Last Updated on April 16, 2023 by Sabrina Currie
Have you ever tried banana bread cookies with cream cheese frosting? If not, you've got to try them! These tasty, soft cookies are packed with delicious banana flavor and topped off with a creamy, flavorful frosting. Banana bread in a bite sized cookie!
The best part about these cookies is that they're incredibly easy to make. You can whip up a batch in no time. The banana flavor is perfectly balanced, so you won't feel overwhelmed by its sweetness.
And the frosting! Cream cheese frosting is already amazing on its own, but combined with banana bread cookies, it takes cookies to a whole new level. The tangy cream cheese flavor pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the cookies, creating a flavor explosion in your mouth.
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With their soft and slightly chewy texture, incredible banana flavor and heavenly frosting, they're an absolute must-try for any dessert lover.
This were inspired by the banana bread Crumbl cookies. If you love these, I bet you'll also love my Lemon Thumbprint Cookies. And if you love fruit desserts as much as I do, you should try Peach Cobbler Pound Cake, Easy Rhubarb Crumble and Ultimate Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake.
Ingredients
With only 12 basic ingredients, these are so easy to whip up. I bet you have almost all the ingredients in your pantry already.
- Overripe Bananas - While overripe bananas may not be so attractive for eating out of hand, they sure do make great baked goods. The riper your banana is, the sweeter and more banana-flavored these cookies will be. The banana is what makes these SOFT banana bread cookies. It's a great way to use up old bananas.
- Cream Cheese - This is the key ingredient in the tangy cream cheese frosting. While you can use any brand, I use Philadelphia brand. I find it has the cleanest taste and best texture.
- Powdered Sugar - For the smoothest frosting, powdered sugar, aka icing sugar, is the best choice.
See full recipe below for quantities.
Banana Cookie How-To Video
Watch the short video to see how truly easy this banana bread cookie recipe is. Even more good news? Making AND baking them can be done in just half an hour total!
Step By Step Instructions
These cookies use the classic creaming method like most normal cookie dough. Mix together dry ingredients and in a separate bowl, mix up the wet ingredients. Then combine the two to finish the banana cookie batter.
These are simple to make. They batter has a loose consistency and can be easily dropped by the heaping tablespoonful right onto the prepared cookie sheets for baking.
Tips Before Starting: Preheat oven to 350º and take your cream cheese out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature before making the frosting.
1. In a small or medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Sift or mix together well and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. If you have a stand mixer, it will take the grunt work out of creaming these ingredients.
4. Add egg, vanilla, and banana to the creamed butter mix.
5. Mix together with an electric mixer until the banana is mashed and well incorporated and mixture is smooth.
6. Add dry ingredients and stir just until mixed.
7. Don't overmix or your cookies can become tough.
8. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. (A tablespoon cookie scoop makes quick work of scooping the cookie dough.)
Bake in preheated oven (350'F) for 11-13 minutes until set.
Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Move on to the frosting step below.
Icing 1. Meanwhile, while cookies are cooling, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a small bowl with a hand mixer. (If you don't have one, whisk it vigorously by hand until you achieve the right consistency.)
Icing 2. Add vanilla and continue to beat until frosting is creamy and smooth making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. It is now ready to use.
Icing 3. Once cookies are completely cool, spread icing over tops of cookies generously.
Icing 4. The back of a spoon or offset spatula/icing knife works well. Sprinkle chopped pecans over freshly iced cookies before the frosting sets and becomes hard, if desired.
Pro Tip
I love using parchment paper (or silicone mats) for easy cleanup and perfect non-stick results every time. If you don't have parchment or non stick baking mats, you can grease your cookie sheet with shortening or block margarine instead. (I don't recommend butter for greasing the cookie sheet because it can burn and stain your cookie sheets.
Substitutions + Variations
As with most baking, you'll need to follow the recipe as printed for guaranteed results. You can, however, change up the toppings sprinkled on the frosting. Here are a few ideas.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies - Top iced cookies with white, milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of nuts for a sweet, chocolatey, melt-in-your-mouth variation.
- Coconut Banana Bread - Sprinkle lightly toasted coconut on top of the cookies for a slightly tropical flavor.
- Get Creative - Other fun ideas for topping include birthday cake sprinkles, caramel chips or a banana chip placed in the top right before serving.
Storage + Freezing
These store well at room temperature in an airtight container or freezer bag. If you want to freeze them, it is best to freeze the cookies without the frosting and to frost them after thawing. The cream cheese frosting can be frozen too. Seal it well to eliminate as much air as possible. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours, with the lid on to prevent condensation build up and use as directed.
Both cookies and frosting keep well for up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
For the sweetest and most flavorful soft banana cookies, use the ripest bananas. When you have overripe bananas you can freeze them until you're ready to bake. Store mashed bananas in zip top bags in the freezer. Label the bags with contents and how many bananas are in each.
I hope you love these soft banana bread cookies. Traditional banana bread in cookie form is truly a delicious party favorite.
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Easy Banana Bread Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 overripe banana
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ c *Optional - chopped pecans for topping
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º
- In a small or medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and banana until banana is incorporated.
- Stir in flour mixture until just mixed.
- Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 11-13 minutes until set.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Cream Cheese Icing
- While cookies are cooling, beat icing ingredients together until smooth.
- Ice cooled cookies and if topping with nuts, sprinkle them over right away, before the icing sets.
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