Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (2024)

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I’ve been making these delicious Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies for a very long time. While I initially shared them—and my banana-hoarding habits which I detail in this post—with you quite some time ago, I wanted to share these cookies again, this time with better photos.

However, after several attempts to get good photos, I’ve learned that these cookies simply are not very photogenic. Truth be told, I kind of think that’s true of many delicious cookie recipes, especially chocolate chip cookie recipes. At least the ones, I make. Still, I think these photos are better than the original photos, some of which you can still see in this post.

To get the prettiest cookies, some bloggers perform food photography trickery. I’m not really into trickery but I did finally resort to scooping the cookie batter onto the baking sheet and then adding some mini chocolate chips on top before baking.

That step kept all the chocolate chips from sinking into the batter. And that allows you to see that these cookies are actually another version of chocolate chip cookies versus cookies that are free of chocolate chips!

These gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies are like the cookie version of Banana Chocolate Chip Bread. We’ve all enjoyed Banana Chocolate Chip Bread before, right? These cookies are soft and cake like.

Right out of the oven, when the chocolate chips are still melty, these cookies are just phenomenal! I won’t turn them down any time though. And neither will the folks I make them for.

This time around Mr. GFE, two of his co-workers, my mom, and my aunt got to enjoy them. There were no complaints, only praise!

One of Mr. GFE’s co-workers was skeptical that the cookie he gave her was both gluten free and dairy free as he’d stated. I had made this last batch using dairy-free (and soy-free) Earth Balance and dairy-free chocolate chips.

His co-worker didn’t know (or consider) that I’d used a dairy-free butter equivalent; she was simply questioning the existence of dairy-free chocolate. Those of us who eat gluten free and/or “more free” learn all these kinds of things after we go gluten free, right?

My Don’t Waste a Thing (Including Bananas) Mentality

My banana hoarding is not without reason. I am one of those “old school” people who hates to waste food. Many of our leftovers get used for breakfasts or lunches, of course. But, if there are just a few green peas left or a smidgen of taco meat, in the freezer they go.

They are stored in either of my two ancient, half-gallon Tupperware containers—one for the makings of my “Everything Soup,” and one for chili. When the containers are full, it’s time for that particular meal. The beauty of this system (other than not wasting foodplus saving money and our Earth) is that most of the cooking is already done.

The freezer and its stronghold of leftovers is also my basis for making some sweet treats. For example, when cookies crumble, they go into a freezer container for reinvention as a highly desired cookie crust for key lime pie or cheesecake. However, the primary contents of my freezer slated for baking sweets is bananas.

I call these bananas, “baking bananas” … you know … the ones that are just too far gone to peel and eat, but when peeled and mashed can yield flavorful and moist gluten-free baked goods. I used to remove the peel and put them in containers, but, truthfully, it was sometimes hard to remember what was in the containers. One frozen glob looks pretty much like another frozen glob, and as for writing on the container, well, honestly, I don’t always take the time because I *think* I will remember what’s in a container. (As they say, telling ourselves that we will remember things without writing them down is the biggest lie we tell ourselves, right?)

Then I read somewhere that you could just freeze bananas “as is,” with the peel acting as the only freezer protection. Well, I’d like to say this was a light bulb moment, but, true to my nature, I was still skeptical.

The first time I tried using baking bananas that had been frozen, I let them completely thaw on the counter. Mistake. The results were not pretty and I threw them away.

The next time, I let the bananas thaw enough so that I could remove the peel and just the outsides of the bananas would be thawed. Then I mashed them with my potato masher and used them in a recipe. The results were perfect!

No longer would there be any guilt associated with bananas not getting eaten promptly. Plus, baking bananas would always be at hand. Yippee!

More recently, I simply microwave frozen bananas in the microwave on HIGH for up to a minute. Then I pull back and remove the peel and any residual banana “strings.”

Because I’ve discovered this way to freeze bananas, I no longer stress out about having to use ripe bananas right away. Any bananas are immediately placed in the freezer when they reach baking banana status.

Well, it occurred to me the other day that I hadn’t really baked with bananas in a while. I had pulled some out a few weeks earlier and made a delicious smoothie. I knew there were quite a few more though … nestled amid various freezer containers, ice cube trays (“old school” again), and ice packs.

I took out three more bananas a few days agoto make an old favorite, gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. Then I decided I’d clean out the freezer and find out how many bananas that I really had.

I grouped and set to the side the containers that would become my “everything soup” or chili. I found a small container labeled “great brownie crumbs for sundae.”

Hmmm, my eyes lit up, a smile graced my face, and my mind started rationalizing. There were only about 2 tablespoons worth and I had no definite plans to make any ice cream sundaes. A 30-second thaw on the container and those crumbs were a very delicious half-time reward for cleaning out the freezer!

Now fortified, I continued on. Two chicken livers were set aside for a small meal the next day. (Sprinkled with a little sea salt and sautéed in olive oil the next morning, theybecame a nutritious and tasty breakfast.)

Finally, with all the other food organized and pushed to the side or another shelf, I was “face to face” with all the frozen bananas. Some singles, some pairs, and some triplets. Some large, some small. They took up one-fourthof the bottom of the refrigerator.

Wow, that’s a lot of bananas!, I thought to myself and laughed. Then I counted them somewhat sheepishly… 27 (remember that I had already used up 6!).

Okay, in all fairness, a friend who doesn’t bake had passed on three of those bananas when I had visited her the previous week … really, I am not making that up. She doesn’t bake, but knows that I do—how could I refuse?

Not wasting is going green … or in this case, yellow … no, wait—it’s really going brown! 😉 Anyway, it was obvious that I needed to get busy bakingand/or making more smoothies!

The gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe will be at thetop of my baking list. I got the original recipe long ago—before I was gluten free—at aholidaycookie exchange. A co-worker had made them.

Nobody was eating them at this event and I do mean nobody. In all fairness, her cookies did look rather anemic (I told you these cookies are not always photogenic!), but I tried one and it was surprisingly good.

In fact, when I made my cookie selections to take home, my tin was mostly filled with those cookies. Mr. GFEand Son loved them.

I started making the recipe frequently because they enjoyed the cookies far more than banana bread. A friend of Son’s at the time requestedthemwhenever he visited. So at that time I actually never had an excessof baking bananas!

When I went gluten free, I adapted the recipe by using my favorite gluten-free flour mix, adding a small amount of xanthan gum, increasing the oven temperature, and reducing the baking time. The results werebetter than ever.

Son has long been off on his own as I write this, so baking bananas don’t get called into action as much now. But, thankfully,Mr. GFEhas pledged to do his part with the current baking banana crisis! And, then there’s my mom and my sister and her husband … all willing recipients of gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Tonight, dear husband took a batch to his hand bell choir practice. (It seems attendance improves when he periodically shows up with some of my cookies—no kidding! They love GFE cookies!)

So, in the next few weeks, I will be making these cookies, plus I will be making a double batch of theBanana Maple-Nut Muffinsfor some overnight guests. I’m also going to turn to some of my blogging friends for their banana recipes.

Jill Elise atHey, That Tastes Good(now Jill Elise) had just shared her Caramel Banana Pancake Breakfast. One reviewer said the recipe “Comes out tasting somewhere between a Dutch baby and a sticky bun.” Wow, that’s an endorsem*nt!

Karina, better known as Gluten-Free Goddess,concocteda gorgeous Banana-Blueberry Muffin Cake the other day. Everything Karina makes is delicious.

Cathy atNoble Pig made aBanana Cake with Cream Cheese-Sour Cream Frosting a while back. (Note: This recipe is not gluten free, butI easily converted it to a gluten-free recipe by using my two-ingredient gluten-free flour mix and adding 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. Many of Cathy’s recipes are naturally gluten free and most of the others are easily converted.

Elana of Elana’s Pantrybaked a Banana Birthday Cake. Like most of Elana’s recipes, that one looks good for any occasion.

If I want aheartier banana treat, I can make Kate’s (of Gluten Free Gobsmacked) Whole Grain Banana Bread.

I even have an old recipe from Southern Living magazine, Luscious Pina Coladas, which calls fora banana—rich and thick, these are a dessert drink!(While it’s not exactly pina colada weather here, my friends have been known to have tropical-themed parties to make it through thebig chill.)

Last, I could make one of these other gluten-free banana recipes on gfe. (Note that this is just a sampling of banana recipes here on gfe.)

• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Banana Ice Cream
• Blueberry Banana Buckle
• Chocolate Banana Split Muffins
• Classic Banana Muffins
• Flavored Banana Milk

But without further ado, here’s the recipe for the gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip cookies I made this evening. Oh wait, first, three things I especially love about this recipe are:

You don’t have to grease the baking sheets.

You only need one egg (or substitute for one egg).

And it makes a LOT of cookies, which is really great for sharing but still having some to enjoy at home.

And by the way,Mr. GFEreturned from hand bell practicewith an empty tin and lots of“oohs” and “ahs” to share. Success and feedback are very important to any baker!

Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe