Banana Pudding Cookies Recipes — Soft, Chewy, Wildly Nostalgic

Make party-winning cookies with real banana, pudding mix, and crunchy wafers—soft, chewy treats done in under an hour.

You want a cookie that destroys boring, delightfully smashes nostalgia, and doesn’t require a pastry degree. This is it. It tastes like grandma’s banana pudding crashed into a bakery cookie and got rich.

The secret weapon? Instant pudding mix for mind-blowing moisture, plus vanilla wafers for crunch that actually survives baking. Bake a batch, and people will ask for the “recipe” before the plate even hits the table. FYI, these aren’t diet cookies; they’re happy cookies.

The Secret Behind This Recipe

We’re engineering chewy, plush cookies—no cakey banana blobs allowed. The key is instant banana pudding mix, which locks in moisture without turning the dough into muffin batter. It’s starch magic in a box.

Next, ripe bananas deliver flavor without flooding the dough. Use bananas with plenty of brown spots; green bananas are for smoothies, not cookies. And for texture that wins, fold in crushed vanilla wafers so you get a tender bite with a tiny crunch in every cookie.

Finally, we lean into chewiness with brown sugar and an extra yolk, then chill the dough for 30 minutes to reduce spread. You’ll get bakery-style domes with gooey middles and edges that say “one more bite.” TBH, that chill step separates good from great.

What Goes Into This Recipe – Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 (3.4 oz) box instant banana pudding mix
• 1 large egg + 1 additional egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (314 g), spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed vanilla wafer cookies (leave some larger bits)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (optional but clutch for that “cream pie” vibe)
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for warmth
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans for nuttiness

Instructions

1. Prep like a pro: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Mash bananas in a bowl; set aside.
2. Cream butter & sugars: In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). This is where air meets flavor.
3. Eggs + flavor: Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and mashed bananas until smooth. Don’t overmix—no one wants banana soup.
4. Dry team: In a separate bowl, whisk flour, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
5. Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low just until no streaks of flour remain. Batter will be thick and a bit sticky—perfect.
6. Texture add-ins: Fold in crushed vanilla wafers, white chocolate chips, and pecans (if using). Keep some wafer chunks bigger for crunch insurance.
7. Chill (do not skip): Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes. This reduces spread and deepens flavor, IMO.
8. Scoop: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop. Place dough balls 2 inches apart. Lightly press a few extra wafer bits and chips on top for bakery looks.
9. Bake: Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked. Pull them early for soft-chewy; late for firmer.
10. Set & finish: Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky salt while warm if you like that sweet-salty mic drop.

How to Store

• Room temperature: Airtight container for 3–4 days. Add a slice of sandwich bread inside to keep cookies ultra-soft (old bakery trick).
• Refrigerator: Store for up to 1 week. Bring to room temp, then re-warm 10 seconds in the microwave if you like them melty.
• Freeze baked cookies: Freeze in layers separated by parchment for 2–3 months. Thaw at room temp 30 minutes.
• Freeze dough: Scoop, freeze solid, then bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Benefits of This Recipe

• Ridiculously moist: The pudding mix keeps cookies tender for days without turning dense.
• High nostalgia, low effort: Banana + wafers equals childhood dessert energy, minus the trifle dish.
• Scalable: Double it for parties; scoop and freeze for later. Your future self will high-five you.
• Texture balance: Crunchy wafer bits, soft centers, and melty chips—no boring bites.
• Pantry-friendly: Instant pudding, wafers, and basics you likely already have.
• Fast turnaround: Chill is short, bake time is quick, and results are bakery-tier.

Avoid These Mistakes

• Using underripe bananas: They’ll taste flat and add less moisture. Look for brown-speckled peels.
• Skipping the chill: Dough gets sticky, cookies spread too thin, drama ensues.
• Overbaking: Pull them when the centers look slightly underdone. They finish on the sheet.
• Overmixing the dough: Leads to tough cookies. Mix just until combined.
• Crushing wafers to dust: You want chunks for texture, not cookie sand.
• Using cook-and-serve pudding: Only instant pudding works here. Different starch; different outcome.
• Packing the flour: Spoon and level to avoid dry, cakey cookies. A scale is even better.

Recipe Variations

• Caramel swirl: Drizzle caramel over scooped dough and marble lightly. Sweet chaos in every bite.
• Peanut butter twist: Add 1/2 cup peanut butter chips or a peanut butter ripple. Elvis would approve.
• Chocolate-forward: Swap white chips for semisweet, then finish with a chocolate drizzle.
• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Chill time is extra important.
• Dairy-free: Plant-based butter and dairy-free white chips work great. Check that your pudding mix is dairy-free.
• Banana cream sandwich: Bake smaller cookies and sandwich with a light cream cheese frosting.
• Nutty crunch: Pecans or walnuts add richness and bite. Toast them for extra flavor.
• Cinnamon roll vibe: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the dough and finish warm cookies with a thin vanilla glaze.

FAQ

Can I use cook-and-serve pudding instead of instant?

Nope. Cook-and-serve pudding has a different starch profile and needs heat and liquid to activate. Instant pudding delivers the moisture-locking magic directly in the dough.

Why did my cookies turn cakey instead of chewy?

Likely too much banana or flour, overmixing, or overbaking. Measure flour correctly, use two medium bananas max, and pull them when centers look slightly underdone.

Do I have to chill the dough?

Yes, if you want thick, chewy cookies with controlled spread. Chilling hydrates the flour and firms the butter, giving you pro-level texture. It’s 30 minutes well spent.

Can I make these without banana pudding mix?

You can swap in 3 tablespoons cornstarch plus 1 teaspoon banana extract. Texture stays nice, but flavor is less “pie-like.” Instant pudding still wins.

How ripe should my bananas be?

Use bananas with lots of brown spots and a strong aroma. Underripe fruit won’t deliver the sweetness or soft texture you’re chasing.

How do I keep them soft for days?

Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to maintain moisture. Also, don’t overbake—soft middles on day one mean soft cookies on day three.

Can I add real pudding to the dough?

Skip it. Prepared pudding adds excess moisture and can turn the dough gummy. The dry mix is designed to lock texture without chaos.

What’s the best way to freeze the dough?

Scoop, flash-freeze on a tray, then bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes. Top with a few wafer chunks before baking for fresh crunch.

Can I use banana extract instead of fresh bananas?

You can for flavor, but you’ll lose some moisture and natural sweetness. If you go that route, add 1 teaspoon banana extract and keep the pudding mix for texture.

How do I make them extra bakery-style?

Use a large scoop, press extra chips and wafer chunks on top, and finish warm cookies with a pinch of flaky salt. Visuals matter—people eat with their eyes first.

The Bottom Line

These cookies hit all the right notes: real banana flavor, chewy centers, crunchy bits, and pudding-powered softness that lingers for days. The method is simple, the ingredients are friendly, and the payoff is maximum nostalgia with minimum hassle.

Chill the dough, don’t overbake, keep those wafer pieces chunky, and you’ll pull tray after tray of crowd-pleasers. Make them once, and they’ll become your go-to for birthdays, bake sales, or late-night “just one more” moments. Consider this your new cookie flex—no trifle dish required.