Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello, beautifuls! It is crazy how excited I get from a simple thing like a cookie. Or a day off like today. Or some of these cookies on my day off while in my jammies. Yes, please. I happened to have a few bananas that needed to be used pronto. Necessity is the mother of invention, so I hit my favorite resource: Google. 

A search brought me to these wonderfully delicious cookies that used the exact amount of banana that I had. Serendipity, I tell you. DJ stole these cookies from off the cooling rack all day and I probably let him have more than I should...Whoops. I can't lie - I was right there with him. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
slightly adapted from Simply Recipes


Ingredients
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup of mashed bananas (about 2 ½ large bananas)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 cups of flour
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 cup of chocolate chips (can use pecans or walnuts)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to beat until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda and allow to sit for 2 minutes. 

Add the banana mixture into the butter mixture. Gradually add the flour, salt, and spices into the mixture and mix until combined. Do not overmix or the cookies will not inflate while baking.

Add the chocolate chips (or pecans/walnuts if using). Be sure to taste test one or two right just to make sure that they are safe.  Drop on silpat or parchment lined baking sheet in tablespoon measures allowing space between the cookies to expand and rise. 

Bake for 11-13 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.