Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Baby, What A Big Surprise by Chicago
Sometimes the obvious is "right before your very eyes."  But it takes someone to point it out to you, nonetheless.  That's what happened with today's recipe.  A smack right up along side my head!  I'm really glad Chicago had a song just right for the occasion - um, er recipe!  It lets me know that I'm not the only one who needs things pointed out to me once in awhile.  There are, in fact, enough people guilty of such nonsense that they were able to write a song about it and have it reach #4 on the U.S. Billboard Top 100 chart!  The song's sentiment must have resonated with more than a few folks!

This is one of my buddies from culinary school - Noemi.

We fancied ourselves "gangsta" sometimes.  We called ourselves Salt and Pepper - and then made "S" and "P" signs in case anybody was confused as to which was which.  It makes me smile to see that, in true culinary resourceful mode, we affixed our signs to our chests with frill picks!  

Can I tell you how much easier culinary school was because of classmates like Noemi?  I was, by far, the oldest student in class but those "kids" treated me like one of them.  I hope they know how much I appreciate that.  I'll be sharing more stories about them as time passes, I'm sure!

So, one day, Noemi rocked my world.  She just casually mentioned that she was going to put some bananas into her chocolate chip cookie dough. 

WHAT?!?!?!

She wasn't trying to push the envelope or anything.  This was a treat she made routinely for her children.  She was, in turn, surprised that I had never done it.  She told me that her children just loved them.  I couldn't wait to try them so I staked my claim on one of hers as soon as they came out of the oven.

In the meantime it gave me something to ponder.  Why hadn't I thought to do it before?  (Insert head smack here!)  I made banana bread all the time.  I love the combination of bananas and chocolate!  It made perfect sense to throw bananas into a chocolate chip cookie!  I wondered just how much of the banana flavor would come through.  

Before I knew it, she was right there, handing me my very first Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie, warm from the oven.  

Oh.  My.  Goodness!

It was divine!  Slight crunch on the exterior, smooth and creamy inside - that banana flavor was perfectly balanced with the chocolate and the buttery cookie dough.  And, as with all things in life that I find that are simply amazing, I could not wait to share them with my family, especially my husband who is a fellow chocolate/banana fan.  My family loved them - just as I knew they would.  

I've been working on my recipe for the last couple of years - by adding the bananas I found it threw off the dry ingredients ratio a bit.  I was able to cut back on the amount of butter I usually use as well.  I think I've got it nailed down now.  It's yet another recipe in which you can use those more-ripe bananas!  And while I was working on getting these just right, it occurred to me to do this ~

I made an ice cream cookie sandwich using the Chocolate Banana Ice Cream from last month's post and the cookies from this post.  Very good - very good, indeed!

I decided to make a couple different little "nibbler" sizes this time instead of the larger cookies I usually make.  Perfect for that little bite you're wanting mid-afternoon - or a chaser after breakfast.

Thanks, "Pepper", for pointing out the obvious and teaching this "Salt-y"old dog new tricks!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printable Recipe Card

8 oz. unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks, 227 g)

10 oz. light brown sugar (1 1/4 c., 284 g)

8 oz. granulated sugar (1 c. plus 2 T., 226 g)

2 large eggs

1 T. vanilla extract

1 lb. 6 oz. all-purpose flour (5 c., 625 g)

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. kosher salt

2 c. chocolate chips

3 small/medium or 2 large overripe bananas

In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy - about 4 - 5 minutes.  Be sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters occasionally.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg is added.  Add the vanilla extract and mix until blended.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and add, all at once, to the wet ingredients and let the paddle make a few turns to start blending the ingredients.

At this point, add the chocolate chips and the bananas and continue to mix until the dough just comes together and the ingredients are well-combined.  It's OK if you still see a few small clumps of banana here and there.

Scoop the cookies out to the desired size onto a parchment-lined sheet tray and chill for about a half hour or freeze them for later.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  For these smaller cookies I baked them for about 8 - 10 minutes, turning the tray halfway through baking.  These cookies come out of the oven kind of puffed up but as they cool, they get that fabulous fallen look.  Enjoy!