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When a blizzard delayed my flight back to New York and had us depart out of Orlando, I considered it a sign from the universe: I needed to make a pit stop at Gideon’s Bakehouse the night before. The Banana Bread Chocolate Chip cookie is one of my all-time favorite desserts, but the two-hour distance from my family (where we normally visit) and the oft-45-minutes-and-up line means I usually only visit once a year, if that.
But each time, I order that cookie (and okay, half the lineup) and study its flavor, texture and composition. I’ve set out to recreate it many times, but lately, I wanted my own riff. Something that captured the pillowy-yet-chewy texture and rich-chocolate-with-a-hint-of-banana flavor.
My family doesn’t care for the banana chips, so I experimented with candied, crushed pretzels. Honestly, the topping is so good I made a double batch and snacked on it on its own, as if it were trail mix. (Admittedly, a far less virtuous trail mix.)
The topping is totally optional; if you crave more of a banana bread-cookie hybrid and you don’t like salty-sweet crunch, leave it out. I make it all the time without. (In fact, an earlier iteration, which you can see at the very bottom of this story as a Pinnable image, was sent to anyone who ordered Girl Scout cookies from us last year as a little surprise bonus.)
These treats have become our family’s unofficial cookie, since we usually have overripe bananas in our freezer. They’re a pretty foolproof crowd-pleaser and they come together in minutes (the freezer chill is totally worth it to make the flavors meld, but if you’re short on time, you can omit it.
Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies (With Optional Candied Pretzel-Walnut Crunch)
Ingredients
Method
- For the Candied Pretzels and Walnuts: Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, and add 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup pretzels, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp butter and a pinch of salt. (Ok, two pinches!) Let the sugar melt and stir regularly for about 4 to 5 minutes. The sugar will caramelize; as you stir, coat the pretzels and walnuts. Remove from heat and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once cool, break into bite-sized bits.
- For the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugars. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides periodically.
- Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla and bananas, beating until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flours, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt, stirring until just combined. Add to the banana mixture, mixing on low until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Divide the dough into 4-oz blobs. No scale? It’s about the size of your fist, or a little less than a 1-cup dry measuring cup. Top with more chocolate chips and the candied walnuts and pretzels, if you’re doing THE MOST. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. The cookies will be lightly golden at the edges.
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Here’s the version without the Candied Walnut-Pretzel Crunch topping, which we originally shared with anyone who ordered Girl Scout cookies from us last year, as a little thank you for supporting Em’s troop.
