Perfectly sweet bananas are the staple in these light and cakey banana cookies, topped with a delectable vanilla frosting. They’re the ultimate fruity dessert.
Banana Bread isn’t the only way to use overly ripe bananas! In fact, these cookies are probably my favorite banana recipe. If you like this version, try Banana Cookies with Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting!
Use Those Ripe Bananas!
I usually tend to stay away from chocolate recipes (except for brownies) because I prefer lighter or fruitier treats (I know… I must be crazy). For that reason, this recipe has always been one of my favorites.
These banana cookies are soft, airy, and packed full of that sweet banana flavor you’d get from banana bread, plus they’re topped with a light vanilla frosting. Delicious, right?!
Now you’ll never have to wonder what to do with browning bananas or how you’ll keep these cookies from going bad, because they’re even better right out of the freezer!
How to Make Banana Cookies
BANANAS. Mash bananas with fork until creamy and pour into large mixing bowl.
DOUGH. Add eggs, butter, shortening and sugar and mix until smooth. Then add buttermilk. Add salt, baking soda and vanilla and lemon juice. While stirring batter, add flour one cup at a time until completely incorporated.
*Note: It is a very “wet” dough, so don’t think you need to add more flour, it’s ok the way it is.
BAKE. Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
FROSTING. Cream butter, vanilla and salt in medium size mixing bowl. Add 2-3 cups of confectioners sugar and mix. Slowly add mix one teaspoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.
*Note: it should not be runny or thick, somewhere in between so it will hold on the cookies.
FROST + TOP. Frost cookies with knife and sprinkle with chopped walnuts or nuts of choice.
Switching it Up + Storing
Here are some variation ideas:
- Swap an equal amount of butter for the shortening.
- Add in chocolate chips.
- Add in chopped walnuts.
- Add in peanut butter.
- If you don’t want to top these cookies with vanilla frosting, you can use cream cheese frosting instead.
Keep cookies STORED in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
You can FREEZE baked banana cookies (with OR without frosting) for 3-4 weeks. Just let them cool completely and then place them in an airtight freezer safe bag/container.
For more fruit desserts, try:
Banana Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Banana Cookies
- 2 large overly ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- 3 cup flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup crisco shortening - (I used butter flavoring)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Vanilla Frosting
- 1/4 stick butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 3 tsp milk
- 2-3 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Mash bananas with fork until creamy and pour into large mixing bowl.
- Add eggs, butter, shortening and sugar and mix until smooth. Then add buttermilk.
- Add salt, baking soda and vanilla and lemon juice.
- While stirring batter, add flour one cup at a time until completely incorporated. It is a very "wet" dough, so don't think you need to add more flour, it's ok the way it is.
- Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Cream butter, vanilla and salt in medium size mixing bowl.
- Add 2-3 cups of confectioners sugar and mix.
- Slowly add mix one teaspoon at a time until you get the desired consistency (it should not be runny or thick, somewhere in between so it will hold on the cookies).
- Frost cookies with knife and sprinkle with chopped walnuts or nuts of choice.
I love these cookies so much! I always have ripe bananas ready to go.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Mmm..so soft & delicious! I think I need to make them again & add some chocolate chips!
These cookies were so good and soft, the kids decorated the tops of them with me! They were so fun to make with the kiddos!!
These look amazing! I have 3 overripe bananas (and a new neighbor) that would be perfect! Would it be possible to omit the crisco? Just use more butter, maybe?
Butter would be just fine, the cookies might be more flat and less puffy… I’m not sure how the texture will be… but let me know if you do end up using butter! I’d love to hear about the results 🙂
They turned out great! Mine are kinda lumpy looking, not as beautiful and yours 🙂 But I ended up just leaving out the crisco and not adding extra butter. I did add a tsp of baking powder so they would be more puffy. These cookies are so yummy! Thanks so much for sharing, I will be making these again soon!