What to do with super ripe bananas
How ripe do you prefer your bananas?
I am a #7 – I like my banana a bit brown and lightly bruised. I think Steven is more of a #4 or #5. So at the beginning of each week, we buy about 15 bananas in different stages of ripeness. Every once in awhile, we end up with some “leftovers” at the end of the week that are even too ripe for me to eat (although, I probably would have eaten one of them in the photo below).
I usually make banana bread or banana donuts when we have leftovers, but we were already using the bread pans to make granola bars and it was too late in the day for donuts, so I decided to try Jen’s Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I’m pretty new to the idea of mixing bananas and chocolate, and I’ll admit, it’s taking me awhile to get used to it. BUT, I thought this recipe was cool because it’s fairly healthy (no added sugar!).
Waiting to go in the oven…
Finished! They didn’t change shape at all while they cooked!
I tried one right away when it came out of the oven, but the chocolate had too strong of a taste and was too hot. Even though I put less chocolate in it, I still think I put in too much. Next time I make them, I will probably add a bit more cinnamon, less chocolate, and try some without chocolate completely.
Jeez. I can’t believe I am complaining about too much chocolate. What has happened to me? Ugh. After not eating sweets for so long, sweets taste too sweet.
The cookies did have a nice chewy texture, and a yummy banana flavor! If you are into the chocolate/banana combination, they are worth a try! They are pretty good for a “healthy” cookie.
See the recipe in the extended post below.
More Rainbow Cake Photos: I thought I would share the photos of the inside of Christina’s Rainbow Cake with you! It’s so colorful and fun!
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
See Jen’s original recipe here, and the one she originally found here. The original had coconut in it, but I didn’t have any, so it didn’t go in. I’ve italicized the changes I made below.
Ingredients:
- 3 large ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon banana flavoring
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon – will add more next time
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 oz. chocolate chips – will add less next time or not add at all
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine bananas, vanilla extract, banana flavoring and applesauce. Set aside. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to wet until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop dollops of the dough onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper. The original recipe says to bake 12-14 minutes – I baked about 17, at the top of the oven. Make sure the bottoms don’t burn.
When I made them, it made 20 small cookies.
Themocracy
I’m a #6. 🙂 I don’t like squishy bananas but I don’t like hard bananas either!!
I wonder if the cookies would be good with peanut butter chips instead of chocolate? I am not really a chocolate person, so I would probably substitute if/whe I make them.
I can’t eat raw bananas or else I get horrible stomach cramps. Every once in a while I test that out to see if maybe it has gone away and every time I feel sick and am sorry I ate one. I am fine when they are baked in things, which is good because I love bananas.
I’m def a #4, growing up I was a #2 or #3, but over time I’ve gotten better at eating them the more ripe that they become. I’m still not able to eat them at a #7.
Those cookies look so good. I’m totally making these when (IF) we have any left over bananas this week!
Those cookies look great.
I’m a 5 or 6. I pretty much eat bananas only when there is no green or brown, giving me a one day window to eat the half dozen bananas I was dumb enough to buy at one time. Scott will eat them browner than I would, but I try not to buy many at a time because I never eat them before they go bad and then I never have time to make banana bread out of them.
These look great! I am not a big banana fan, but I like my super-high-protein low-sugar banana muffins that I make on a fairly regular basis, so I think there’s a good chance I would like the cookies too. 🙂
The only problem is…since I don’t like bananas and don’t have them around the house, I have to go out and try to find bananas that are overripe when I’m in the mood to bake which can be difficult. I usually have success at Chase or Starbucks at the end of the day! Hee hee.
I am a 6 too!
Girl the recipies are dangerous…I love banana and chocolate!
I’m a four or five, maybe even a three on some days. I like my bananas really firm. I typically only buy a bunch of four or five so by the time they’ve reached the overripe stage I only have one left. Not a lot you can do with one overripe banana except make a smoothie. And then I usually don’t have yogurt or any smoothie “base” handy, either.
I am between 3 and 4. I like bananas when they are really firm, but have taste. A banana that is too green doesn’t have much taste or it tastes like the peel.
The cookies look yummy. I would also try them with the peanut butter chips instead of the chocolate. Although, I like banana and chocolate together.
Christina’s rainbow cake looks super yummy! And so pretty too! 😀
(I am a cake person)
i’m a 6 on the “banana scale”… but i don’t eat a lot of bananas, they make my mouth itch… well, just them by themselves… the cookies and the rainbow cake look excellent though!!! i can’t wait til i have a kitchen again so i can start trying out some of your recipes!!!
=^..^=
Ugh, I really hate mushy bananas. You can have ALL of mine. I like mine around 4-5 on your very cool freshness scale. 6-7 is reserved for baking only!
i’m with stephen… i’m a #4 or #5. i’d probably eat a #6, but then spend the whole time thinking how i don’t really like bananas that much 😉
I’m probably a 5 or 6 on the banana scale. My boyfriend would take an 8 or 9!
Those cookies look really good! I agree with Denise above…peanut butter chips might be a good sub for the chocolate chips. Peanut butter + bananas = awesome!
That cake is so pretty! Like eating spring. lol
I like my bananas from 4-6. I have five 7s sitting on the counter. My DS may make some banana bread.
I’ll take about a dozen to munch on while watching the race and add my vote to trying the peanut butter.
Dad- why didn’t you mention how much you loved my cake???? :'(
I am a 4-5 banana person, and what a great idea with the cake!! I must try that!!! That would make soem great cupcakes, too!!
Definitely a 5. Can’t eat a 7!
Yay, I’m so happy you made them! I’ll definitely look into your banana donut recipe; one can never have enough uses for overripe bananas.
And to be honest, I like my bananas at the 3 or 4 level–weird, I know. Once they pass 6, I wait for them to overripen (which is why I need so many banana recipes!).
I’m going to add you to my blogroll right now! 😉
4 is my perfect banana! when it gets a spot of brown i wont eat it 🙂
Christina – So you like the ones that Steven and I don’t want to eat 😉
tori – I do have some Reese’s peanut butter chips! Well, a diminishing bag of them. Someone keeps eating them! The green ones make me feel awful too. And they leave a bad taste in my mouth!
Scale Warfare – I wonder why people prefer them in different stages! For me, it’s about the firmness and taste. Let me know how they turn out if you are able to try them!
martymankins – Thanks 🙂
Jenn – I was going to say – they are only usually like that for a day! It’s hard to get it down just right with buying bananas!
diane – I think you need to send me that recipe! I am collecting lots of recipes right now. Ha – it is sometimes hard to find them ripe, especially if you don’t want to go all over the place looking for them!
Christina – Ooo, you should try them then! We keep talking about taking out some of the chocolate, but maybe a banana/chocolate lover like you would want more!
Erin – Hey! I didn’t think about making a smoothie! I wonder if I could put a banana in our juicer. We need to get that thing out and start using it again. 😉
Denise – I have a friend who would only eat them when they are green and taste blah. Eww!!! I will try the PB chips! For dad’s request (see above, ha ha). Do you make a lot of cakes?
CourtneyInControl – They make your mouth itch? Weird? Are you allergic? I cannot wait to see your finished kitchen!!! 😀
Mica – Send them this way! 😉 Hee hee. Do you bake much with them? I know you bake a lot! Do you just use them for the donuts?
Alice – Ha! That is how I feel when I eat a #4 or #5! 😛
Susan – 8 or 9?!?! WOW!!! 🙂 Why haven’t I tried peanut butter and bananas yet? Do I live under a rock or something? It sounds AWESOME!!! (Oh, thanks for stopping by! 🙂 )
Jo – It is very “Springy”! Now I am hungry for banana bread… drooool…
dad – I do have the day before the race off! I’ll make some both ways!
Christina – Oooo 🙁
VENTL8R – Oh wow! I didn’t even think of cupcakes. How COOL would that be?!?! Especially for a kid’s birthday party or something!
Robin – I think I am the odd one out!
Jen – Oh yeah – try the donuts. They are really good! It never hurts to have too many ripe bananas, there are so many fun things to do with them!
aron – Do you have to buy fresh ones every day then? 😉
I don’t make alot of cakes, because they “call” to me. But if given the choice between cookies, pie and cake………… I will always choose cake. Chocolate, no frosting necessary. 😀
I like bananas #4– but I will eat them any ways, really. I don’t like them mushy though… 🙂 That cake looks so seriously cool!!!
Denise – I think I would choose cookies. Or pie. Or all three. Ha ha!
Bethany – I hate when they get SUPER mushy! Eww! I love that cake. I wonder if I will ever try making it!
I am a definite 6, I can eat a 5 but won’t enjoy it, a 7 goes straight to my freezer collection and everything else sits on top of the mircowave (since the pantry is too far out of sight) waiting to become a perfect six 🙂
DeAnne – I don’t enjoy 5’s either. Meh. I am bummed when I have to take one to work!
I’m definitely a #7 and beyond girl! Those look great!! I’ll have to make these one day for my class!!