These cookies are like the comfort of banana pudding, baked into something you can hold in your hand. Sweet, soft, and full of creamy white chocolate chips, they’re made for sharing… or not.

A full plate of banana pudding cookies topped with white chocolate chips from above on a counter next to a wire cooling rack with more cookies.

Table of Contents

Why We Love Banana Pudding Cookies

Soft, Chewy Cookie – I am a big fan of cookies that have that perfect chewy but soft bite. These cookies with their creamy white chocolate chips don’t disappoint, they have chewy texture while still being soft cookies.
Big Banana Pudding Flavor– These cookies are packed with that classic banana pudding taste: sweet, smooth, and just the right amount of nostalgic. The instant banana pudding mix gives them that unmistakable flavor in every bite, all wrapped up in a buttery cookie that feels like dessert and comfort food rolled into one. We also like making other flavor variations like the classic chocolate chip pudding cookies, the pistachio pudding cookies and Santa’s favorite loaded cookie because the taste and texture of this style cookie is just so tasty.
So Simple, Even Kids Can Help – This recipe is one of our go-to’s when we want something easy and fun to bake together. No fancy equipment, no complicated steps—just scoop, bake, and enjoy. It’s perfect for baking with kids or when you just want a quick win.
Soft, Chewy, and Loaded with White Chocolate – These cookies strike that perfect balance. They’re chewy in the center, soft around the edges, and dotted with creamy white chocolate chips that melt into every bite. If you’re a soft-cookie person, this one’s for you.

Love cookies? Try my soft lemon sugar cookies, classic chewy snickerdoodles, gooey strawberry white chocolate chip cookies or these showstopping peanut butter Reese’s Pieces cookies!

Ingredients For Banana Pudding Cookies

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

unsalted butter softened, 2 sticks
brown sugar
white sugar
eggs
vanilla extract
banana instant pudding mix must be instant, and you only need the dry pudding mix.
flour – all purpose flour
baking soda
salt
white chocolate chips– plus extra for decorating

The chocolate chip pudding cookies are so gooey, and go great on a platter with these banana pudding cookies. Or try the strawberry white chocolate cookies with real bits of strawberry. Or Snickerdoodles also go great with these cookies.

How To Make Banana Pudding Cookies

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar with an electric mixer or hand mixer until well mixed and fluffy.
Add two eggs, the extra egg yolk, vanilla extract to the large bowl and mix until combined. Pour in the banana instant pudding and mix until fully mixed in.

Butter and sugar creamed together in a large bowl from overhead with vanilla and eggs in bowls on the counter nearby.

In a separate bowl add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix to combine. Add this dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix with an electric mixer until a dough forms.

Wet ingredients mixed in a bowl with dry ingredients and white chocolate chips in a second bowl nearby to be mixed from above.

Fold in the white chocolate chips and mix into the dough. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
With a medium cookie scoop. portion the dough into two tablespoon dough balls. Leave two inches between cookies when placing on the prepared cookie sheet. Top each cookie dough ball with several extra chocolate chips for a prettier finished cookie.

Cookie dough being scooped into balls with a metal scoop and added to a pan close up.

Cookie dough balls topped with extra white chocolate chips spaced on a baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until they set at the edges and lightly golden brown on top. You don’t want to overcook these, it’s better to underbake in the middle slightly.
Let the cookies cool for 2-3 minutes on the pan, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Enjoy!

Banana pudding cookies topped with white chocolate chips on a wire cooling rack on a counter from above.

What Is Traditional Banana Pudding?

Banana pudding is often found in the south, and usually is a banana cream pudding or vanilla pudding, a layer of crunchy vanilla wafer cookies like Nilla Wafers (a shortbread cookie can also be used,) and fresh banana slices and sometimes topped with whipped cream.

It’s usually served more like a parfait or a trifle layered in a clear cup or bowl. Learn a little more about how banana pudding became popular in the south here.

Both Paula Dean and the infamous Magnolia Bakery are both known for their banana pudding. I had my first taste of banana pudding when I was living in Georgia, and southerners don’t mess around! The taste of these cookies take me back under the magnolia trees, and if you are a fan of this classic dessert you will love these cookies. Try this banana pudding poke cake for another great twist on banana pudding,

Variation Ideas

Add Chopped Nilla Wafers Or Chessman cookies– Banana pudding in the south typically has some kind of vanilla crunchy cookie with it, either Nilla Wafers or Chessman cookies if you are making Paula Dean’s version. You can chop up a 1/2 cup and add it to the batter when you add the chocolate chips if you prefer the added crunch. I think the cookie base has enough buttery flavor as they are, but they are delicious both ways.
Make Into Ice Cream Sandwiches– Layer some vanilla ice cream, cool whip or whipped cream between the cookies and freeze for the best banana pudding ice cream sandwiches you have ever had! I pop them back in the freezer to harden up a little before enjoying.
Sprinkle Pecans– Now I know adding nuts to banana pudding isn’t traditional, but if ever there was a nut to add it would be pecans, yum!

Stacked banana pudding cookies from the side topped with white chocolate chips with a bite missing from the top cookie.

How Long Will Banana Pudding Cookies Last?

Store any extra cookies in an airtight container on the counter. They will last 4-5 days but expect them to taste their best within 3 days of baking them.

Can I Freeze The Cookie Dough?

Yes this banana pudding cookie dough freezes beautifully. I recommend portioning the cookie dough into dough balls with a cookie scoop. Then freeze the dough balls on a pan and bake the cookie dough balls from frozen. You can then place the dough balls in a freezer zip-top bag or other freezer-safe container.

Frozen cookie dough will need an extra minute or two in the oven compared to unfrozen dough.

Alternatively, you could freeze the cookie dough into long logs and wrap in saran wrap and aluminum foil.

The cookie dough will taste best if used within 2-3 months.