Banana Pudding Cookies
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 28, 2025 
Our fabulously easy Banana Pudding Cookies recipe uses simple ingredients like instant banana cream pudding mix, white chocolate chips, and Nilla wafers to make this Southern-inspired treat. Add a dollop of frosting and extra goodies for decadent cookies that everyone will love!
Why We Love This Banana Pudding Cookie Recipe
What is it about banana pudding that is so darn irresistible?? This southern staple combines the bright, sweet banana flavor with a luscious pudding, whipped cream, and of course, crisp and buttery vanilla wafers… So it’s creamy and decadent, without being too rich or stuffy.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
We’ve used the basic concept of “banana pudding” to create all kinds of scrumptious treats, from a mini banana cream pie recipe to a trifle-like cake, no-churn ice cream, and even banana pudding milkshakes. Now we’ve added this fantastic Banana Pudding Cookies recipe to the lineup to reimagine your favorite classic southern dessert as a handheld treat!
These banana cookies are easy to make with pantry staples and boxed banana pudding mix, fresh diced banana, and white chocolate chips. You can also add chopped vanilla wafers if you desire! They’re not necessary for the quintessential taste and texture, but they really do add a nice crunch to the cookies.
Make them super simple drop-and-bake cookies with oodles of banana pudding flavor, or frost and decorate the tops for slightly more elegant treats!
Ingredients You Need
- Butter – unsalted
- Granulated sugar – or coconut sugar, if you prefer
- Eggs – large, at room temperature
- Vanilla extract – use good quality to get the best-tasting treats
- All-purpose flour – the best soft flour for baking cookies
- Instant banana pudding mix – likely labeled “banana cream” on the box
- Baking powder – to get soft, fluffy, and tender cookies
- Salt – just a bit to balance the sweetness
- Bananas – ripe and bright yellow, not brown
- Mini vanilla wafer cookies – like classic mini Nilla wafers
- White chocolate chips – or chop up a bar of quality white chocolate
For an extra decadent finish, you’ll also need a container of frosting (or our homemade Funfetti frosting minus the sprinkles), plus extra banana slices and mini vanilla wafers.
How to Make Banana Pudding Cookies
Find the full Pudding Cookies recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and storing tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Pro Tip: Turn off the mixer once the mixture is smooth, and be careful not to overbeat the dough. Overmixed cookie dough = tough cookies!
Equipment Needed
- Large bowl(s)
- Stand mixer (or electric hand mixer)
- Spatula
- Cookie sheet (AKA baking pan)
- Cookie scoop
- Parchment paper (or silicone mat)
- Ziploc bag (or piping bag)
Tips for How to Frost Cookies
- Once the banana pudding and white chocolate chip cookies are completely cool, you can frost and decorate them if desired!
- To get started, if you are using frosting that has been in the refrigerator, be sure to bring it to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes first.
- Then add the soft vanilla frosting to a piping bag, or make a DIY piping bag: Transfer the frosting to a ziploc plastic bag, and squeeze it down into one corner of the bag. Use kitchen shears to snip the tip off the corner to imitate a professional bag.
- Use a quick “squeeze-and-dollop” motion to pipe a bit of the frosting on top of each banana pudding cookie.
- Cut another banana into thin slices right when you are ready to decorate (so it doesn’t brown). Gently stick one slice of banana and a mini Nilla wafer into the frosting of the banana pudding cookies.
How lovely are these?!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can swap all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free alternative. But note that the texture of the cookies will be different. You will also need to swap the Nilla wafers for Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers.
I suggest leaving off the frosting and toppings if you plan to save leftovers. The banana slices will start to brown shortly after slicing and placing on the cookies.
Store the cookies plain in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
You sure can! Let the baked cookies cool completely before transferring to a ziploc plastic freezer bag. If you have enough to stack, I suggest sticking a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers. Seal up the bag so all the air is squeezed out, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before decorating and/or eating.
Looking for More Fun Cookie Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
Easy Banana Pudding Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounce box instant banana pudding mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups diced firm ripe banana
- 1 ¼ cups chopped mini vanilla wafers optional
- 10-11 ounce bag white chocolate chips
Optional Banana Pudding Cookie Toppings –
- 1 tub white frosting
- Extra mini vanilla wafers
- Fresh banana slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out several baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.
- Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (About 3 to 5 minutes.)
- Meanwhile, set out a separate mixing bowl and combine the flour, instant pudding mix, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Chop the bananas and vanilla wafers.
- Once the butter mixture is super light and fluffy, scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and turn the mixer on low. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Then add ½-cup of the flour mixture to the butter mixture at a time, until the dough is smooth and consistent. Turn off the mixer so as to not overbeat the dough.
- Mix the diced banana, chopped vanilla wafers, and white chocolate chips in by hand. Gently mix until all the bits are evenly distributed.
- With a 1.5 tablespoon scoop, portion the dough out into balls on the baking sheets. Separate the doughballs 2-inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until gold around the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before moving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or store in the refrigerator for longer. Once the cookies are completely cool, you can frost and decorate them if desired!
Notes
Store the cookies plain in an airtight container, and keep at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. To Freeze: Let the baked cookies cool completely before transferring to a ziploc plastic freezer bag. If you have enough to stack I suggest sticking a layer of parchment paper or wax papers between the layers. Seal up the bag so all of the air is squeezed out, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before decorating and/or eating.
I was a little skeptical at first but these banana pudding cookies completely blew me away. Both my husband and kids loved them! Will definitely make these again.
These cookies are just fabulous! They’re perfectly sweet and so much fun to make!
I made these for my cookie swap this year and they were a HUGE hit! Love how unique these are, but also totally delicious.