Equipment
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 100 g banana, overripe and heavily mashed
- 250 g creamy peanut butter, room temperature
- 150 g light brown sugar, packed
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking soda
- 3 g kosher salt
Mix-ins
- 150 g vegan dark chocolate chips
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 208 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 148 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 165 mg
- Calcium
- 20 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 41 mg
- Phosphorus
- 75 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 2.2 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 6 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 6 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the mashed banana, creamy peanut butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and emulsified.
Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt to the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until no dry streaks of flour remain.
Gently fold in most of the vegan dark chocolate chips, saving a small handful to decorate the tops of the cookies later.
Scoop out roughly 45g portions of dough and roll them into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 5 centimeters of space between each. Press slightly to flatten, then press the reserved chocolate chips onto the tops.
Bake at 175°C/350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers will still appear very soft and slightly underbaked.
Allow the cookies to cool directly on the baking sheet for 15 minutes to firm up, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Chef's Notes
- Using a kitchen scale for the mashed banana ensures the moisture level is exact, which is crucial for achieving that signature chewy texture in vegan baking.
- Commercial creamy peanut butter yields a consistently chewier cookie than natural peanut butter, which is prone to oil separation that can cause unpredictable spreading.
- Slightly underbaking is the undisputed secret to a cookie that stays soft and gooey for days. The residual heat from the baking sheet will finish cooking the centers perfectly during the 15-minute resting period.
- The banana essentially replaces the egg in this recipe, providing both a fantastic binding structure and natural sugars that enhance caramelization.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls in airtight freezer bags.
Reheating: Microwave for 10 seconds to restore the gooey straight-from-the-oven texture.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much and became totally flat
Cause: The peanut butter was too oily or the banana was too large, adding excess moisture.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked. For remaining unbaked dough, chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes before baking.
Prevention: Weigh the banana rather than estimating, and use a standard commercial peanut butter. If using natural peanut butter, ensure it is thoroughly stirred and chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
Cookies are dry and crumbly instead of chewy
Cause: Overbaking or adding too much flour.
Fix: Store baked cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread overnight to reintroduce moisture.
Prevention: Measure flour accurately using a digital scale and pull the cookies out of the oven while the centers still look underbaked.
Cultural Context
Peanut butter and banana is a classic American flavor pairing popularized in the mid-20th century. Incorporating this nostalgic duo into a traditional chocolate chip cookie creates a modern, plant-based twist on a cherished childhood snack, offering comfort without the need for dairy or eggs.
