If you could only eat one dessert the rest of your life, what would it be?
If you’re anything like me you’re wondering, does cookies ‘n cream ice cream topped with funfetti cake, pumpkin pie (+cool whip), chocolate chip cookies, and strawberry shortcake count as one dessert if I fit it all in one bowl? 
My real answer would actually be… banana pudding! Might seem strange, but hear me out…
I probably went my first 23 years or so of life without banana pudding. But when I worked in NYC a few years ago, I walked down to Magnolia Bakery one night after work to get one of their famous cupcakes. When I got there, the banana pudding caught my eye and before I knew it, I ate an entire container of pudding (and 1 1/2 cupcakes) for dinner.
Surprisingly, the sugar coma that followed didn’t make me loathe banana pudding… it made me love it even more! Rich vanilla custard-like pudding mixed with chunks of banana and soft vanilla wafer pieces… it doesn’t get much better.
Now, whenever I’m in NYC, I always get banana pudding from Magnolia. And I’ve even made some at-home versions. And just recently, I took it even further and transformed my favorite dessert into a cookie… banana pudding cookies!
These super-soft vanilla cookies have pieces of banana and wafer cookie in every bite. They really are banana pudding in cookie form, which makes me think… maybe I should make a big batch of banana pudding and stir the cookies right in! :)
Banana pudding in cookie form — a soft vanilla cookie with banana and vanilla wafer pieces throughout. If you don’t have vanilla wafers, you can substitute graham cracker pieces. Makes 3 dozen cookies Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes per cookie sheet Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugars, and pudding mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until blended. Stir in the banana and vanilla wafers. Drop the cookie dough by rounded tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on the cookie sheets 5 minutes before removing to cool completely.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
those look amazing! I loooove the banana pudding at Magnolia (and Buttercup Bakeshop too). I could eat it by the bucket. I have the Magnolia Bakery cookbook with the recipe, but definitely don’t think I could do it justice!
I have seen copy cat recipes for Magnolia’s pudding on the Internet. Part of me wonders if anyone will ever get it to be as good as the real thing! I’ve had the pudding once from Buttercup, too – good stuff!
These would make a fab change from Banana Muffins and Banana Cakes. Loving it.
Mmm, banana cakes sound wonderful!
Great idea! Makes me miss my dad and NYC! Banana Pudding was my dad’s FAVORITE dessert and my dad was my FAVORITE person! I hope to try your cookie recipe soon
Sounds like your dad and I would have gotten along well
Let me know if you try the cookies!
What a great idea! I too luv banana pudding!
I still need to jump on the pudding cookie bandwagon. It looks like it makes them so soft and chewy!
Yes, you need to hop aboard the pudding cookie train – it’s a crazy soft ride
These look so amazingly good. I love the idea of stirring them into pudding too!!
these cookies sound delicious Liz! i like to crush graham crackers up into my pudding and banana flavored is my favorite. creative recipe!
I love banana flavor in baked goods! And I’ve never seen a banana pudding cookie before…but it sounds fantastic!
I’ve never seen bananas used to make cookies before. These look amazing!
banana pudding is my fave too! i HAVE to try these!
I think I will put whipped cream in between them to make sandwiches and freeze them… ~MP~
Do you prepare the vanilla pudding first or pour the dry mix in? Sounds great!!! (:
Just add the dry mix right in!