These Banana Cocoa Cookies are the perfect way to use that one overripe banana sitting on your counter. They are soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges, rich chocolate flavor, and plenty of melty chocolate chunks.
All too often, I have one banana left going brown on my counter. It is not enough to make a loaf of banana bread but it is way too far gone for anyone in my house to actually eat. These chocolate banana cookies are the answer! The mashed banana keeps the cookies soft while cocoa powder and chocolate give them a rich double chocolate flavor.
In this post, I'll show you exactly how to make soft banana cocoa cookies, why chilling the dough matters, how ripe your banana should be, and what to do if your cookies turn out too soft, dry, or bitter.
If you're looking for more delicious cookie recipes check out my Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies, Homemade Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Lavender Butter Cookies!
Jump to:
- What Makes Banana Cocoa Cookies Soft and Fudgy?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-By-Step Instructions
- How Do You Know When The Cookies Are Done?
- Expert Baking Tips
- Troubleshooting Banana Cocoa Cookies
- How to Store, Freeze, and Make Ahead
- Recipe FAQs
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Recipe
What Makes Banana Cocoa Cookies Soft and Fudgy?
Banana Cocoa Cookies are a little different than classic chocolate cookies because bananas add natural sweetness, extra moisture, and softness to the dough.
That moisture is exactly what gives these cookies their tender centers, but it also means the ratio of banana to flour is important. Too much banana and the cookies become gummy; too much flour and you lose that soft, chewy texture.
For the best chocolate banana cookies, there are a few things that matter most:
- Use one properly ripened banana. An overripe banana adds sweetness and moisture without overpowering the cookie dough.
- Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour can make chocolate banana cookies thick and dry.
- Chill the dough. This give the flour time to hydrate and firms up the butter so the cookies don't overspread.
- Mix until just combined. Over mixing can create a tougher cookies.
- Don't over bake. The cookies continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
For soft and chewy banana chocolate cookies, use a very ripe banana, measure your flour carefully, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, and remove the cookies from the oven while the centers are still soft.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They are different than your classic chocolate chip cookies. As are these Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookies.
- These cookies are soft and chewy with a slightly crisp edge. Much like my Cinnamon Roll Cookies.
- You can get a rich double chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder in the cookie dough and the chocolate chunks. Get more chocolate from these Brownie Mix Cookies.
- It is an easy recipe that is sure to impress. My Gooey Fudgy Brownies are just as simple and delicious.
- It is a simple way to use up an overripe banana. I also love using them for Banana Donuts.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Overripe Bananas. The best bananas for banana cocoa cookies are heavily speckled brown. If you want the banana flavor without the actual bananas try my Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars.
- Yellow with a few spots: Less sweet, less moisture.
- Very spotty and brown: perfect sweetness and moisture.
- Mostly black: very sweet but can be overly wet.
- The combination of unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate makes these cookies extra fudgy. I like to use chocolate chunks or cut up a chocolate bar for puddles of chocolate. Try my Chocolate Lava Cake if you're a chocolate fan.
- Measuring the all-purpose flour correctly is very important. I suggest weighing your flour out. If you want to use a measuring cup, make sure you spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. Don’t use the cup to scoop directly from the flour.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use any type of chocolate that you prefer! I like semi sweet, but dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate would all be delicious. You can also switch up the types of chocolate in these Chocolate Filled Cookies.
- If you can some extra crunch you can add in some chopped nuts. Pecans, walnuts, or almonds would make great additions. Pecans are the star of my Pecan and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Add a pinch of espresso powder to amp up the overall chocolate flavor. I use the same trick in these Chocolate Black Bean Cupcakes.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: In a medium bowl combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
STEP 2: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and banana until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until they are fully combined. Add the vanilla and combine.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
STEP 4: Mix in the chocolate until just combined. Be sure not to over mix. Cover the cookie dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes. If you love cookie dough you should try out my Edible Cookie Dough Recipe.
STEP 5: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make scoops of cookie dough about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size. Place at least 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
STEP 6: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes for soft banana cocoa cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes for firmer cookies. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
How Do You Know When The Cookies Are Done?
Because cocoa makes the dough dark, you can't rely on browning the way you might with chocolate chip cookies.
Instead, look for these signs:
- The edges look set.
- The tops no longer look wet.
- The centers are still slightly soft.
- The cookies hold their shape when the baking sheet is gently moved.
For softer cookies, begin checking at 8 minutes. If you prefer firmer edges, leave them in closer to 10-12 minutes.
Pro Tip: It's better to pull these cookies slightly early rather than slightly late. Over baking is one of the easiest ways to lose the soft texture that makes banana cocoa cookies so good.
Expert Baking Tips
- Chill your cookie dough. It allows the flour to hydrate, firms the butter, and allows the flavor to develop.
- Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run either hot or cold.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. This helps the dough mix evenly.
- Weigh your ingredients for accuracy, especially with flour.
- Use a cookie cutter to shape your cookies after baking. Shake a cookie cutter around the cookies while still hot for perfectly round cookies.
Troubleshooting Banana Cocoa Cookies
Why are my cookies mushy or gummy?
Banana naturally adds a lot of moisture, so overly soft cookies usually come down to one of these things:
- The banana was unusually large or wet.
- The cookies weren't baked long enough.
- The dough didn't chill for the fully 30 minutes.
- The cookies were moved before they had time to set on the baking sheet.
How to fix: Give the cookies an extra 1-2 minutes in the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet before judging the final texture.
If the dough itself seems much softer than expected, chilling it longer can also help
Why are my cookies dry?
Dry cookies are usually caused by:
- Too much flour.
- Overbaking.
- Measuring flour by scooping directly from the container.
- Using a banana that wasn't very ripe.
For the softest cookies, weigh your flour and begin checking the cookies at the lower end of the baking range.
Why do they taste bitter?
Unsweetened cocoa powder naturally has some bitterness, but the finished cookies should taste rich and balance.
If yours taste bitter:
- Make sure the cocoa powder was fully incorporated.
- Double check the salt and sugar measurements.
- Avoid accidentally adding extra cocoa powder.
- Use semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips to balance the cocoa.
Whisking the dry ingredients thoroughly before adding them to the dough is the easiest way to avoid clumps of cocoa.
How to Store, Freeze, and Make Ahead
Room Temperature: Store in air tight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze Baked Cookies: Wrap tightly and freeze up to two months. Thaw at room temperature.
Freeze the Dough: Scoop dough onto a tray and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake from frozen just add a few extra minutes and watch the edges.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Thaw them, drain off excess liquid, then measure the mashed banana before mixing.
Absolutely. You'll get a darker cookie with a smoother, brownie-like chocolate flavor.
Usually it's too much banana, underbaking, or not cooling long enough. these cookies firm as they cool, so give them time.
Yes, that's exactly what this recipe is designed for! One overripe banana adds moisture, sweetness, and banana flavor without requiring enough fruit for a full loaf of banana bread.
A banana with lots of brown spots is ideal for banana cocoa cookies. The fruit should be soft and sweet but not excessively watery. Very ripe bananas provide more sweetness and stronger banana flavor than yellow bananas.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Banana Cocoa Cookies or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Banana Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookies:
- 3 tablespoons (16 grams) cocoa powder
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (160 grams) light brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup (148 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 overripe banana
- 1 large (50 grams) egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 grams) chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
Instructions
For Cookies:
- In a medium bowl combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and banana until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until they are fully combined. Add the vanilla and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Mix in the chocolate until just combined. Be sure not to over mix. Cover the cookie dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Make scoops of cookie dough about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size. Place at least 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes for soft banana cocoa cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes for firmer cookies. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
- Chill your cookie dough. I know skipping this step is tempting (you want your cookies as quickly as possible and I can’t blame you for that!) but don’t do it! Chilling cookie dough prevents the cookies from overspreading. This can cause them to be thinner, and crispier, and change the overall flavor of the end product.
- Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt before serving. Salt complements chocolate perfectly and will really bring out the flavor.
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cookies. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your cookie dough, which can lead to greasy cookies.
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