Description
These eggless Banana Oat Chocolate Chunk Cookies combine the rich flavor of brown butter with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas, rolled oats, and chunks of dark chocolate. They offer a chewy texture reminiscent of banana bread and chocolate chip cookies combined, featuring golden caramelized edges and a soft center that stays deliciously chewy for days.
Ingredients
Butter and Sugars
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (80ml or 90g) mashed ripe banana (from 1 small banana, measured accurately)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (65g) rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (160g) all purpose flour
Chocolate
- ¾ cup (125g) chopped dark chocolate, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter and cook it until it develops brown specks and a dense golden foam appears, indicating caramelization. This typically takes 8-10 minutes. Pour the browned butter into a clean bowl and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Cool the Browned Butter: Let the browned butter cool further for 20-30 minutes until it’s just warmer than room temperature, ensuring it remains liquid but not hot.
- Mix Sugars and Butter: Combine the cooled browned butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently to blend into a slightly fluffy mixture, taking care not to overmix as it can stiffen the mixture.
- Add Banana and Vanilla: Mix in the mashed ripe banana and pure vanilla extract until combined. The mixture may look syrupy and slightly separated, which is normal.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Stir in the rolled oats, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the baking soda followed by the all-purpose flour. Fold the flour into the mixture until mostly combined with a few flour streaks remaining.
- Add Chocolate Chunks: Fold in the chopped dark chocolate evenly throughout the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up for better shaping.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Form and Bake Cookies: Using a 1.35-ounce cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Optionally, press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball for a decorative finish. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges turn golden and the centers remain slightly soft.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing them to set and maintain a chewy texture.
Notes
- Measuring the banana accurately ensures the right moisture balance in the cookie dough.
- Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that elevates these cookies beyond the traditional banana bread taste.
- Chilling the dough helps in better shaping and prevents cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- For a softer cookie, bake closer to 8 minutes; for slightly crispier edges, bake up to 10 minutes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them chewy for several days.
- These cookies are eggless, making them suitable for those with egg allergies or vegan if the butter is substituted with a vegan alternative.
