Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies arose from a lone banana that survived the thirteen hour trip from Minnesota to Kentucky, traveling home from my now alma mater St. Olaf College. This banana, combined with a longing for St. Olaf's vegan banana chocolate chip cookies, and the empty innards of a cookie jar, prompted the decision to bake. With the canvas of a classic chocolate chip recipe, I formed a cookie that is a far cry from those I had at school, but nonetheless quite tasty.

 

These cookies could theoretically be vegan, for the banana replaces the egg. However, I used butter, as opposed to vegetable shortening, so these particular cookies were not. They came out very soft, with a near quickbread-like texture. I might cook them for longer next time; in the cookie jar they clung together a bit too much, making it difficult to reach in and grab just one (although this makes a great excuse to go ahead and eat two). I added both dark and white chocolate chips to the batter, but they would probably be excellent with toasted walnuts or pecans, or even dried cranberries.



Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion's Essential Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 TBSP corn syrup
1 TBSP cider or white vinegar
2 bananas, mashed
1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (any assortment of white, milk and dark)

Directions:
---Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease or line with parchment paper two cookie sheets.
---In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and two sugars until combined. Add corn syrup, vinegar, banana and vanilla and mix until everything is incorporated. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir with a spoon. Stir in chocolate chips.
---Drop in tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until set. Transfer to rack to cool.