Gluten free banana nut cookies!! These are a dream, and a blast of sweet nostalgia all wrapped up in the perfect cookie. For those of you who also grew up on banana nut muffins or bread or other classic banana nut bakes, these are the ultimate trip down memory lane. These aren’t just banana cookies or banana walnut cookies, there’s a secret ingredient that gives these that quintessential banana nut flavor (hint, it’s banana extract!! This is one of my favorite extracts and is so underrated – highly recommend giving it a try). These are a hit with adults and kids alike, and so far, everyone who’s tried them have given a big thumbs up, so what’s stopping you from making a batch??
Tips for the happiest gluten free banana nut!
- Cream the butter + sugars for at LEAST a few minutes. It’s wild how important this step is and how much your butter and sugar will transform after beating it with an electric mixer for minutes and minutes. It’ll change color (become much lighter), look actually creamy (hence the term), and be a bit fluffy. That’s what you’re going for!
- Use that banana extract!! This is the key ingredient for getting that classic “banana nut” flavor – I LOVE banana extract in baking!
- Chill that dough! I recommend at least 1. If you end up chilling it longer than a couple of hours though, be sure to let it rest at room temp for about an hour because it will be too cold/hard at that point and the cookie dough won’t spread as much.
- Don’t overbake those cookies! This is basically the biggest key to getting that chewy center: if you overbake, the center will be just like the edges, crispy and crunchy with no chew. You want the cookie dough to be still soft/look a bit underbaked (they’re safely baked, don’t worry) in the center and as the cookies cool, the center will settle into that glorious chewy bit.
- Let those cookies cool!! Because the key is to not bake them to a crisp/cakey disc, the center of your cookies will be very very soft until they cool and set, so let them hang out on the counter (I know, the temptation is real), for at least 15 minutes!
- For perfectly round cookies, use a large round cookie cutter to carefully push the edges of the cookies into a circle RIGHT after they come out of the oven!
If you’re into chocolate like I am, here are some other epic treats! These mini banana nut loaves, or these banana nut muffins, or this banana chocolate chip bread, or these strawberry banana muffins, or these banana chocolate chip muffins, or this banana snacking cake, or these banoffee cupcakes!
Gluten Free Banana Nut Cookies
These gluten free banana nut cookies are a nostalgic dream! That classic banana nut flavor in cookie form!
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 400kcal
Equipment
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ Cup softened salted butter – browned (284g) instructions below (227g final)
- ¼ Cup packed light brown sugar 58g
- ¾ Cup white sugar 173g
- 1 large egg
- ¼ Cup mashed banana 80g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract 10ml
- 3 tsp banana extract 15ml
- 2 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix that contains xanthan gum 338g if your mix does not contain xanthan gum add 1/2 tsp now (1g)
- 1 Cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch 146g cornflour in the UK
- 1 tsp baking soda 6g
- ⅓ tsp salt 3g
- 1 ½ Cups chopped walnuts 180g plus a few extra for the tops of the cookies
Instructions
- First, make your browned butter! In a medium to large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 1 1/4 cup of salted butter and stir constantly until melted and simmering. Continue to simmer, on medium heat, for at least a few minutes, until the popping and hissing sounds have completely subsided (this is the water in the butter burning off – you’ll know once it’s silent). Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter reaches a deep amber color and smells nutty or caramelly. The butter will foam up, so keep stirring/lifting up spoonfuls of the butter to see the color. The browned milk solids will foam up in the center of the pan – once it does that- immediately take off the burner and let sit for a few minutes, then pour (scrape ALL of the brown bits – that’s the flavor!) into a heat-proof small bowl and let it cool to room temp (it should be solid) – you can speed up the cooling process by popping the butter into the fridge fr 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the room temp browned butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until lighter and fluffy (3-5 minutes – don't skimp on this step!). Add in the egg and vanilla and banana extracts (this is the key ingredient!) and beat until smooth. Then, in a small bowl, mash the banana and then add the mashed banana to your cookie dough and beat until smooth, another 30 seconds. Add in the flour, starch, baking soda, and salt and mix by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula until fully combined (it will be quite stiff). Finally, mix in the chopped walnuts until they're fully distributed. Scoop dough into a smaller bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for two hours (if you chill it longer, you may need to bring it closer to room temp by leaving it out on the counter for an hour).
- Once the cookie dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (180° C, no fan) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment and then start scooping out the cookie dough and rolling it into 2 1/2 inch round balls. Then press the cookie dough ball slightly so that you get a 2.5-3 inch patty (about an inch thick) then place 4-5 patties on the cookie sheet (~4 inches apart) and top with a few pieces of walnuts and bake for 9-10 minutes. Let cookies cool COMPLETELY before removing from the cookie sheet (15 minutes at least) then enjoy!
Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your cookies!
Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber
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