Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 small ripe banana, mashed
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant banana cream pudding mix
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies
- ½ cup white chocolate chips, optional
For the Topping
- ½ cup roughly crushed vanilla wafer cookies
- ½ small banana, thinly sliced, optional for serving
- White chocolate drizzle, optional
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and creamy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
The mashed banana should be ripe and soft because a ripe banana provides much stronger natural flavor and sweetness.
Step 2: Add the Pudding Mix
Add the dry instant pudding mix to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated.
The pudding mix is one of the key ingredients in this recipe. Besides giving the cookies a delicious banana-cream flavor, it helps create that soft texture that makes these cookies so addictive.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until a cookie dough forms.
Do not overmix. Once the flour disappears, stop mixing.
Step 3: Fold in the Vanilla Wafers
Gently fold the crushed vanilla wafer cookies into the dough.
If you’re using white chocolate chips, fold those in at the same time.
The vanilla wafers give the cookies their signature banana-pudding character. For the best texture, don’t crush every wafer into fine crumbs. Leave some small pieces so you get little pockets of crunch throughout the cookies.
The dough should be soft but firm enough to scoop.
Step 4: Scoop and Bake
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie because they will spread slightly during baking.
Press a few additional crushed vanilla wafer pieces onto the tops of each dough ball.
Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft.
Don’t wait until the cookies look completely firm in the center. They will continue cooking from the residual heat after you remove them from the oven.
Step 5: Cool and Finish
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
For an extra dessert-like finish, drizzle cooled cookies with melted white chocolate and sprinkle additional vanilla wafer crumbs over the top.
If you’re serving them immediately, you can add a tiny banana slice to each cookie for presentation. However, don’t store cookies with fresh banana slices on top because the fruit will add moisture and shorten their shelf life.
Notes
The banana you use matters. Choose a ripe banana with plenty of brown spots for maximum flavor. An underripe banana won’t provide the same sweetness or banana aroma.
Avoid adding too much mashed banana. While it may seem like more banana would create a stronger flavor, excess moisture can make the cookies spread too much and become cakey.
For the pudding mix, use instant pudding rather than cook-and-serve pudding. The instant variety is designed to be incorporated directly into the cookie dough.
Softened butter is also important. Butter that is too cold won’t cream properly with the sugars, while completely melted butter can make the cookies spread excessively.
Your baking sheets and kitchenware can also affect the final result. If you’re using dark-colored baking sheets, check the cookies slightly earlier because they can brown faster on the bottom.