It's a good thing there isn't a Magnolia Bakery in my neighborhood — only because I simply cannot pass one without stopping in and picking up at least one container of their classic banana pudding.
Even if you've never tried their banana pudding (hint, hint: They ship nationwide), you're probably familiar with the bakery; the original West Village location was made even more famous after a Sex and the City cameo (it should be noted that Carrie and Miranda had cupcakes) and often features a line snaked around the block.
Given Magnolia Bakery's popularity, it was only a matter of time before they entered the consumer packaged goods game. And today, it's official: Magnolia Bakery is launching Banana Pudding Cookies inspired by their iconic dessert. Available in three flavors — Classic Vanilla With White Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Chunk and Confetti With White Chocolate Chips — you'll be able to stock up on these cookies at retailers throughout the United States (like Fresh Market and Harris Teeter), as well as on Amazon.
So how do they taste? The cookies have a soft, chewy texture and are made with real butter, bananas and chocolate, which gives them a rich sweetness (that's not too overpowering) and all the banana-y flavor you'd expect.
The Classic Vanilla, to no one's surprise, is most reminiscent of Magnolia Bakery's original banana pudding and is complemented by the caramelized, milky notes of the white chocolate; it was Social Media Content Creator Dominique Evans' favorite of the bunch and mine, too. The Chocolate Chunk cookies were the most banana-forward, according to taste testers around the Food52 office, while the Confetti had the most subtle flavor of banana. Although they're certainly not a one-to-one swap for the real thing, they're cookies I'd be happy to snack on any day, any time — and, should be noted, quickly disappeared once we put them out on the table for everyone to try.
