Chewy Banana Cookies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

For the past few years that I've spent Christmas away from family, I typically make my mother's Banana Spritz Cookies. They remind me of my family, of my childhood when mom would let me pour the multicolored sprinkles on the green tree shaped cookies, but my cookie press didn't survive prior years bake-a-thons, so I had to pass on my beloved spritz cookies.

Violet has been so hot and cold with bananas lately, some days she'll eat two, and some days she'll immediately throw them to the dogs. This week has been an anti-banana week, so on Friday night I had a bowl of browning bananas to use. I thought back to reading a recipe in the morning on Kelly's blog, The Pink Apron. I was intrigued by her cookies, and decided I had to have some kind of banana cookie for Christmas! I didn't have nuts or dried bananas on hand, so I modified the recipe a bit. I also used molasses in place of the glucose.

These cookies are absolutely delicious, I never thought a chewy banana cookie could exist, but these most definitely are. The cream of tartar adds to that as well as the crinkle top and crisp edges. And you can't ever go wrong when you pair chocolate and banana!

Chewy Banana Cookies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

adaped from The Pink Apron

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. molasses

1 large egg

1/2 c. mashed ripe banana 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

4 oz. melted semisweet chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, sugar and molasses until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Scrape down sides, turn mixer on low, add egg, vanilla and banana. 

Beat for another 2 minutes, until fluffy.

Turn mixer off, add cream of tartar, baking soda and salt, mix on low until incorporated.

Turn mixer off, add flour, turn on lox and mix until the dough comes together, about 20-30 seconds.

Place mixing bowl into the refrigerator for 1 hour, or place dough into a tupperware with a sealed lid and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350*

Portion dough into heaping tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets about 3" apart.

Place in the oven, bake for 18 minutes.

Remove and cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Continue until all cookies are baked.

Drizzle cooled cookies with melted chocolate, and cool until chocolate sets. 

Transfer to a cookie jar or airtight container for storage.

Yield 30-36 cookies