Banana Chip Cookies

This cookie recipe is from a novel called "Plum Pudding Murder" by Joanne Fluke. This novel, along with the others in the series, include recipes to foods cleverly incorporated into the stories. I have tried several recipes from these books, and they have all turned out fantastic, so I was very confident in trying this one too! These cookies are a great change from the standard banana chip muffins. They are moist and soft and chocolatey, with just the right hint of banana! They were also quite easy and quick to make, and surprisingly, don't require any eggs! A good recipe to keep in mind if ingredients are running short and bananas are turning speckly.

Banana Chip Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 medium)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add lemon extract. Mix banana in thoroughly  Stir in baking powder and salt. Add flour in half cup increments. Stir in chocolate chips.

Line cookie sheets with foil and spray (I used parchment). Use a teaspoon to drop dough 2 inches apart. Use a metal spatula to flatten the cookies. Bake at 400◦F for 8-10 minutes until golden on top (I found bottom to be a better indicator). Let them sit on cookie sheet 2 minutes before removing to cool. Makes 3 dozen large or 5 dozen small.

Fluke, Joanne. "Banana Chip Cookies." Recipe. Plum Pudding Murder, New York: Kensington, 2009. 222.