Name: BANANA MOLASSES COOKIES
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 87 min
Ingredients: ½ cup butter (room temperature); ¾ cup brown sugar; 2-3 ripe bananas; ¼ cup molasses; 1 large egg; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp cinnamon; 1 ½ tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cloves; ½ tsp salt; ⅓ cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

Banana Molasses Cookies bring a delightful twist to a traditional treat with their soft, pillowy texture, thanks to ripe bananas and warm spices. This molasses cookies recipe not only satisfy a sweet tooth but also offer a unique flavor profile that elevates this classic cookie.

banana cookies with molasses on a copper cooling rack

Using ripe bananas adds natural sweetness and moisture, making this banana cookie recipe an appealing option for those looking to reduce refined sugars. The combination of molasses and spices enhances the overall flavor, creating molasses crinkle cookies that are not only tasty but also aromatic!

Spiced Banana Molasses Cookies

Banana Molasses Cookies are a delightful treat that combines the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with the rich flavor of molasses. These cookies have a soft, tender texture that makes them a favorite among cookie lovers.

The process of making these cookies is simple and rewarding. With a few basic ingredients, anyone can enjoy fresh-baked goodness. For those with dietary restrictions, substitutions are easy. Whole wheat flour can be used for a healthier bite, while vegan alternatives are available for butter and eggs.

There is never a wrong time for banana recipes, but molasses recipes seem to be a winter favorite thanks to them being a main ingredient in recipes like GINGERBREAD COOKIES. These cookies are a fun seasonal twist to banana cookies, so you can enjoy them all winter long too. We also have BANANA BREAD COOKIES and SOFT GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES, but now we have this new recipe for Banana Molasses Cookies!

Why you’ll love this banana cookie recipe

Prep them in advance. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days. I personally think these cookies taste better after the dough has sat in the fridge for a day to allow the flavors to meld!
Basic ingredients. If you already have molasses and ripe bananas on hand, you’ll be happy to know that the rest of the ingredients are common pantry staples like flour, vanilla extract, baking soda, and spices.
Simple recipe steps. These cookies require a little mixing, chilling, rolling, and baking. There are minimal steps and fewer dirty dishes. The steps are also easy enough to follow that you can grab the kids and have them help out too!

bite taken out of a banana molasses cookie

Banana Cookies Ingredients

Butter– You will need ½ cup of room temperature butter to make these cookies rich and moist.

Brown sugar- Use ¾ cups of brown sugar to give the cookies a nice depth of flavor and chewiness.

Bananas– 2-3 ripe bananas are needed for delicious sweet flavor in every cookie.

Molasses– For chewiness, flavor, and dark color, you need a ¼ cup of molasses.

Egg– Using 1 large egg will help bind the dough together well and create great cookie texture.

Vanilla extract– Enhance all the incredible flavors by adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough.

banana cookies dusted with powdered sugar

Flour– For the structural base of this dough, you need 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.

Baking soda– Add in 2 teaspoons of baking soda so the cookies puff up as they bake.

Spices– To make the cookies well spiced, you will need 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons of ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon of ground cloves.

Salt– Use ½ teaspoon of salt to make the flavors in these cookies more pronounced.

Powdered Sugar– After these cookies are baked & cooled, dust them with powdered sugar.

How to make Banana Molasses Cookies

Dough

Start by combining the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix until creamy and smooth.

Next add in the bananas, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix again until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, all three spices, and salt).

Continue to add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ones and stir together until just combined.

Chill

The dough will be fairly sticky, so make sure to chill it for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. The longer the chill time, the more the flavors will meld and the stronger they will taste.

Banana Molasses Cookies are soft pillowy cookies made with ripe bananas & warm spices! This molasses cookie recipe is sure to be a new holiday favorite!

Assemble

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set them aside.

Then scoop the dough using a medium cookie scoop & place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake

Proceed to place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until they look cracked and the edges look set. Be aware they will still be soft.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a solid 2 or 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Finish the cookies off by dusting them with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!

What variations can you make to banana molasses cookie recipes?

Banana molasses cookies are versatile and can be adapted in several ways to suit different tastes.

Add-Ins
Chocolate Chips: Incorporating semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips enhances sweetness.
Nuts: Walnuts or pecans add a nice crunch.

Flour Options
Whole Wheat Flour: This adds fiber and a nuttier flavor.
Gluten-Free Flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

Frosting and Toppings
Cream Cheese Frosting: A tangy topping can complement the cookie’s sweetness.
Powdered Sugar Dusting: A simple sprinkle can add a decorative touch.

What does molasses do to cookies?

Molasses adds a lot of flavor to the cookies, and it adds a darker color to the batter as well. Molasses is naturally sweet, and the consistency is wet, so it also helps baked goods to stay moist.

How long are banana molasses cookies good for?

These banana cookies will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

How do you ensure cookies remain soft after baking?

To keep cookies soft, it is essential to avoid overbaking them. Removing cookies from the oven when they are slightly underbaked allows them to retain moisture. Additionally, storing cookies in an airtight container helps to maintain their softness over time.

Are there any tips for making cookies chewier?

To achieve a chewier texture, one can chill the dough before baking. This helps the fat solidify, resulting in a denser cookie. Adding an extra egg yolk or a small amount of corn syrup can also enhance the chewiness of the final product.

soft pillowy banana cookies with molasses

Can I freeze these cookies?

I love freezing cookies! There are 2 ways I prefer to freeze them. The first is by freezing the unbaked cookie dough balls. I scoop and shape the balls round with my hands, then freeze them in 1 layer on a cookie sheet. You can position them as close together as possible without touching. Freeze, then once solid, transfer them to a ziplocked freezer bag. Then you can pull them out and bake them whenever you want! You’ll want to either let them thaw on a cookie sheet while preheating the oven, or add a couple minutes to the bake time to compensate for frozen cookie dough.

The second way is to just freeze the baked cookies. My mother in law does this ALL the time. They turn out pretty well, albeit a tiny bit drier and more crumbly once thawed. Oh and you’ve got to make sure you thaw them. Frozen cookies are pretty hard to eat. Thankfully, they only take about 20 minutes or so to thaw out.

I’ve got to take pictures with my kids because literally, I’ll never have any pictures of myself if I don’t. I’m not a fan of selfies. But posing with my kids, now that I can do! This is my baby. He’s not so much a baby anymore, but he’s still MY baby!

Check out these other great winter cookie recipes!

Banana Molasses Cookies are delicate and chewy treats that you are going to want to eat by the handfuls. Made with sweet ripe bananas and wonderful spices, this molasses cookie recipe is sure to be a new holiday favorite.

BANANA MOLASSES COOKIES

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Spiced Banana Molasses Cookies

Why you’ll love this banana cookie recipe

Banana Cookies Ingredients