Last week, I came home to find three very brown, very spotty bananas sitting on my counter, and honestly, I was tired of making banana bread. My family loves snickerdoodles, and I had this crazy idea – what if I combined the two?
These banana snickerdoodles are thick, chewy, with that perfect cinnamon-sugar coating that makes your kitchen smell like heaven.
Why You’ll Love This Banana Snickerdoodle Recipe
- A new way to use up ripe bananas – Skip the banana bread for once and turn those spotty bananas into chewy, cinnamon-coated cookies.
- Soft, thick, and chewy – Thanks to melted butter and just the right amount of banana, these cookies stay soft in the center with crisp, sugared edges.
- Familiar flavor with a twist – Classic snickerdoodle spice meets the natural sweetness of banana for a cozy, unexpected combo that just works.
- Simple ingredients, no fancy steps – No need to soften butter or break out unusual flours. Just melt, mix, chill, and bake.
- They smell amazing – The cinnamon-banana combo fills your kitchen with that warm, bakery-style aroma that says, “Yes, there are cookies in the oven.”
- Easy to customize – Add chocolate chips, oats, or even swap in some pumpkin for a fall spin. This dough is flexible.
- Freezer-friendly – Freeze the dough balls and bake off fresh cookies whenever you want them—no need to let those bananas go to waste again.
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How to Make Banana Snickerdoodles
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Ingredients
- For the cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup mashed overripe banana (about 1 1/2 large bananas)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- For the coating:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowls (you’ll need two)
- Electric mixer (hand or stand mixer works)
- Whisk for dry ingredients
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning
- Two baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Directions
- Dry ingredients get whisked together first. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until everything is evenly distributed. Setting this aside gives you time to work on the wet ingredients without rushing.
- The butter needs to be perfectly melted but not hot. Melted butter that’s too warm will start cooking your other ingredients, so let it cool for about 5 minutes after melting. Using an electric mixer, cream this cooled butter until it’s light and fluffy – this takes longer with melted butter than you’d expect.
- Sugar incorporation happens in stages. Beat in the granulated sugar, then add your mashed banana and vanilla extract. The mixture might look a little curdled at this point, but that’s completely normal with melted butter.
- Flour gets added in two batches to prevent overmixing. Overmixed cookie dough creates tough cookies, so add half the flour mixture first, mix until just combined, then add the remaining flour. Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see any dry flour streaks.
- Chilling time is crucial for texture. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, though I often leave mine overnight. This firms up the butter and lets all those banana and cinnamon flavors really meld together.
- Oven prep happens while dough finishes chilling. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the coating sugar and cinnamon with a fork until well combined.
- Dough balls need to be generous but uniform. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie – they should be substantial but not huge. Rolling them into smooth balls helps them bake evenly.
- The coating process is messy but fun. Roll each dough ball completely in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, making sure every surface is covered. This creates that signature snickerdoodle crust we’re after.
- Spacing prevents cookie collisions. Place your coated dough balls at least 2.5 inches apart on the baking sheets. These cookies spread quite a bit, and you don’t want them merging into one giant cookie.
- Timing the bake is everything. Bake for 9-10 minutes until the cookies look puffy and set around the edges but still slightly underdone in the center. They’ll look almost raw in the middle – this is exactly what you want.
- Cooling on the pan finishes the cooking process. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for exactly 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This prevents them from falling apart while still completing the cooking process from residual heat.
Notes on Ingredients
- Overripe bananas are non-negotiable: The browner and more spotted, the better. If you only have fresh bananas, toss them in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes until the skins turn dark brown.
- Melted butter creates the perfect texture: Unlike creamed butter in regular cookies, melted butter gives these their signature dense, chewy bite.
- Light brown sugar adds moisture and flavor: The molasses content keeps cookies soft longer and adds subtle caramel notes that complement the banana.
- Fresh cinnamon makes a difference: Ground cinnamon loses its punch over time, so check your spice rack date before starting.
Recipe Variations
- Pumpkin Spice Version I substitute half the mashed banana with pumpkin puree and add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. This creates a more complex fall flavor that’s less sweet than the original and gives the cookies a beautiful orange color.
- Chocolate Chip Addition I fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips after mixing the wet and dry ingredients. The chocolate adds richness and makes these cookies feel more like a dessert than a healthy snack.
- Oatmeal Banana Cookies I replace ¼ cup of flour with old-fashioned oats for extra texture and fiber. These have a heartier, more filling quality that makes them perfect for breakfast or an afternoon energy boost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh bananas instead of overripe ones?
Fresh bananas won’t give you enough flavor or sweetness for this recipe. The starches in overripe bananas have converted to sugars, creating that intense banana flavor these cookies need. If you only have fresh bananas, bake them whole at 300°F for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn dark brown.
Why do my cookies spread too much during baking?
Cookie spreading happens when the dough isn’t chilled long enough or the butter was too warm when you mixed it. The dough needs that full hour of chilling time to firm up the butter. Make sure your melted butter is completely cooled before adding it to other ingredients.
Can I make these cookies without an electric mixer?
You can, but it requires more effort to properly cream the melted butter. Make sure your butter is soft but not hot, then use a wooden spoon to beat it vigorously for several minutes. Keep beating until it becomes light and fluffy.
How do I know when the cookies are perfectly done?
These cookies should look puffy and set around the edges but still appear slightly underdone in the center. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven.
Can I substitute the all-purpose flour with something else?
All-purpose flour creates the ideal texture for these cookies. Whole wheat flour will make them denser and more rustic, while cake flour will make them too tender. I’d stick with all-purpose for the best results.
Banana Snickerdoodles (Banana Cookies)
Course: DessertCuisine: American30
cookies1
hour25
minutes10
minutes1
hour35
minutesIngredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup mashed overripe banana
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon for coating
Directions
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.
- Cream melted butter with electric mixer until fluffy, then beat in sugars, banana, and vanilla.
- Add flour mixture in two batches, mixing until just combined.
- Chill dough 1 hour minimum.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, line baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll dough into 2-tablespoon balls, coat in cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Space 2.5 inches apart on baking sheets, bake 9-10 minutes until puffy.
- Cool on pans 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
