Thursday, August 6, 2009

Banana Bread Cookies

We haven't had a cookie post in a while, so I thought I would take a break from the paper and glue to share this recipe with you. I have been wanting to make this recipe for a long time, but every time I bought bananas they mysteriously got eaten! When I told this to Carolyn, she immediately responded, "Well, your children are part chimpanzee." Truer words have never been spoken.

You will need: 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp cardamom (optional), 5 medium ripened bananas, mashed, 2 cups quick cooking oats and 3/4 cup of miniature chocolate chips.

Cream together the 1/2 cup of softened butter and the 1/2 cup of butter flavored shortening until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until well combined.

Add the 2 eggs and 1 tsp of vanilla. Mix well.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Cardamom isn't an ingredient that most people have on hand, so feel free to leave it out. You could add in nutmeg or even pumpkin pie spice if you wanted to. Add the dry ingredients gradually to your butter mixture.

Do not over mix the dough. You will want these to rise just the slightest bit, so be careful when adding the dry ingredients.

Just a note about the bananas: You want them to be really, really ripe, to the point of the peel being brown even. The sweeter that the banana is, the sweeter that your cookie will be.

Mash the bananas. This is an excellent stress relieving activity. Think about your mother-in-law. Not that, um, I would do such a thing.

Add the mashed bananas, oats and miniature chocolate chips to the dough. Mix until just combined.

Drop by the tablespoon onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Be sure to check them at 10 minutes because they will go from perfectly brown to inedible very quickly.

Remove to a cooling rack. They will get mushy on the bottom if you leave them on your cookie sheet. This recipe should make about 2-1/2 - 3 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

10 comments:

Patrizzia said...

Mmmm I'm thinking these will be in my tummy by the end of the week. You rock!

Talanea said...

Those look delicious and it is perfect timing. I have some bananas in the freezer that I've been trying to find something to do with and haven't been in the mood for muffins or bread. Banana Break cookies are perfect! Thank you for sharing.

Michelle said...

These look so good!!! And for some reason.. I don't know why.. but I just so happen to have cardamom!! *wink* I have a hard time keeping bananas in my house too!!! LOL I will have to hide them, so they are around long enough to get really ripe!! ;) Have a great weekend!! I got my MP kit yesterday, and it's raining here. so... I think I will go play with my kit(s)!!

Angie said...

Mmmm. I want some of those! :)

Susan said...

Another recipe that is a have to have for sure. I LOVE banana bread and these cookies sound amazing. Your Meatloaf is one of my all time favs. I make it all the time now. If I make it on a Wednesday I use the sausage ( sausage is not weight watcher friendly LOL) but any other day of the week I have to not use the sausage and let me tell you it is still just as amazing. I think cooking the onions and the parm. and bread crumbs is the real key. I have been on Weight Watchers for awhile now and I allow one cheat night...and that is usually weigh in day (Wednesday). Thats when I treat myself to sausage and chocolate but not together of course...thanks for another great recipe.

The Sonboul's said...

those look sooo YUMMY! I love all the photos too ;)

Michele Reed said...

These are delicious-looking! I must try this recipe! Thanks for sharing it!

Jane F. Smith said...

oh my goodness!!!! I definetly will try these!!! Thanks!!

Heather Landry said...

Just how mashed do you want the bananas? If I think about my MIL they may end up as banana soup! LOL

Hey, any chance of a breakdown on how to make your super cool Brobee cake?

Michele said...

ooh..these are calling me and I just happen to have some bananas that need to be used. Thanks!