Banana cookies!

Two problems: a whole bunch of brown bananas, and a camping trip with 7 hungry children coming up. The two-birds-with-one-stone solution: Banana Cookies!

Note: I made this in two batches. Ingredients below are for one batch. Don’t double the recipe to make two batches, just make the recipe below twice. Disclaimer: I include specific directions for a Kitchen-Aid blender. If you don’t have one, just do the equivalent with whatever you have, or by hand.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick), let warm to room temperature
• 1 c granulated white sugar
• 1 egg, let warm to room temperature
• 1 c overripe bananas (about 2 – 2 1/2 bananas)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 c white all-purpose flour
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar

For banana-nut cookies:

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 c walnuts, chopped

For chocolate chip-banana cookies:

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 c chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. In your Kitchen-Aid (at setting #6, with the whisk), cream the butter and sugar together smooth and fluffy. Add egg, continue creaming until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas and the soda. Let sit for a few minutes to activate the soda.
4. In yet another bowl, combine flour, salt, and appropriate spices for the type of cookie you’re making.
5. Blend (KA: #6 with the whisk) the banana mixture into the butter mixture until evenly textured throughout.
6. Sift the flour mixture into the butter and banana mixture and mix (KA: #2 with the flat beater) until just combined. [The sifting step is very important to the texture and lightness of these cookies. If you don't own a sifter, do what I do and use a small wire strainer.]
7. Fold in the nuts or the chocolate as appropriate.
8. Drop in spoonfuls onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle each cookie with vanilla sugar.
9. Bake at 350° F for 12-14 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool on wire racks. Eat! Or save for later! The choice is yours!

Yields

About 32 cookies

Tags: recipes
Posted by mark beadles in recipes | No Comments »
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