A banana chocolate chunk cookie recipe that fuses the best qualities of banana bread and chocolate c
If chocolate chip cookies and banana bread had a baby, this beauty would be it. Crisp on the outside, chewy in the center and filled with pockets of molten dark chocolate, this is the classic chocolate chip cookie you know and love — but reimagined with the dark, nuanced flavor of caramelized bananas and cinnamon.
The key to achieving that rich caramel flavor comes down to cooking the bananas in a generous amount of butter slowly on the stovetop. As they fall apart in the heat and darken in color, they transform into a toffee-like mixture that lends these cookies their alluring, Bananas Foster flavor. That mixture then gets creamed with sugar and vegetable shortening to create a light and fluffy base, which is the key to that desirable crisp-yet-chewy texture. The shortening ensures that the centers of the cookies remain soft. A generous amount of chopped bittersweet chocolate is added, and a quick roll in sugar makes them shimmer. The result is something new, unexpected and undeniably delicious — perfect for banana lovers.
When shopping for this recipe, don’t worry if your bananas aren’t completely ripe. In fact, unlike with banana bread, overripe bananas don’t work as well here because they cause the cookies to spread too much. With just-ripe bananas, the starch helps hold the cookies together, and the caramelization will bring out their natural sweetness.
Advertisement
If you’re nervous about caramelizing the bananas, remember: The more caramelized the bananas are, the more flavor they will have. This dough is surprisingly forgiving thanks to the shortening, so don’t be nervous. Go slow, take your time — and let the bananas reach their full flavor potential.
Recipe notes: If you prefer to use chocolate chips in this recipe, you can use 1 3/4 cups in place of the chopped chocolate.
Cookie dough can be made and refrigerated up to 48 hours before baking. Cookies should be formed and chilled until firm before baking, about 1 hour.
Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLOwu8NoaWlqYGR%2Bc3uPa2abmZ6Wu6J5wqGmnKeclsGmecKopqShlah6s7HCoqeeZw%3D%3D