Laura's Baking Talent: Banana Split Cookies

The idea of doing banana split week on the blog has been on my list for potential ideas. However I knew if I was going to do it, I had to do it quickly because summer is ending quickly. So I made it happen for you this week.

I am pretty excited about today's recipe. Why... you may ask? Well I created it myself. I love baking but usually I find recipes I love and just bake and share them. Last week I worked hard on my lemon white chocolate muffins which were also my own creation. For today I created my own recipe for banana split cookies... and guess what they are amazing.

Today's recipe is also a cookie. Out of everything that I make I love cookies the most. They bake easily and are so much fun to eat. There is some guilt if you have a second piece of cake or pie or anything... but that guilt isn't there with cookies.

In fact if you have a couple dozen cookies no one notices if one more is gone. Its true, its part of the joy of cookies.

So this cookie has a banana base. I used the base of my go to chocolate chip recipe and modified it so that it was full of banana goodness. How did I do that? Banana pudding mix and banana extract. I cooked a cookie without any of the adders to taste the banana. It was amazing.

I may have to think of a banana variation. After I knew the base was good. I added in everything that a good banana split needs. Chocolate... check. Sprinkles.... check. Cherries.... check.

They all mixed together into a banana split cookie explosion. They looked so fun and colorful when they come out of the oven. I would take these cookies to any party. They would put any plain chocolate chip cookies to shame.

Yesterday was national banana split day, but I declare it banana split week. Enjoy the last lit bit of summer :)

Banana Split Cookies
Yield: 17 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 12 minutes

21/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pkg banana cream instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)
2 eggs
1 tsp banana extract (vanilla extract can also be used)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sprinkles
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped (pat dry before chopping)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flour and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix together the softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Once it is well combined, add the banana cream instant pudding mix. After the pudding mix is integrated add the eggs and banana extract. Mix well.

Now add in the flour and baking soda mixture that you had previously set aside. Blend well.

Add the chocolate chips, sprinkles and cherries by hand, until well mixed.

Drop 3 Tbsp size cookies on the cookie sheet. Round the cookie so that they come out with a nice round shape. Put 6 on a cookie sheet because they will grow.

Bake for 11-13 minutes.

Eat a cookie and enjoy!