A Comforting Classic Turned Into the Perfect Cookie

There are few desserts that evoke childhood comfort quite like a classic bowl of banana pudding — silky, creamy, layered with ripe bananas, fluffy pudding, and those irresistible vanilla wafers. It’s a dessert that feels warm, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying. Now imagine capturing all that cozy flavor… in a soft, chewy cookie. Yes, banana pudding as a cookie — portable, bakery-style, and utterly irresistible. 🍪💛

Homemade Banana Pudding Cookies have become one of the most adored treats across home kitchens, social media, and baking blogs everywhere. They combine the best elements of banana pudding — ripe bananas, banana pudding mix, vanilla wafers — and wrap them inside a buttery, chewy, golden cookie. These cookies are rich but fluffy, sweet but balanced, and filled with small pockets of melty white chocolate that mimic creamy pudding bites.

What makes them so appealing is that they’re easy to make, require simple ingredients, and deliver huge payoff in both flavor and texture. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, family get-togethers, office gatherings, or simply treating yourself after a long day, these cookies always bring smiles. 😄💕

Today, we’re diving deep into this wonderful recipe. I’ll walk you through everything: how to get the perfect texture, how each ingredient enhances flavor, pro tips, storage advice, and fun add-ins. At the end, your full recipe card will be ready to print or screenshot. 📇✨
Let’s get baking!

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🍌 Why Everyone Loves Banana Pudding Cookies

These cookies are more than just another banana dessert. Here are a few reasons why they’ve become a beloved modern classic:

1. Perfect Texture Balance

The mashed bananas add moisture, resulting in a cookie that is:

• Soft
• Tender
• Slightly cake-like
• But still chewy thanks to the butter and sugar

The edges get lightly golden and crisp, while the centers stay soft. 🤤

2. Authentic Banana Pudding Flavor

This recipe achieves real banana pudding taste by using:

• Fresh ripe bananas 🍌
• Instant banana pudding mix
• Vanilla wafer crumbs

It tastes exactly like your favorite childhood dessert — but in cookie form!

3. Sweet Creaminess from White Chocolate

White chocolate chips melt into little pockets of sweetness, imitating the creamy vanilla pudding layer. They add richness without overpowering the banana flavor.

4. Easy to Make

You don’t need a mixer — just bowls, a spoon, and a baking sheet. Even beginner bakers can make these perfectly on their first attempt.

5. Crowd-Pleasers

Every age group loves banana pudding. Turning it into cookies? Instant hit.

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🍌 Tips for Perfect Banana Pudding Cookies

To help elevate your baking experience, here are some professional tips:

Use very ripe bananas

The darker the peel, the sweeter and more flavorful your cookies will be. Yellow with black spots = perfection.

Soften the butter, don’t melt it

Softened butter creams better with sugar, giving your cookies structure and preventing them from spreading too thin.

Don’t overmix the dough

Once the dry ingredients hit the wet mixture, stir gently. Overmixing creates dense cookies.

Chill the dough (optional but recommended)

A 20–30 minute chill helps:

• Enhance flavor
• Prevent spreading
• Improve texture

Only chill if your kitchen is warm or the dough feels too sticky.

Crush vanilla wafers gently

You want crumbs, not powder — this gives slight crunch and flavor pops.

Rotate your baking sheet

If your oven has hot spots, rotating halfway ensures even browning.

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🍌 Serving Ideas

Serve these cookies:

• Warm with a drizzle of melted white chocolate
• Alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream 🍨
• With a cup of coffee or tea ☕
• On a dessert tray with brownies and cupcakes
• As gifts in cute cookie bags 🎁

They’re also fantastic for brunch tables!

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🍌 How to Store & Freeze

Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container up to 4 days. They stay soft!

Refrigerator

Lasts up to 1 week, though they may firm up slightly — just warm them for 8–10 seconds.

Freezing

• Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months
• Freeze cookie dough balls up to 2 months — bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes

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🍌 Ideas for Add-Ins & Variations

Feel free to experiment! Here are some popular fun twists:

🍫 Chocolate chips

Swap white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate.

🥥 Coconut flakes

A tropical banana cookie? Yes please!

🍌 Extra banana slices

Add freeze-dried banana pieces for a stronger flavor.

🍮 Pudding flavor variations

Vanilla or cheesecake pudding works beautifully too.

💛 Banana pudding sandwich cookies

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🍪 Homemade Banana Pudding Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package (3.4 oz) instant banana pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven
   • Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Cream the butter and sugar
   • In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
   • This step traps air, giving your cookies great texture.
3. Add wet ingredients
   • Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
   • Stir in the mashed bananas. The mixture may look slightly curdled — that’s normal.
4. Combine dry ingredients
   • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, instant banana pudding mix, baking soda, and salt.
   • Whisking distributes the pudding mix evenly.
5. Mix wet & dry
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture.
   • Stir until just combined — avoid overmixing.
6. Fold in add-ins
   • Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and vanilla wafer crumbs.
7. Shape the cookies
   • Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto your baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
8. Bake
   • Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft.
9. Cool
   • Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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🍌 Prep Time: 20 minutes

🍪 Cooking Time: 12 minutes

⏱️ Total: ~32 minutes

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