Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
A bakery-style cookie that captures the cozy flavor of banana bread with a chewy, toasted oat texture and rich pools of dark chocolate.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Skillet
- Mixing Bowl
- Cookie scoop (1.35-oz)
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml or 90g) mashed ripe banana (from 1 small banana)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (65g) rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (160g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (125g) chopped dark chocolate , plus extra for topping
Instructions
Brown the butter and toast the oats
- Set the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook it for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden foam appears and brown specks collect at the bottom. Pour immediately into a bowl and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes until slightly warmer than room temperature.
- While the butter cools, place the rolled oats in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir for 3 to 5 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly golden.
Build the dough
- Mix the light brown sugar and granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter just until blended and smooth.
- Stir in the mashed ripe banana and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes glossy and syrupy.
- Add the toasted oats, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Fold in the flour until only a few pale streaks remain, then fold in the chopped dark chocolate until evenly distributed.
Chill, scoop, and bake
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. This rest allows the flour and oats to hydrate and the butter to firm up for thicker cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion the dough, spacing mounds 2 inches apart. Press extra chocolate pieces on top if desired.
Finish and cool
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still feel a little soft.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 2 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Banana Ripeness: Choose bananas with heavy speckling for the best flavor and moisture balance. Avoid frozen and thawed bananas as they release too much liquid, causing the cookies to spread flat.
Oat Selection: Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats or steel-cut oats. Rolled oats provide the necessary structure and hearty chew that defines this recipe.
Don't Skip the Chill: Refrigerating the dough for at least 1 hour is essential to firm up the brown butter and hydrate the oats, preventing the cookies from becoming thin puddles in the oven.
Under-bake Rule: Pull the cookies when the edges are set and golden but the middle still looks soft. The residual heat on the baking sheet will finish the cooking process while maintaining a chewy center.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.