Name: Chunky Monkey Pudding Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 1 cup salted butter (224g, softened); ¾ cup light brown sugar (packed); ¼ cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 additional large egg yolk; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour (338g); 1 (3.4 oz.) box Instant Banana Cream Pudding (96g, unprepared); 2 tablespoons malted milk powder (22g, or powdered milk or coffee creamer); 1 teaspoon baking powder (4g); 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g); ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 cup chopped walnuts (123g); 8 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate (227g, chopped, divided)

These Chunky Monkey Cookies are tender and delicious bakery-style cookies inspired by the famous Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and loaded with banana flavor, chocolate chunks, and chopped walnuts! Ready in under 30 minutes!

Close up photo of Chunky Monkey Pudding Cookies on a board.

These Chunky Monkey Cookies are the baked treat version of your favorite Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream flavor! Made with instant banana cream pudding, crunchy walnuts, and dark chocolate chunks to create the same flavor you lick off of your spoon!

If you’ve been around here for long, then you know my love for this Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream flavor runs deep! Deep enough that I even have a Chunky Monkey Cupcakes recipe as well that’s also made with chocolate chunks and walnuts.

So, whether you taste the chunky monkey flavor in these cupcakes or in these big and soft cookies, it’ll certainly be a flavor you reach for over and over again!

Recipe Details For These Yummy Chunky Monkey Cookies

Taste: For these cookies to mirror the iconic taste of Chunk Monkey Ice Cream, they’re filled with sweet banana flavor, crunchy walnuts, and chocolate chunks! A tasty cookie that has a bit of a banana bread-like flavor that both kids and adults will love!

Texture: Since this recipe is made with instant pudding mix, you can count on them being soft and chewy! These cookies also have a light, crisp shell that gives them a satisfying slight crunch with each bite.

Overhead photo of Chunky Monkey Cookies on a wooden board.

Ingredients For Chunky Monkey Cookies

Salted Butter
Light Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Large Eggs
Vanilla Extract
All-Purpose Flour
Instant Banana Cream Pudding
Malted Milk Powder
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt
Chopped Walnuts
Bittersweet Dark Chocolate

Pin This Recipe For Later!

As you can see, the bulk of this Chunky Monkey Cookie Recipe comes together with pantry staple ingredients. However, one that you may not have on hand is the malted milk powder.

Malted milk powder can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store. This ingredient isn’t necessary for the structure of the cookie; however, it does add a stand-out depth of flavor to them that helps to make them unforgettably delicious!

The next ingredient you may need to grab is the instant banana cream pudding (affiliate link)! When grabbing a box, be sure only to get instant and not cook & serve, as the two are different, and cook & serve won’t work in this recipe.

Key ingredients to make chunky monkey pudding cookies on a table.

Step-By-Step Instructions To Make Chunky Monkey Cookies

Step 1: Cream the salted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer on medium-high speed.

Butter and sugar that's been creamed in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 2: Add one egg at a time, mixing after each addition. Afterward, add in pure vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

Butter, eggs, sugar, mixed to make cookie dough in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, add all-purpose flour, instant banana cream pudding, malted milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly.

Flour, pudding mix, and malted milk powder in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 4: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time and mix the dough until combined.

Base cookie dough mixture in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 5: Stir in the bittersweet dark chocolate and chopped walnuts. You’ll also want to reserve some or set some extra aside to press into the top of the dough for a bakery-style finish.

Walnut and chopped chocolate being added to a stand mixer bowl filled with cookie dough.

Step 6: Portion out the dough onto a prepared baking sheet using a #10 cookie scoop (affiliate link). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, and then allow the cookies to cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Scoops of chunky monkey cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Serving Chunky Monkey Cookies

Feel free to enjoy these cookies as a grab-and-go treat! But if you have the extra time, I’d suggest popping a cookie in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm it up and enjoy it with an ice-cold glass of milk!

Learning How To Freeze Cookie Dough is the perfect way to enjoy warm, freshly baked cookies anytime the desire for one hits! Even if it’s at 10 pm since there’s no measuring or kitchen mess to clean up afterward!

To freeze these Chunky Monkey cookies to enjoy later, simply follow the recipe right up until baking. Then instead of sliding the baking sheet of portioned dough into the oven, put it in the freezer instead.

Once the portioned dough is frozen, pop them into an airtight container or a Ziploc bag with the excess air squeezed out of it. Store the frozen dough for up to 3 months.

Storing Chunky Monkey Cookies

Store these homemade cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also store these baked cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Chunky Monkey Cookies on a table with chocolate, walnuts, and banana around it.

Substitutions And Variations

Butter – Though this recipe calls for salted butter, you can replace it with unsalted butter if you have that on hand. To make this substitution, you’ll need to add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.

Malted Milk Powder – This can be swapped out for powdered milk or coffee creamer if needed.

Bittersweet Dark Chocolate – I prefer chopping up a dark chocolate bar when baking these cookies to give them their chocolate chunk effect. However, if you prefer, you can use dark chocolate chips instead. Though for a sweeter cookie, you can also make these with semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips if you’d like.

Banana Flavoring – To increase the banana flavor in these cookies, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of banana emulsion to the dough.

Chunky Monkey Cookies FAQs

What Are Chunky Monkey Cookies?

These Chunky Monkey cookies are treats that are made to resemble the popular Ben & Jerry’s chunky monkey ice cream. Both desserts have a banana flavor foundation that’s loaded with chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts.

How Come My Cookies Came Out Crunchy?

Hard, crunchy cookies typically happen from overbaking. Make sure to pull these cookies out between the 10 and 12-minute mark. Once the edges become golden and look slightly crisp, go ahead and take them out, as their centers will firm up upon cooling.

Why Are Some Ingredients Shown With Weighed Measurements?

Weighing ingredients is the most accurate method of measuring and baking up perfect cookies! Therefore, weights are provided in case you’d like to prepare this cookie recipe that way.

If weighing out every ingredient doesn’t appeal to you, then I’d highly suggest at least weighing out your flour. Learning How To Measure Flour correctly will ensure your cookies don’t come out dry and crumbly!

A woman's hand holding a broken in half chunky monkey cookies to show the inside texture.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Perfectly chewy cookies that have a deep, nutty flavor with a dipped chocolate bottom!
Chocolate Caramel Cookies – A gourmet bakery-style treat that’s stuffed with caramel candy and topped with mini chocolate chips!
Butter Pecan Cookies – Big buttery rich cookies studded with crunchy pecans, toffee bits, and butterscotch chips!
Compost Cookies – Inspired by the Popular Milk Bar recipe, these cookies are loaded with coffee grounds, potato chips, oatmeal, chocolate, and pretzels!
Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies – Soft and chewy cookies that are made with Oreos and pantry staple ingredients!

Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!

This recipe was originally published in June 2014 and was updated in April 2023 with fresh content, photos, and an improved recipe.

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Chunky Monkey Pudding Cookies