banana cookies

It seems that no matter how many bananas I buy, I always end up with two overripe ones.   Luckily, baking is the perfect solution to this problem.  Banana bread seems to be the usual go to recipe, and a midwest classic banana cake with powdered sugar frosting is one of my favorites (I baked this in Virginia once, and someone commented that eating it made them feel like they were in a midwestern Lutheran church basement).  In the interest of branching out a bit, I have lately been trying banana muffin and cookie variations.  The cookies have all tended towards spreading and being a bit to mushy for my taste, but last night I think I finally hit on the perfect banana cookie recipe. 

These cookies are very cake-like in texture but have a nice firmness and rise to them-no spreading!  I paired chocolate chips and pecans with the bananas to form a hard to beat trio, but you could eliminate one or both of those, or use walnuts.

Banana Cookies

1/2 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

1 egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 t baking soda

2 c flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup chocolate chips

2/3 cup chopped pecans

-combine bananas and baking soda, let sit for 2 minutes

(don't skip this step!  this is the secret to creating that nice rise in the cookies!)

-cream butter, sugar and egg

-add banana and baking soda mixture, stir well

-add flour and spices, stir well

-add chocolate chips and pecans, stir well once more!

-drop by spoonful on parchment lined baking sheets

-bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until lightly browned on top

These are perfect for any time of day-breakfast, coffee or bedtime snack.