Banana Pudding Cookies
These banana pudding cookies deliver all the creamy, sweet flavor of classic banana pudding in a soft, chewy cookie with swirls of vanilla wafer crumbs and gooey marshmallow pieces.
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Servings
24 cookies
Ingredients
Tools that make this easier
Optional — the recipe works without them.
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- Most useful here 2-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop Portions the banana cookie dough into 2-tablespoon balls for the baking sheet. Check price on Amazon
- Electric Hand Mixer Beats the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then the eggs and banana. Check price on Amazon
- Wire Cooling Rack Finishes cooling the cookies after their 5 minutes on the sheet. Check price on Amazon
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla wafer crumbs. Set aside.
- 3
In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- 4
Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract and mashed banana until fully incorporated.
- 5
Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms. It should be slightly sticky but scoopable.
- 6
Gently fold in marshmallows and white chocolate chips, ensuring they’re evenly distributed without melting the marshmallows.
- 7
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop 2-tablespoon-sized dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.
- 8
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking; marshmallows should stay gooey.
- 9
Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Used in this recipe: 2-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop Electric Hand Mixer Wire Cooling Rack (Amazon, affiliate links)
Notes
Tips for Success
- Use a fully ripe banana with brown spots for maximum sweetness and banana flavor.
- Chop mini marshmallows in halves or quarters to prevent them from melting completely into the dough.
Nutrition (per serving)
180 kcal
Calories
These banana pudding cookies borrow the flavors of the classic dessert: ripe banana, vanilla wafers, and soft marshmallow pieces in a chewy cookie. The dough comes together in one bowl of creamed butter and sugar, and a batch makes 24 cookies in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup vanilla wafer crumbs (about 20 wafers, crushed)
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
Mix-ins
- ½ cup mini marshmallows, chopped in halves or quarters
- ½ cup white chocolate chips (optional for extra sweetness)
How to Make Banana Pudding Cookies
- Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla wafer crumbs. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs and banana: Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract and mashed banana until fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms. It should be slightly sticky but scoopable.
- Fold in mix-ins: Gently fold in marshmallows and white chocolate chips, ensuring they’re evenly distributed without melting the marshmallows.
- Scoop cookies: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop 2-tablespoon-sized dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking; marshmallows should stay gooey.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Getting Soft, Thick Cookies Instead of Flat Ones
Three things decide whether these cookies come out thick and chewy or thin and crisp.
- **Use a ripe banana.** A fully ripe banana with brown spots gives the most sweetness and banana flavor. Measure the mashed banana rather than eyeballing it, because extra banana makes the dough wetter and the cookies flatter.
- **Chop the marshmallows.** Halves or quarters melt into soft pockets instead of disappearing into the dough and leaking onto the pan.
- **Don’t overbake.** Pull the trays when the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft. They finish setting on the sheet, and overbaked marshmallow turns hard and sticky.
If the dough feels too soft to scoop cleanly, a short rest in the fridge firms it up. Larger dough balls also keep the centers chewier, though they will need a little longer in the oven.
Swaps and Add-Ins
- **Milk or dark chocolate chips** in place of white chocolate give a richer, less sweet cookie.
- **Chopped pecans or walnuts** (½ cup) add crunch that contrasts with the soft center.
- **Banana instant pudding powder** can stand in for a small part of the flour to push the banana pudding flavor further. Expect a slightly softer, more tender crumb; it is not needed for the recipe as written.
- **Fresh mashed banana, not store-bought pudding.** Prepared pudding adds too much moisture and can make the dough too wet to bake properly.
Storing and Freezing the Cookies
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. A slice of bread in the container helps them hold moisture for 2–3 days.
To freeze, scoop the dough onto a tray and freeze until firm, then move the balls to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
More Banana Pudding Desserts and Soft Cookies
If you like the flavor in a spoonable form, try the Southern banana pudding with vanilla wafers. For another soft, sweet cookie with a dessert-inspired twist, see the peach cobbler cookies or the chewy almond paste cookies.
