2 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups 10x sugar
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 medium)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 (packed) cups flour
1 (6 oz) pkg semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (that’s one cup)

preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the middle position.

beat softened butter and the 10x sugar together until they look light and creamy. there’s no need to sift the 10x sugar unless it’s got big lumps. if you do end up sifting it, make sure you pack it down in the cup when you measure it.

add a 1/2 tsp of lemon extract and mix it in.

peel the banana and break it into chunks. mix them in until they’re thoroughly mashed and the 10x sugar and butter mixture is smooth again.

sprinkle in the baking powder and salt, and mix them in thoroughly

add the flour in 1/2 cup increments, mixing after each addition. when the cookie dough is thoroughly mixed, take the bowl from the mixer and set it on the counter.

mix in the chocolate chips by hand. you’ll want them as evenly distributed as possible.

line your cookie sheets with foil and spray the foil lighlty with pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

use a teaspoon to drop cookie dough 2″ apart on the cookies sheets, no more than 12 cookies to a sheet.

use a metal spatula or the palm of your impeccably clean hand to flatten cookies.

bake the cookies at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until they’re golden on top. remove them from the oven and let them sit on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. then pull the foil off and transfer cookies, foil and off, to a wire rack to cool completely.

makes approx 3 dozen lg or 5 dozen small cookies