana Bread Cookies with Frosting
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugars
Mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients
Stir in mashed banana, egg, and vanilla until evenly combined.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Fold gently until a soft, sticky batter forms. Don’t overmix.
Step 4: Scoop and Bake
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of batter per cookie, spacing them 3 inches apart. These spread. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until the tops look set.
Step 5: Cool Completely
Let the cookies sit on the pan for 10 minutes. Then move them to a wire rack. They must be fully cool before frosting.
Step 6: Make the Frosting
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter, then powdered sugar and vanilla on low speed. Spread evenly over each cookie.
These banana bread cookies with frosting taste even better the next day. The moisture from the banana deepens the flavor overnight.
Caramelized Banana Bread Cookies Ingredients
For the Baramelized Bananas
- 2 large ripe bananas, sliced into rounds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
For the Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
This version skips the frosting entirely. The caramelized bananas add enough sweetness and a toffee-like depth that stands on its own.
How To Make Caramelized Banana Bread Cookies
Step 1: Caramelize the Bananas
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced bananas and brown sugar. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and sticky. Let them cool, then mash.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Cream softened butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, and the mashed caramelized bananas. Mix in flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until just combined.
Step 3: Chill the Dough
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The caramelized banana adds extra moisture, so chilling is important here.
Step 4: Bake
Scoop by the tablespoon onto lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should be golden, centers slightly soft.
These caramelized banana bread cookies have a deeper, almost butterscotch-like banana flavor compared to the regular version. They’re my personal favorite of the two.
Pro Tips
- Use a cookie scoop for even sizing. The batter is sticky and hard to shape by hand. A 1.5 tablespoon scoop keeps everything uniform and round.
- Don’t wait for the cookies to look fully done. They should still appear slightly underbaked when you pull them out. They firm up as they cool on the pan.
- Want to try airfryer banana bread cookies? Use the frosted recipe, scoop the dough, and air fry at 325°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Work in small batches of 4 to 5 cookies so they have room to spread.
- If your cookies with frosting need to be stored, keep them in the fridge. The cream cheese frosting won’t hold well at room temperature. Unfrosted cookies stay good on the counter for up to 4 days.
Wrapping Up
Both of these banana bread cookie recipes are great ways to use up those overripe bananas you keep putting off. The frosted version is crowd-friendly and looks impressive on a dessert table. The caramelized one is for when you want something a little more special for yourself.
I make at least one of these every couple of weeks. They freeze well without frosting, so you can always have a batch ready. Just thaw, frost if you want, and enjoy.
Banana Bread Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Cream butter and sugars
- Add banana, egg, and vanilla
- Fold in dry ingredients
- Scoop onto lined sheets
- Bake at 375°F for 7-9 minutes
- Cool completely
- Frost with cream cheese
