from my mother’s kitchen: banana chocolate chip cookies

As I mentioned months ago, in my first post from my mother’s kitchen, my mother is the queen of cookies. Actually, she is the queen of many things. The queen of the perfect plate of peanut butter fingers* any time I had a sniffle. The queen of building confidence; the woman does not respond to the word “can’t. The Queen of hospitality. She hosted countless gatherings and welcomed all of our friends into our home with open arms. She still does. I love that about her.

And I really love these cookies.

All through grade school, junior high and high school, my friends fell in love with these banana chocolate chip cookies. They are my all time favorite cookie and a fresh batch would never last long in our house. It still doesn’t – regardless of what house we’re talking about. These cookies have solidified friendships, resolved conflict and have put smiles on millions of faces.

These are a soft and chewy cookie. In fact, this batch was a bit doughier than usual, but I’m okay with that. I’m a big fan of dough.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

You’ll need:

• 3/4 C. Butter, at room temperature (or shortening, which is what my mother used and is written on my recipe card. I use butter, but I won’t pass judgment on shortening. It worked for my mom!)
• 1 C. sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 mashed bananas (Very ripe bananas on the verge of rotten)
• 1 1/2 C. flour
• 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 3/4 C. oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugar in a mixer. Add egg, mix well. Add mashed bananas and mix until combined.

Whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add oats and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375.

Place Tablespoon mounds on a greased cookie sheet (or use a silpat). Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden brown. Do not over bake. These are meant to be soft cookies. Let sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

*Peanut butter fingers come from a piece of toast, smeared with peanut butter and cut into strips. My mom always made that for me when I was sick. Best.medicine.ever. Clearly it doesn’t taste as good when I try to make it.

Tagged as: cookie, recipe