So, I realize that my attempts to maintain this blog were fairly unsuccessful. However, in leu of summer time, a move to a new apartment filled with hungry college boys, and a fancy new Nikon 1 that has renewed my interest in photography, I think I'll make a second attempt to food blog. Or rather, bake blog.
The summer started about a week ago for me. Since then, I've made a few cookie recipes (including the chocolate chip cookie recipe that I posted about in August) and a couple pies. None of those recipes however motivated me to update here... until I made these toffee and chocolate banana bread cookies.
Yes- that's right- banana bread, but in cookie form... and with not only chocolate chips, but also toffee pieces. These came out so good! Very soft, full of flavor, and very addicting. I will come out and admit right here and now that I am not a banana bread fan- banana bread to me represents my own personal failure to consume the bananas I purchased from the supermarket quickly enough. I hate how it gets so easily dry, the banana flavor to most breads, the overall consistency... but now having said that, I loved these cookies! It was a struggle to keep myself from just eating them all in one sitting. I highly recommend this recipe as a banana bread alternative... or at least something fun to try at least once.
Recipe-wise, there were a couple firsts in here for me. I had never used bread flour before.. ever. Even when I made bread, I usually just use All-Purpose or whole wheat. Bread flour looks the same as all-purpose, and I treated it the same too. I didn't sift it, even though I think I probably should have. Not sifting did not effect the quality of the cookies in my opinion so it's up to you if you wish to do so.
Also new: browning butter. I had never heard of this before taking a crack at this recipe. I had to google it to make sure I was doing it right. It took awhile... I think I was standing at the stove for a good 10 or 15 minutes... maybe more... just stirring the butter, waiting for a "nutty" aroma. I don't know if I actually ever smelled the difference. It literally was in a matter of seconds that the butter turned from golden yellow to a light brown so I moved quickly to remove it from the heat and started adding the sugar. (I didn't want to over-brown... aka burn... my butter!)
Lastly, this was my first experience using toffee as a mix in. Kind of fun... I was worried it wouldn't go well with the texture of the cookie but I was gladly mistaken. I guess toffee, unlike chocolate, has a way of melting in the oven. When it reforms it is not as crunchy, but adds flecks of buttery sweetness that I only be thankful for.
So now, without further ado, here is the recipe:
Banana Bread Cookies with Chocolate and Toffee
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cup bread flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (I recommend aluminum-free brands)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cups mashed bananas (approximately 2 ripe bananas)
- ½ cup sour cream (I used low fat)
- 8 tablespoons butter (aka ½ cup butter)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup toffee bits
Instructions:
1. Add bread flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine; set aside. Mash bananas and mix into sour cream and combine; set aside.
2. Brown the butter by placing it into a small skillet and heat the butter until it turns brown and starts to smell nutty. Remove from heat and whisk in the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Let it sit for five minutes to absorb the brown butter flavoring. Add egg and vanilla whisk to combine. Add in banana and sour cream and whisk to combine. Now gently fold in flour mixture to combine. Fold in add-ins.
3. Refrigerate Banana Bread Cookie mixture for at least 30 minutes (I left mine in over night). Drop cookie dough on non-stick cookie baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10-13 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.
