Slightly sweet, chewy, and satisfying. That’s how I would classify the banana nut cookies we made for my oldest son’s visit home from school. They’re excellent as an after school snack or even as a quick grab and go breakfast.

If you’re a banana nut bread fan, or if you have one in your life, these banana nut cookies are going to be your new best friend. I promise.

First, they’re a great way to use use up any bananas you have that are getting a bit old. Second, the dough stores in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Yes. Two. Weeks.

Just get the dough ready, toss it in the fridge and whip up a batch when the mood strikes. Perfect for those days when you need a snack ready for after school, but don’t have a lot of time to get something ready. They’re also perfect with a hot cup of coffee in the morning, and they won’t weigh you down or hit you with a sugar overload before lunch.

The biggest plus? They’re super-simple to make. So what are you waiting for?

Yield: 30 cookies

Banana Nut Cookies

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Soft, chewy and delightfully flavorful, these banana nut cookies are sure to be a huge hit with your family. Perfectly convenient, the dough can be made up to two weeks in advance and be ready when you are.

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar + extra for dusting, if desired
• I large egg
• 2 overripe bananas
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Mix butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, banana and vanilla. Stir to combine.
2. Add in the flour, salt, oats, and baking soda and mix until the batter comes together. Finally, add chopped nuts and fold in until they're distributed evenly.
3. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Heat oven to 325 deg F.
5. Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Flatten cookies to about 1/4 inch with a fork or the bottom of a water glass. Sprinkle with brown sugar (Optional, but highly recommended.).
6. Bake until the edges of the cookies begin to brown. (About 12 minutes, but I start peeking at 10.)
7. Cool for a few minutes on a cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish. Repeat with remaining dough.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 127Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g

What I would have done differently

Most recipes for banana nut cookies or banana oatmeal cookies don’t call for a topping, but I find that without something to gild the lily just a bit, they’re slightly plain. For this recipe I added a sprinkle of brown sugar to the cookies, which was a great addition.

You could also use a drizzle of icing or sugar glaze like the one I used for these Glazed Gingerbread Scones. Or, if you really want to keep the sweetness levels down to what the bananas give you, you can omit it altogether. That’s completely up to you.

Also, I’ve seen a ton of these with chocolate chips added. That would be completely acceptable. I just didn’t feel the need to add any. If you want some chocolate to go with your banana nut cookies, add in about 3/4 cup. That should do nicely.

Love these Banana Nut Cookies? Here’s more recipes like them

• Cherry Banana Oatmeal Cookies, from the Wicked Noodle
• Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Do you have a go-to refrigerator cookie?

One of the great things about these cookies is that they can be made ahead. What make-ahead cookie recipes are favorites in your house? Do you have a killer recipe just waiting to be shared? Or perhaps one that you’d like to see? Let us know in the comments!