Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding

An old-fashioned favorite gets a new twist! Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding swaps vanilla wafers for peanut butter sandwich cookies.

Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding

There’s a sense of normalcy easing its way back into our lives. We’re having family dinners again, and summer weather means potlucks and picnics won’t be far behind. I’m so eager to share this new banana pudding recipe with my friends and family. It’s just like regular scratch-made banana pudding, but with a peanut butter surprise!

First, you’ll start with a good scratch-made vanilla pudding. Homemade vanilla pudding is so simple that it’s best to use high quality ingredients. It should taste of cream and vanilla, and never overtly of cornstarch. I always finish my batch of vanilla pudding with at least two tablespoons of butter, which adds homemade flavor.

After the pudding cools, layer it in the bottom of a trifle dish, 2 quart dish or bowl. Next, on goes a layer of sliced bananas. I like to line a few around the edge of the dish so it looks pretty.

Peanut butter love!

Now, for the best part: peanut butter sandwich cookies. If you plan to eat your banana pudding right away, give the cookies a quick dunk in milk. This helps them to soften faster. Otherwise, it takes a good 24 hours for the crisp sandwich cookies to soften in the pudding.

Use any peanut butter sandwich cookie you like! These are Mother’s brand Peanut Butter Gauchos, or use Nutter Butters, which are available nearly everywhere.

The texture of the cookies soften and leave pockets of peanut butter filling throughout the pudding. It’s so dreamy! We couldn’t stay out of this bowl.

Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding

Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding might just replace this recipe as my picnic fave – but who am I kidding? I’ll probably make both, especially if any kiddos show up. They love those little pouches of pudding.

Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding

Add a few chopped salty peanuts on top, and some more crushed cookies – now you’re in business!

We first enjoyed this last Monday on Memorial Day, but it would be wonderful for a July Fourth cookout. I’ll make it throughout the summer and probably even into November! It’s that good!

Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding

Heather Baird
An old-fashioned favorite gets a new twist! Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding swaps vanilla wafers for peanut butter sandwich cookies.
If you plan to eat the pudding right away, use my cookie dunking method to speed the softening of the peanut butter cookies. Otherwise cookies will naturally soften over 24 hours, however the pudding will be well-chilled at 6 hours – serve at your discretion.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
30 minutes cooling time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 2 to 2 1/2 quart baking dish or trifle bowl

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large bananas
  • 1 package, approx. 15 oz. peanut butter sandwich cookies such as Gauchos or Nutter Butter
  • 1 cup milk for dunking cookies optional
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts chopped

Instructions
 

  • Mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk the remaining 2 3/4 cups milk, salt, and sugar together. When the mixture is barely warm whisk in the egg yolks. Whisk constantly until the mixture steams. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles slightly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish to speed cooling. Cool 20 minutes then cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
  • Chop bananas into 1/4-inch rounds. Set aside 3 peanut butter cookies for garnish.
  • Layer pudding in the bottom of a 2 to 2 1/2-quart bowl or trifle dish. Top with half of the bananas. Add a layer of peanut butter cookies. (Dunk each cookie quickly in the 1 cup of milk if you plan to enjoy the pudding right away. Otherwise, it takes about 24 hours for the cookies to soften on their own in the pudding.) Repeat layering – these don’t have to be perfectly even. Just do the best you can.
  • For the whipped topping, beat the heavy cream on medium-high until slightly thickened. Add the powdered sugar gradually. Beat to stiff peaks. Top the layered pudding with the whipped cream.
  • Garnish the pudding with two of the reserved cookies. Crush the remaining cookie and sprinkle the crumbs on top. Sprinkle on the salted chopped peanuts.
  • Enjoy immediately or chill for 6 hours before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Keyword fresh bananas, homemade vanilla pudding, peanut butter sandwich cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Penny Thomas
Penny Thomas
2 years ago

Can’t wait to try this! Banana pudding is a favorite of mine!

Susan Poolarea
2 years ago

5 stars
Yum!! And now that song is stuck in my head LOL