Banana Pudding Cookies
The first time I tried banana pudding, it was from the well-loved Magnolia Bakery in Grand Central Station. I remember popping the lid off of the little container, digging my spoon in, and immediately understanding its appeal after the first bite. The combination of perfectly sweetened pudding, slices of banana, and layers of softened Nilla wafers was magical. Regardless of who makes your favorite banana pudding, this recipe encompasses the magic of that first bite all in one easy-to-make cookie.
Many recipes for banana cookies include both a whole egg and a whole mashed banana, yielding very cakey, almost muffin top-like cookies. But replacing the eggs completely can sometime yield a cookie that dries out quickly because of a lack of fat. In this recipe, I use one banana and one egg yolk. The banana replaces a whole egg, while also deeply flavoring the cookies, and an egg yolk is added to supplement the fat. The result is a perfectly textured cookie — ever-so-slightly crisp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside — that brings a little magic to any occasion.
Key Ingredients in Banana Pudding Cookies
Banana pudding cookies taste of banana and vanilla, just like banana pudding. Whereas some recipes opt for the extra work of topping the cookies with more pudding or whipped cream, I pack all the flavor right into the dough, thanks to the help of a ripe banana, instant vanilla pudding mix, crushed Nilla wafers, and white chocolate chips!
- Banana: One large ripe banana is mashed and creamed with the butter and sugar, yielding a cookie that’s chock-full of banana flavor.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: This boxed mix goes straight into the dough, lacing the cookies with a soft, sweet vanilla flavor that accents the banana perfectly. It also helps to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Nilla wafers: The crumbled cookies provide texture. Any wafers exposed on the surface of the cookie get toasty and crisp when baked, while the bits fully mixed into the dough meld into the cookie, contributing to the soft texture.
- White chocolate chips: The little morsels round everything out, providing a milkiness reminiscent of the creamy base of banana pudding.