BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (do not use quick-cooking oats)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus additional for greasing the baking sheets
- 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening (2 ounces)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 medium, very ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups chocolate chips, preferably bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
A little mashed banana replaces some of the butter in these sweet chocolate chip cookies. The point here is taste, not a low-fat substitute; so use a very ripe banana, one that’s spotted brown, quite soft, and beyond the point where you’d slice it onto cold cereal. These cookies are better the second day (if you can wait that long), when that characteristic banana taste infuses them even more.
- Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until uniform; set aside. Grease a baking sheet with butter; set aside as well.
- Beat the butter and shortening in a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, until softened and of a uniform color, about 1 minute. Beat in both sugars until fluffy but still a little grainy, about 1 more minute. Beat in the mashed banana and vanilla. Remove the beaters.
- Stir in the prepared flour mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a soft, wet dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips, just until evenly distributed.
- Drop high, rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the mounds about 11/2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 12 minutes until bumpy and lightly browned. For best results, rotate the baking sheet back to front halfway through the baking process. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool the baking sheet for 5 minutes before making additional batches.