Martha Stewart Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Martha Stewart Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies are made with about 30 minutes, ripe banana, oats and semisweet chocolate for a chewy, hearty cookie that tastes like banana bread. This easy dessert cookie recipe fits bake sales, lunchbox treats and cozy fall weekends.

Use a really ripe banana, because its flavor is far more concentrated than an unripe one. Skip that and the cookies taste of plain oats and chocolate, with none of the banana bread character.

Martha swaps half a cup of whole-wheat flour into the dough and folds in rolled oats, which gives a nutty chew that regular chocolate chip cookies lack. The chocolate is chopped into quarter-inch chunks instead of using chips, so you get big melty pockets.

Martha Stewart Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

36

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

13

minutes

Calories

130

kcal

Mashed banana keeps the dough soft and tender while oats and walnuts add chew and crunch. Big chocolate chunks stay molten in the middle of each golden cookie.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  

• 3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
  

• 1 large egg
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
  

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into ¼-inch chunks
  

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 ounces), toasted
  

Directions

• Mix the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in a small bowl, then set it aside while you make the dough.
• Cream butter and sugars: Put 3/4 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar in a mixer bowl with the paddle attached. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
• Add egg and banana: Reduce the speed to low, then mix in 1 large egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until combined. Add 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana and mix it in too.
• Fold in the flour: Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, so the cookies stay tender. Then stir in 1 cup rolled oats, 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate and 1/2 cup toasted walnuts.
• Scoop the dough: Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Space the mounds about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
• Bake the cookies: Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. They are ready when golden brown and just set.
• Cool and store: Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then move them to wire racks to cool completely. Store them in airtight containers for up to 2 days.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa bars, 12 pack. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why does the banana need to be ripe?

A ripe banana has a more concentrated flavor than an unripe one, which is what gives these cookies their banana bread taste. Look for one with plenty of brown spots on the peel.

How long do these cookies keep?

Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days, since the banana makes them softer than a classic chocolate chip cookie. Keep them at room temperature so the chocolate chunks stay tender.

Can I leave out the walnuts?

Yes, just skip them or swap in the same amount of pecans. Toasting whichever nut you use first brings out a deeper flavor.

Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate?

Chips work if you only have those, but chopped semisweet chocolate melts into bigger pockets. Aim for chunks about 1/4 inch so they spread evenly through the dough.

What is the most common mistake with these cookies?

Overmixing after the flour goes in is the biggest one, because it makes the cookies tough instead of chewy. Mix only until the flour disappears, then stir in the oats, chocolate and walnuts by hand.