These hand-held Boston Cream Pie Cookies are a real treat! With a deliciously soft vanilla cookie crust topped with vanilla cream filling and rich chocolate ganache, there is perfection in every bite!
Boston Cream Pie Cookies are super cute mini pie cookie versions of the classic dessert cake.
A Boston Cream Pie isn't actually a pie at all. It's a yellow sandwich cake with pastry cream in the middle and chocolate ganache on top. It's delicious and decadent, but can also be tricky to get just right.
With a vanilla sugar cookie base, a sweet vanilla filling, and a chocolate glaze on top, these cookies are filled with warm and decadent flavors, and they're super easy to make!
Instead of vanilla pastry cream, we'll be using an instant vanilla pudding mix, and let me tell you - it's genius!
It saves time, and money, and still tastes so delicious! I find that the vanilla pudding sets better on the cookies too, so it's ideal for these little hand-held treats!
These cookies are ready in less than 25 minutes, so they're perfect for last-minute baking for special occasions or birthday parties.
For more super cute pie cookies, check out my Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies, my Eggnog Pie Cookies, and my Chocolate Peppermint Pie Cookies!
Shopping List
For a full list of ingredients with measurements see recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Vanilla Extract, Egg, Vegetable Oil, Milk, Cool Whip, Heavy Cream
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar, Vanilla Pudding
Chocolate. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Bar (chopped)
How to Make Boston Cream Pie Cookies
Cookie Bases
Preheat oven to 350 F Degrees, and make sure your ingredients are near to room temperature before you begin.
In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, or using the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, cream together softened Butter and Granulated Sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Egg and Vanilla Extract to the butter mixture and continue to mix together.
Drizzle Vegetable Oil into the butter mixture and add the Powdered Sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to include all ingredients. Cream until fully combined and fluffy.
Combine Flour, Baking Soda, and Cream of Tarter. Combine with butter mixture - do not overmix.
Using a Medium #50 Cookie Scoop place 1 scoop of cookie dough in each muffin top well. Add a small cookie scoop worth of cookie dough on top (Small size #60) or just eyeball a smaller scoop.
I love my Muffin Top Pan found on Amazon or from other bakeware stores. But you can also make these by pressing cookie dough on a traditional cookie sheet. They will just look a little different.
Using the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup that has been dipped in sugar, press the mound of cookie dough down flat. The edges will crackle and create a well in each cookie. The sugar on the bottom of the glass helps to prevent the glass from sticking.
Bake Cookies in a preheated 350 Degree Oven for 8-10 minutes. Edges of coolies will be set.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Cream Filling
In a medium bowl combine Vanilla Pudding and milk. Whisk to combine. The mixture will be thick.
Carefully cold in Cool Whip and mix until combined.
Scoop the vanilla filling into a pastry bag or a piping bag with a large tip. Pipe the vanilla filling starting from the center of each cookie, in a swirl, working your way towards the edges of the cookie so the well is filled. The mixture will settle slightly to be smoother on top.
Alternatively, scoop 2 tablespoons of filling inside each cookie with a spoon and spread it out to the edge.
Chocolate Ganache
Melt Semi Sweet Chocolate chips with Heavy Whipping Cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture and heat for an additional 30 seconds.
Stir again to fully combine the mixture. If additional time is needed, heat in 15-second increments, stirring in between until smooth.
You can make the ganache in a medium saucepan on the stovetop on medium heat if you prefer. The trick is to continuously stir it and to heat it gradually to not curdle the mixture.
Top each pie with a tablespoon of Chocolate Ganache.
Store the finished Boston Cream Pie cookies in a single layer in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
FAQs
Boston Cream Pie is traditionally filled with a vanilla pastry cream filling that is similar to a custard filling or pudding. Made with milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract, it is stabilized with cornstarch. Using Instant Vanilla Pudding Mixture is a quick and easy substitute for these cookies that gives you a similar flavor and texture to pastry cream, without the fuss!
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 7 days. Cookies are best if enjoyed within 2-3 days.
The vanilla pudding and ganache topping may not freeze very well due to its dairy content, but you can freeze the cookie bases, either before or after baking them.
Cookie dough bases: To store unbaked cookie dough bases, place the tray of flattened cookie dough cookies in the freezer for 30 minutes before storing and freezing. Once frozen, take them out of the pan and place a piece of parchment paper between each cookie and store them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Put in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost before baking, then top with the vanilla filling and ganache as normal.
Baked cookie bases: Store in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag with pieces of parchment paper between each cookie base. Freeze for up to 3 months, and defrost before topping with the pudding and ganache.
Substitutions & Variations
- Mini cookies. You can use a mini muffin pan to make Mini Boston Cream Pie Cookie Cups! Simply add just one scoop of cookie dough to the cups in a mini muffin pan, and use a smaller glass cylinder like a hot sauce bottle, to flatten the cookies and make a well. Adjust the cooking time as necessary. Add just one tablespoon of the pudding on top and only a teaspoon of ganache on top.
- Pastry cream. You can use pastry cream for the vanilla filling if you prefer. If you do this, the cookies will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Chocolate frosting. Use my Chocolate Frosting on top instead of chocolate ganache. The overall flavor will be different, but it is a good alternative if you prefer it.
- Topping. Top these cookies with powdered sugar, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts for a bit of a different texture.
Pro Tips
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time here are some pro tips.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for baking. I have used a medium cookie scoop in these photos.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
Baking Time.
Every oven heats a little differently. I recommend doing a test batch of 1-3 cookies to test the baking time for a perfectly baked cookie before baking the remaining dough.
Cookies.
Cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are set and the centers are no longer glossy.
Cooling Rack.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring and it's a life saver when it comes to consistent baking
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least 2 cooling racks
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take 2 batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or ZipLoc Bags work great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with silicone spatula are all helpful
Have you tried these Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites?
Let me know what you thought of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Root Beer Cookies
- Salted Caramel Bars
- Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Mrs Fields Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Swig Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Swig Cookies with Ganache
- Oreo Stuffed Cookies
Boston Cream Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup Butter Softened
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- 1 Egg Large
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar 65g
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour 240g
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
Vanilla Cream
- 1 Pudding 3.4 ounce Vanilla Instant Pudding
- 1 cup Milk
- 4 ounces Cool Whip
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 ½ cups Semi Sweet Chocolate
- ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Instructions
Cookie Bases
- Preheat oven to 350 F Degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, or using a stand mixer on medium speed, cream Butter and Granulated Sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Egg and Vanilla Extract to the butter mixture and continue to mix together.
- Drizzle Vegetable Oil into the butter mixture and add the Powdered Sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to include all ingredients. Cream until fully combined and fluffy.
- Combine Flour, Baking Soda, and Cream of Tarter. Combine with butter mixture - do not overmix.
- Using a Medium #50 Cookie Scoop place 1 scoop of cookie dough in each muffin top well. Add a second smaller scoop of cookie dough on top (Small size #60) or just eyeball a smaller scoop.
- Using the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup that has been dipped in sugar, press the cookies dough down flat. The edges will crackle and create a well in each cookie. The sugar on the bottom of the glass helps to prevent the glass from sticking.
- Bake Cookies in a preheated 350 Degree Oven for 8-10 minutes. Edges of coolies will be set.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Cream Filling
- In a medium bowl combine Vanilla Pudding and milk. Whisk to combine. Mixture will be thick
- Carefully cold in Cool Whip and mix until combine
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling inside each cookie and spread to the edge.
Chocolate Ganache
- Melt Semi Sweet Chocolate chips with Heavy Whipping Cream in Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir mixture and heat for an additional 30 seconds.
- Stir mixture. If additional time is needed heat for 15 seconds and then stir until smooth.
- Top each pie with a tablespoon of Chocolate Ganache.
- Store Cookie Pies in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Christine
This looks really good
Blake Wachter
OH MY! I LOVE BOSTOM CREAM PIE ! So this cookie recipe stopped my in my tracks for a must try this weekend! I will post how it turns out! This sounds and looks so AMAZING. Thank you!
Rebecca Johnston
This cookie is a real treat! I hope you love it!
Grace
A favorite cookie pie recipe. Having an individual single serve dessert is fantastic. I love the vanilla cream filling with a rich chocolate ganache. Perfect cookie for me.
Darcie
Do you have to use a muffin top pan for this or is there another way to achieve the same without a special pan?
Rebecca Johnston
You can make a flat cookie by pressing the cooking flat. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar works well. Then placing the filling on top of the cookie. The presentation will be a little different but will work.