Banana Pudding Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy and packed with the delicious flavors of white chocolate and banana pudding. If you love banana, these are for you!
There’s something about homemade cookies that literally makes everything better. Whether it’s the smell… or the taste… or that warm, gooey, just out of the oven deliciousness… homemade cookies = happiness.
And these Banana Pudding Cookies are no exception. The first time I made them my kids were in absolute heaven! Made with banana cream pudding mix and loaded with white chocolate chips, they taste just like banana cream pie… in cookie form. One bite, and you’ll know exactly what I mean.
They’re easy to whip up and perfect for spring. And best of all, you can personalize them according to your tastes. If you love all things banana… these cookies are the perfect dessert for you!
what you’ll need for this recipe
Butter – Butter gives the cookies richness, tenderness, and structure. I used 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
Sugar – In addition to the sugar in the pudding mix, I used 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. You can feel free to adjust the amount according to your tastes. If you prefer a less sweet cookie, reduce the amount to 1/2 or even 1/4 cup.
Vanilla – 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract adds an extra layer of flavor to these cookies.
Egg – This recipe calls for 1 large egg, which gives the cookies structure and a bit of height. As a bonus, the egg yolk brings out the yellow color of the banana pudding.
Instant Banana Pudding Mix – 1 small (3.4 ounce) box of Instant Banana Cream Pudding Mix is what gives these cookies a delicious banana pudding flavor. Be sure to use instant pudding mix.
Salt – I added 1/2 teaspoon of salt to bring out all the delicious flavors in these cookies. As an alternative, you can use salted butter instead of unsalted and omit the extra salt.
Baking soda – I used 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for leavening. You could also substitute baking powder in a pinch, but you would need to triple the amount (3/4 teaspoon baking powder).
Flour – This recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of flour. I used all purpose flour, which I do with most cookie recipes.
White chocolate chips – Finally, 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips adds delicious flavor and texture to these cookies. Feel free to substitute semisweet or milk chocolate chips instead!
how to make banana pudding cookies
Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed using a hand mixer. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients. Add in the dry pudding mix, salt, baking soda, and flour and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
Scoop & refrigerate. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate the cookie dough balls for 20 minutes. This will keep the cookies from spreading out too much during baking.
Bake. Remove from the refrigerator; bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until the edges turn light golden brown.
Cool & enjoy. Remove the cookies from the oven and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
- Omit the white chocolate chips
- Substitute milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips for the white chocolate chips
- Substitute light brown sugar for granulated sugar
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans
- Make a simple powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over the top
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less sugar
- Substitute almond extract for vanilla extract
- Add banana extract for more intense banana flavor
- Use any flavor of pudding mix and follow the recipe as is
Pro Tips
These cookies are straightforward and easy to make! Here are a few of my best tips to ensure success:
- Be sure your butter is completely softened to room temperature. I like using the microwave feature to soften it without melting it.
- Always use instant pudding mix… NOT cook & serve!
- If your dough feels gooey, it may mean your butter was too soft. In that case, simply refrigerate it for a little extra time to firm it up.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
Be sure to check out some more of our favorite cookie recipes!
Banana Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 3.4 ounce box Instant Banana Cream Pudding
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix until smooth.
- Add the dry pudding mix, salt, baking soda, and flour and mix well. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the refrigerated dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up the dough.
- Remove cookie sheets from the refrigerator. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
- Remove cookies from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Omit the white chocolate chips
- Substitute milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips for the white chocolate chips
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans
- Make a simple powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over the top
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less sugar
- Substitute almond extract for vanilla extract
- Use any flavor of pudding mix and follow the recipe as is
Happyfour says
These are really good! I added banana rum to these. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
peggy overchuk says
These are absolutely the best banana cookies……our favorite now