Yield: 28 - 30 cookies

Soft & Chewy Banana Split Pudding Cookies

Soft & Chewy Banana Split Pudding Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2ΒΌ cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 (3.4 oz.) box instant banana cream pudding mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. "ripe banana" flavoring*
  • 1 cup quality milk chocolate chips such as Ghirardelli
  • 1 cup quality white chocolate chips, (same as above)
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped peanuts or cashews, salted or unsalted
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweetened dried pineapple
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped dried, or freeze dried, strawberries
  • sea salt, to sprinkle lightly

For Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 Tbl. very soft butter
  • 5 Tbl. heavy cream

For "Toppings":

  • maraschino cherries, drained and halved or quartered
  • lightly toasted coconut, (about a 1/3 of a cup)
  • colored sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C).
  • Sift, or whisk well, the flour and baking soda, set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in instant pudding mix until blended. Mix in the eggs, vanilla and banana flavoring until combined, but not over mixed. Blend in the flour mixture.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips, nut and fruit mixture. *Fold in freeze dried strawberries last, adding as you fold.
  • Drop cookies by large rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (*The size of a large walnut.) Lightly press cookies flatter with palm of hand.
  • Lightly sprinkle tops with kosher or sea salt.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Edges should be lightly browned. Don't over bake.
  • Remove from baking sheet carefully to a rack to cool.
  • *They will look like they aren't done, but they will set up as they cool. (While cookies are cooling, set up toppings.)
  • When cooled, make glaze.
  • For Glaze:
  • In medium bowl, mix ingredients until smooth.
  • To Finish:
  • Dip tops of cookies into creamy glaze letting excess drip away, turn over onto cooling rack. Top with a piece of maraschino cherry in the center, then sprinkle with toasted coconut and colored sprinkles.
  • Chill to set glaze. Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for softer cookies, or in the fridge.

    • Notes

    I order my "Ripe Banana" flavoring online from Spice Barn, but you can use whatever brand you want. I just happen to like this one. It really does have a "ripe banana" flavor.