How Premade Cookie Dough And Jell-O Mix Combine To Make Adorable Mini Banana Pudding Cups

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Getting creative with convenience foods is one of the tastiest ways to discover easy-to-make, deliciously impressive party-worthy desserts. One such recipe combines the goodness of banana instant pudding mix and premixed sugar cookie dough to create a cute mini dessert. We already know that instant Jell-O is the key to stabilizing your frosting and the secret ingredient to upgrading no-bake cheesecake, but it's also the perfect filling for cookie cups.

This combines the classic flavors of two beloved old-school desserts while simultaneously elevating them with a touch of elegance. Sugar cookies are cakey, soft, and sweet while banana pudding is fruity and silky. Together, the experience is similar to enjoying a creme puff infused with nostalgia. The best part is that making these cups doesn't take any special skills. Simply make the instant pudding according to package instructions, and scoop cookie dough balls into a mini muffin tin.

The most delicate part of the process is shaping the cookie cups after they've been baked. While they're still warm and soft, use the small end of a wooden tart tamper, such as from the Kvmorze Tart Tamper Set, or the clean handle of a wooden spoon to press down the center of each muffin-shaped cookie. Work slowly and gently to avoid smashing or tearing through the soft cookies. They stabilize into a cup shape as they cool, making them sturdy enough to hold pudding and garnishes, such as a banana slice and a Nilla wafer.

Besides freshly sliced banana and Nilla wafers, decorate these cookie cups with a dollop of whipped cream, a dusting of coconut flakes, or mini white chocolate chips. Garnishes are technically optional, but these additions add visual interest as well as flavor, so it's best not to skip them. It's also a good idea to choose a high-quality brand of cookie dough since the ingredients are simple, and their flavor prominently affects the success of your dessert.

You're also not limited to the combination of sugar cookie dough and banana pudding. Various flavors of both items are readily available in most grocery stores, meaning you can make this dessert on repeat without repeating flavors. Chocolate chip cookie dough filled with chocolate fudge pudding works for any occasion. Garnish with maraschino cherries or a little cinnamon whipped cream to add a little complexity to the flavors and textures.

A tasty seasonal option is pumpkin spice pudding inside snickerdoodle cups dotted with candy corn or butterscotch chips. White chocolate or vanilla pudding is a delicious winter treat inside chocolate chip cups topped with crushed candy canes or Andes mints. Sugar cookie cups are a delicious spring or summertime treat filled with lemon or cheesecake instant pudding covered with berry preserves and a mint leaf, or a spoon of lemon curd and edible glitter.