Pudding mix in cookies? You betcha.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that these cookies have an actual package of powdered banana pudding in the mix. Remember when “pudding in the mix” was a thing for boxed cake mixes? Not only does it add legitimate banana pudding flavor, but it also makes these cookies extra soft, even days later. I contemplated adding dried banana chips, but ultimately decided against it with these because I don’t always love their texture and flavor. Instead, I mixed in white chocolate chips, which sort of replicate that creaminess that I love about homemade banana pudding, along with chunks of broken up Nilla Wafers to really sell that banana pudding in cookie form idea. And it totally works! I brought these to cookie and movie night with the cousins, not totally sure how well they would be received, and everybody went crazy for them. It’s such a fun, different cookie with a flavor profile that you don’t always see. And they are nice and thick, but still soft without being dry or crumbly. I’m not actually a fan of bananas themselves, but banana-flavored desserts are a totally different thing and I love them! Some of our most popular banana recipes are my Best Easy Banana Bread Recipe (seriously, this one gets visited by hundreds of thousands of people each month and has dozens of five star ratings), Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie, and Banana Bars with Penuche Frosting.
Recipe Ingredients
All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour makes up the bulk of these cookies. Sugar: A mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar to add dimension and the right amount of sweetness. Butter: I always use salted butter in my baking. You can even skip softening the butter if you cream the butter with the sugars for 3-4 minutes. Banana pudding mix: The banana flavor comes from 1 package of instant powdered banana cream jello pudding mix. Eggs: For binding, added richness, and flavor. Baking soda: This ingredient provides just the right amount of lift and spread. Salt: Keeps the cookies from being bland. Vanilla extract: A little vanilla extract harmonizes flavors in baking rather than taking center stage. It adds depth and complexity. Nilla Wafers: I like to break these up by hand so they don’t get too small. But they do soften in the cookies, just like they do in actual banana pudding. White chocolate chips: I suppose you could do milk chocolate chips if you like chocolate and bananas, but I love the creaminess of the white chocolate and think it goes really well with the other flavors.
Let’s make cookies!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Perfectly round cookies: One secret among food bloggers and gourmet cookie bakers is that you can shape your cookies to be perfectly round by using the back of a spoon to nudge the cookies into a more desirable shape as soon as they come out of the oven. It actually helps them maintain a slightly thicker center too and gives a uniformity to the cookies that makes them extra beautiful. To chill or not to chill?: I almost never chill my cookie dough unless we are talking about sugar cookies. But some people swear that it develops the flavor and helps the cookies not to spread as much. If you prefer to chill your dough, go right ahead. But I really don’t think it’s necessary. Parchment paper is your best friend: I love, love, love parchment paper and buy precut sheets in bulk so I always have them on hand. It makes baking so much more enjoyable because your cookies don’t stick to the pan and you have less clean-up afterwards. Decorating: If you want an even more impressive finish to your cookies, you could melt some white chocolate and drizzle it across the top of the cookies, then sprinkle some of it with crushed Nilla Wafer crumbs for an even more sophisticated look.
More Cookie Recipes
Berger Cookies Glazed Apple Pie Cookies Double Lemon Glazed Cookies Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies Mint Chip Sugar Cookies White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies Oatmeal Carrot Cookies Pistachio Cookies
Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies Cookies
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frosted Fruity Pebbles Cookies
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