Tasty Thursday - Banana Cookies March 6, 2008

I found this recipe on the Simply Recipes Blog when I had a few bananas on hand that we weren’t going to get eaten in time and decided to try it out.  We all really liked it.  I’m planning on making another batch to share at work. 

Banana Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup of sugar 

1 egg, room temperature

1 cup of mashed bananas (about 2 1/2 large or 3 medium bananas)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

2 cups of flour

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup pecans (walnuts or chocolate chips are fine alternatives

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Mix the mashed bananas and baking soda in a bowl and let sit for 2 minutes.  The baking soda will react with the acid in the bananas which in turn will give the cookies their lift and rise.  Mix the banana mixture into the butter mixture.  Mix together the flour, salt, and spices and sift into the butter and banana mixture and mix until just combined.  Fold into the batter the pecans or chocolate chips if using. Drop in dollops on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 11 - 13 minutes or until nicely golden brown.  Let cool on wire racks.  Makes about 30 cookies.

Notes:

When I made these, I left out the salt and soda since I used self-rising flour.  I also substituted splenda for the sugar.  Since I didn’t have either nutmeg or cloves on hand.  I simply used 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoon of all spice for the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  I also used chocolate chips since I don’t cook with nuts due to a suspected allergy on my part.  I also made them a little bigger than the recipe calls for since I used my scoop to put them on the cookie sheet, which made them need to bake a little longer.  As long as you keep an eye on them, you’ll be fine. 

Head over to The Pumpkin Patch for more great recipes!