These biscuits are another of my early baking memories. I think the original recipe came from a free Diamond Walnuts (in the red and white vacuum sealed tin) brochure, and with a few tweaks has survived to become a biscuit I still cook regularly. Ironically I often make them now without the all important walnuts, as if I add them I can’t put them in school lunch boxes. This time I did half with and half without, plus choc chips – so one cup of choc chips stirred through the whole quantity of dough, then 1/2 c walnuts added to half the dough.
They used to be a particular favourite when I was a child, I think mainly because biscuits that make five dozen per batch are pretty useful with five kids, plus we always had overripe bananas to use up. Back then a batch would only last a few days – now they make a week of recess and snacks, plus I usually freeze half. You’ll be pleased to hear they freeze and defrost perfectly.
As you would imagine, with three bananas and an egg in the dough, these are a soft, almost cakey, rather than crisp biscuit; but the combination of banana, cinnamon and lots of cocoa is really lovely and because they’re only a couple of bites they’re very moreish!
Walnut-choc-banana biscuits
Makes approx 5 dozen
- 185g butter
- 200g (~1 c) sugar
- 1 egg
- 300g (~2 c) plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp bicarb soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 45g (~½ c) cocoa
- 3 mashed bananas, or 2 if extra large (~1 c)
- 1 c raisins
- 1 ½ c chopped walnuts and/or dark choc chips
Preheat oven to 190C (170C fan forced). Sift together the flour, cinnamon, bicarb, salt and cocoa. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the egg, and add flour mix alternately with mashed banana. Mix to a stiff batter and stir in raisins, walnuts and/or choc chips. Drop by spoonfuls (I use a US 1 Tbs scoop) on a lined tray and bake for about 10 min until set, but not really coloured. Remove from the tray and cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for later enjoyment.
[Edit 20/9: here are the scoops I use for putting biscuits onto trays – not essential, but they do make life easier.]
In Search of Golden Pudding 
Mmmm, I can attest to the yumminess of these cookies. What a pity we can’t put nuts in things for school anymore…. I say this as one of the kids who was really allergic to peanuts!
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Well this batch is half nuts and half without, so feel free to have an illicitly nutty one when you come over!
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Mmmmmmmmmm. I had forgotten those yummy biscuits. Choc/walnut/banana is a great flavour combo. And, yes, they were originally from the Diamond Walnut recipe book. Do I have that, or do you? Your nana would be so pleased to see us talking about biscuits from her recipe collection!
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I think you have it, though I didn’t realise that book was Nana’s – I thought you’d picked it up at some stage. That book is also where the wonderful Walnut-Apricot Bars come from, another one to add to the list!
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Hi Golden Pudding, here’s my attempt at the yummy biccies. Everything went well and they are very moreish! I didn’t quite get five dozen. Two questions – what do you use to get them to look so uniform? How would I freeze them – in a container together or separately according to lunchbox serves??
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Glad you like! To get a uniform shape I use a biscuit scoop – I’ve added a pic above. For freezing, you can put in a container together, but I’d either put baking paper between the layers, or freeze on a tray in one layer then put in a container or zip lock bag once frozen so they don’t stick together.
Thanks for the pic too – looks great! I’ll have to see if I can work out how to add pics to comments…
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