banana-walnut chocolate chip cookies

Continuing my cookie baking bonanza, I made these wonderful banana-walnut chocolate chip cookies. They were deliciously right between chocolate chip cookies and banana nut bread. A great combination of flavors to package away as gifts.

I loved how these cookies called for wheat flour and oatmeal, making me feel just a bit better about all the buttery goodies I've been making and tasting. By adding the banana, the recipe called for less sugar than usual, which was another added benefit.

I packaged a box to send to A.'s office for her to share with her coworkers. The rest went into little cellophane baggies adorned with my Christmas craft this year of personalized felt gingerbread houses as a little Christmas gift to my college friends.

Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies --Martha Stewart

makes about 3 dozen

1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
8 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together both flours, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.

Mix butter and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add egg and vanilla, until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate, and walnuts.

Drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets by a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop. Space about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.