Banana Pudding Cookies

Soft, buttery, and packed with old-fashioned Southern charm, these Banana Pudding Cookies taste like a homemade dessert straight from Grandma’s kitchen. Every bite is loaded with sweet banana flavor, creamy vanilla goodness, and the nostalgic crunch of vanilla wafers, creating the perfect mix of cookie and classic banana pudding. Whether you’re bringing them to a family gathering, holiday table, or just baking up a little comfort at home, these Southern-style banana pudding cookies are guaranteed to disappear fast.

Easy Banana Pudding Cookies Recipe

Baking banana pudding cookies brings together the best of two Southern favorites in one irresistible treat. As the cookies bake, the sweet aroma of ripe bananas, buttery vanilla, and warm sugar fills the kitchen with pure comfort.

Each soft and chewy cookie is packed with nostalgic banana pudding flavor and crunchy vanilla wafer pieces, making every bite taste like a homemade dessert straight from a Southern family gathering. Whether you’re baking them for holidays, potlucks, or a cozy night at home, banana pudding cookies are the kind of sweet treat everyone reaches for first. They never last long at our house.

Key ingredients to make Banana Pudding Cookies: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card and quantities.)

• Flour – Three cups of all purpose flour forms the base of the cookie dough.
• Instant Pudding Mix – Banana cream instant pudding mix gives these cookies their signature flavor.
• Leavening – Baking powder, baking soda and salt to balance the flavor.
• Butter – Unsalted butter for richness.
• Sugar – A combination of granulated sugar (white sugar) and light brown sugar for sweetness.
• Flavorings – Banana extract and vanilla extract amp up the taste.
• Whole Eggs – Large eggs are necessary to stabilize the cookie dough.
• Chocolate Chips – White chocolate chips for a creamy flavor.
• Vanilla Wafers – Crushed Nilla wafers for the cookie dough plus additional for sprinkling the tops of the cookies.

How to Make Banana Pudding Cookies Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare Pan – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. Line 2 standard baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift Dry Ingredients – Use a whisk to sift together the flour, instant banana cream pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Wet Ingredients – Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, banana extract and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy and light beige in color then add eggs.
• Combine – Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture beating until fully incorporated.
• Mix-ins – Stir the white chocolate chips and crushed Nilla wafers into the dough.
• Divide the Dough – Divide the cookie dough into mounds at least 2-inches apart on the prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops with crushed Nilla wafers. (eyeball the amount)
• Oven – Bake per the baking time in th recipe until lightly golden brown.
• Serve – Cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes then carefully remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Kitchen Equipment To Make Banana Cookies

• Electric mixer. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer.
• Large bowl and medium bowl.
• Balloon whisk.
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons.
• Cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Cookie spatula and wire rack.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Chocolate Chips – You could use semi-sweet chocolate chips or peanut butter chips in these cookies to change the flavor profile.
• Butter – You can use salted butter. When doing so, decrease the salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix – You could use vanilla pudding mix. When doing so, double the amount of banana extract.

Storage and Leftovers

• Make-Ahead Tip – Cookie dough is very forgiving and can be made up to one week in advance and store chilled in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow the dough a few minutes on the counter to soften then scoop and bake.
• Leftovers – Store leftover banana pudding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Freezer – Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter and enjoy.
• Freezing Cookie Dough – You can divide the dough and flash freeze on a sheet pan until solid. Package in a freezer safe container and store for up to 3 months. Bake cookies from frozen when you’d like a quick sweet treat, extending the baking time for 5 minutes.

More Cookie Recipes to Make

• Loaded Butterscotch Toffee Pecan Cookies are a bonafide treat.
• These no bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies have one thousand names and they all spell delicious.
• Loaded Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies feature chopped pecans for added texture and flavor.
• Buttery Pecan Cookies never last long in our cookie jar.
• Cutout Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies can be made into any shape depending on the occasion or holiday you’re celebrating.
• Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Pudding Cookies are for the chocolate lovers in your life.
• Easy Sugar Cookie Frosting from Beyond Frosting.

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