These Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies are like if banana bread and traditional chocolate chip cookies had a baby. Soft, chewy banana cookies loaded with gooey chocolate chips and topped with flaky sea salt - absolute cookie perfection. Let's learn how to make them!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
While a banana cookie may sound a little bit odd to you, I promise it's fabulous! This recipe also has a little bit of cinnamon to give it an extra banana bread style kick. Dark chocolate chips and flaky salt really put these cookies over the top.
You'll absolutely need overripe bananas when making this recipe. If you don't have any on hand, please check out my vegan banana bread recipe for tips on how to ripen bananas quickly.
If you're trying to up your vegan baking game, please see our tips on how to make the best vegan cookies. Not a banana lover? Check out the other cookie recipes on this site.
What are Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Banana chocolate chip cookies are a twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies, incorporating mashed bananas into the dough for added flavor, moisture, and sweetness. The banana-chocolate combination truly cannot be beat.
These cookies offer a unique twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, adding a hint of fruitiness and extra moisture to each bite.
Ingredients
- Mashed Banana: Mashed banana provides natural sweetness, moisture, and flavor to the cookies. The bananas need to be overripe in order to add a delicious flavor and help keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Vegan Butter: Vegan butter provides fat for texture and richness, ensuring that the cookies have a soft and chewy consistency. Additionally, it helps to bind the ingredients together and contributes to the overall flavor of the cookies.
- Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar adds sweetness and moisture to the cookies while also imparting a subtle caramel flavor. It helps to create a soft and chewy texture in the cookies and contributes to their golden color.
- Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar helps to create a crisp exterior while keeping the interior soft and tender. It also helps to promote browning during baking.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the cookies, adding a warm and aromatic note that complements the banana and chocolate flavors.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent in the cookie dough, helping to bind the ingredients together and create a tender texture.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps the cookies to rise and spread during baking. It reacts with the acidic ingredients in the dough to create air pockets in the cookies, giving them light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the cookies and balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Ground Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds warmth and depth to the flavor of the cookies, complementing the banana and chocolate flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the main dry ingredient in the cookie dough, providing structure and texture to the cookies. It helps to bind the other ingredients together and gives the cookies their shape and crumb.
- Nondairy Chocolate Chips: Nondairy chocolate chips are added to the dough to provide bursts of rich chocolate flavor throughout the cookies. Semisweet and dark chocolate work well.
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Easy to find ingredients
- Made in 1 bowl
- Chewy edges with soft, gooey center
- Salty-sweet flavor throughout
- Loaded with melty chocolate chips
- A great way to use up overripe bananas
How to Make Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (with pictures!)
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full instructions and ingredient measurements.
Start by creaming together the mashed banana and vegan butter with an electric hand mixer. Beat in the brown and white sugar, vanilla extract, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix in the flour until just combined, do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Cover the bowl and chill the dough for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet in 2-3 tablespoon balls about 2 inches apart. Bake on center rack of preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Making Perfect Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use ripe bananas: Make sure your bananas are ripe, as they will be sweeter and have a stronger banana flavor. Ripe bananas also mash more easily, ensuring a smooth consistency in the cookie dough. Check out our banana bread post to learn how to ripen bananas quickly.
- Cream vegan butter and sugars: Creaming together the vegan butter, sugars and banana until light and fluffy helps incorporate air into the mixture, resulting in softer and more tender cookies. This step also ensures that the sugars are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Don't skip chilling!: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour before baking. Chilling helps solidify the fat in the dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also enhances the flavors and allows the ingredients to meld together.
- Use a cookie scoop: For evenly sized cookies, use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the dough onto the baking sheets. This ensures that all the cookies bake at the same rate and have a uniform shape.
- Under-bake slightly: Take the cookies out of the oven when they aren't quite set in the middle. The cookies will finish baking in the 5 minutes they are left to cool on the baking sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's best to use ripe bananas for the most flavor and sweetness in your cookies. Overripe bananas, with brown spots on the peel, mash the easiest and offer the richest banana flavor.
Chilling the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour before baking helps solidify the fat in the dough, preventing excessive spreading during baking.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough for later use. Portion the dough into individual cookie-sized balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag or airtight container. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as usual, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are slightly unset. They may still appear soft in the middle but will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
Recipe Variations
Here are some Censored Baker approved recipe variations if you're looking for something a little different:
- Nutty Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add ½ cup of chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the cookie dough along with the chocolate chips. This adds a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to the cookies.
- Double Chocolate Banana Cookies: Replace ¼ cup of the all-purpose flour with ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder to make double chocolate banana cookies.
- Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies: Swirl in ¼ cup of creamy peanut butter into the cookie dough before adding the chocolate chips. The combination of peanut butter, banana, and chocolate creates an irresistible flavor combination.
- Spiced Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon cloves to the cookie dough along with the chocolate chips. These warm spices complement the banana and chocolate flavors beautifully.
- Trail Mix Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies: Mix in ½ cup of your favorite trail mix (containing ingredients like dried fruits, seeds, and nuts) into the cookie dough along with the chocolate chips. This adds a variety of flavors and textures to the cookies.
How to Store Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Storing:
- Cool Completely
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack after baking. This helps prevent condensation from forming inside the storage container, which can make the cookies soggy.
- Choose an Airtight Container
Transfer the cooled cookies to an airtight container. This can be a cookie jar, a resealable plastic container, or a plastic or glass storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Add a Slice of Bread (optional)
To help keep the cookies soft and fresh, you can add a slice of bread to the container. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, helping to maintain their soft texture. Replace the bread slice every day or so if it becomes stale.
- Store at Room Temperature
Store the container of cookies at room temperature in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator, as the cold temperature can cause the cookies to dry out.
- Freeze for Longer Storage
If you want to store the cookies for an extended period, you can freeze them. Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Frozen cookies can be enjoyed for up to a month. To thaw, simply leave them at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.
If you make this recipe please tag @censoredbaker on Instagram and leave a review below!
PrintVegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft, chewy banana cookies loaded with gooey chocolate chips and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. 100% vegan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Bake Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 20 3-inch Cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
½ c mashed banana (1 large banana)
1 c vegan butter
¾ c light brown sugar
½ c granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 ½ c all purpose flour
1 ½ c nondairy chocolate chips
flaky sea salt to top
Instructions
- Cookie Dough: Cream together the mashed banana, vegan butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to the bowl and beat until ingredients are evenly distributed. Beat in the flour until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. Cookie dough can keep like this for up to 2 days.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake: Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place baking sheet on center rack of preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.
*If you want your cookies to be perfectly round, gently swirl a large, circular cookie cutter (or the open side of a large mug) around each cookie right when they come out of the oven.
*If you want to make a “Chunky Monkey” version of this cookie, mix in 1 cup of chopped walnuts.
More Vegan Banana Recipes
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Vegan Banana Cobbler
- Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Vegan Banana Upside Down Cake
- Vegan Banana Cream Pie
Leave a Reply