Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I think this was another recipe that I had stashed away for awhile, because when I tried it I didn't remember having it before-but I'll admit that I don't know why I waited so long to try it. This was the kind of cookie that I brought to the barn to bribe my riding instructor to have my lesson outside this past weekend (as it turned out she had already made the decision to go outside, but let the record show that I brought them anyway) and the kind of cookie that I had one of and then immediately reached for a second one. They are strangely, fantastically addictive.

(In fairness, a lot of baked goods can have that effect on me. I have a wicked sweet tooth.)



I wasn't sure why this recipe was so different than a traditional banana bread, which is what I'm assuming this cookie is modeled after. But it was a , and it had everything that a cookie needed that a bread kind of lacks. It's not crumbly, it doesn't fall apart, you don't have to slice it, and it packs quite a punch (of flavorful goodness, that is).


Sometimes it's nice to have a cookie that tastes kind of like a traditional chocolate chip but has enough different flavor to keep you on your toes.

I feel like this cookie is a good alternative to making an entire loaf of banana bread-it's really easy to throw together and they almost make you feel like you're eating breakfast when you have one. I suppose if you really wanted to make that stretch, go for it; I know we've all had cookies for breakfast at least once before. And if you say you haven't, I ask you: haven't you had a donut for breakfast? That's kind of like a cookie, isn't it? You can eat this for any meal; you can eat this in place of every meal (but you might get a sugar rush). It is the sort of cookie that you eat and *almost* think it's healthy.


For today, it is.


Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies (by Martha Stewart at www.marthastewart.com)
* 1 c. regular all-purpose flour
* 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) softened (room temperature-or just melt it completely like I do) unsalted butter
* 1/2 c. sugar
* 1/2 c. packed light-brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/2 c. mashed ripe banana (about 1 large-the riper the better)
* 1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (I used quick-cook oats-because it's all I had-but it still worked very well)
* 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4-inch chunks (the recipe calls for this. I say you can never have too much chocolate so I used a 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chunks)
* 1/2 c. chopped walnuts (Martha says to toast them. I say do whatever you'd like-I left mine untoasted)


1. Mix together flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars into another bowl and mix well, using a hand mixer or a stand-up mixer, whichever you prefer (I have both and love to use my stand mixer whereever possible-but a hand mixer works just as well), until it is pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix until just combined. Add in banana, and then flour mixture; mix again until just incorporated. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts (stir this in by hand-I've learned through experience that electric mixers and chocolate chips/walnuts/or anything else that doesn't dissolve don't mix well).
2. Drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper using either a spoon, a small ice cream scoop, or your hands-whichever implement you prefer. Bake cookies at 375 degrees until browned at the edges and just set, about 12 to 13 minutes (my oven actually took about 15 minutes to cook all the way through), rotating the pans once during baking time. Let cookies sit on the baking sheets on wire racks until cool enough to touch. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.