Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites
Boston cream pie cookie bites pack all the flavor of the classic American dessert into a neat little treat you can eat in two bites. A creamy vanilla custard filling is sandwiched between two Nilla Wafers, then finished with a smooth chocolate ganache on top. No oven, no cake layers, and no pastry cream to stir over the stove.
If you have ever craved Boston cream pie flavors but felt overwhelmed by the idea of building a whole cake, this is the shortcut for you. It is a no bake recipe built on two smart store bought shortcuts, and the batch comes together in about 30 minutes.
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Why you’ll love this recipe:
Classic Boston cream pie is a weekend project. These cookie bites are not. You get the same creamy custard and chocolate pairing in a handheld format that comes together in the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee.
Here is what makes them so easy to love.
- A mini version of a classic. These are a handheld, bite sized take on traditional Boston cream pie, so you get all the flavor without slicing a cake.
- Shortcut ingredients do the heavy lifting. Instant vanilla pudding mix and store bought vanilla wafers replace the sponge cake and the stovetop pastry cream, which keeps the recipe quick and simple to throw together.
- No oven needed. The whole thing is assembled, chilled, and served.
- Perfectly portioned. The batch makes 15 servings, which suits dinner parties, brunch tables, and bridal showers.
- They look far more impressive than they are. The piped filling and glossy chocolate top make them look like a bakery purchase.
Texture is a big part of the appeal. You get the snap of the vanilla wafer, the cool creamy filling, and the soft chocolate topping in one bite. That contrast is what makes them disappear so quickly at a party, and they hold their shape nicely on a platter.
It really is the elegance of Boston cream pie meeting the ease of a no bake cookie sandwich. If you enjoy the cake style version too, my Boston Cream Pie Bars bring these same flavors into a sliceable dessert.
Ingredients you’ll need:
You need six ingredients and a microwave. Nothing here is hard to find at a regular US grocery store.
- 1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 70 Nilla Wafers, divided
For equipment, grab mixing bowls, a rubber spatula, an electric mixer, piping bags or Ziploc bags, a baking sheet pan, and a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
The word divided matters in two places. Half of the heavy whipping cream gets whipped with the powdered sugar for the filling, and the rest goes into the chocolate topping. Half of the Nilla Wafers become the bottoms, and the other half become the tops.
| Ingredient | Amount | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla instant pudding mix | 1 (3.4 oz) box | Builds the creamy custard filling |
| Cold milk | 1 cup | Thickens the pudding in about 5 minutes |
| Heavy whipping cream | 1 cup, divided | Whips into the filling and melts into the ganache |
| Powdered sugar | 3 tbsp | Sweetens the whipped cream |
| Semi sweet chocolate chips | 1 cup | Becomes the glossy chocolate topping |
| Nilla Wafers | 70, divided | The cookie part of every sandwich |
Shopping is simple too. Most of the list is shelf stable, so you only need to grab the milk, the cream, and the pudding mix before you start.
A quick note on the name. Despite what it says on the menu, traditional Boston cream pie is actually a cake. It layers vanilla sponge cake, vanilla pastry cream, and a rich chocolate ganache topping.
It picked up the word pie back in the 1800s, when cakes were commonly baked in pie tins. This recipe flips the idea one more time and turns the whole thing into bite sized sandwich cookies.
How to make the best boston cream pie cookie bites:
Prep time is 30 minutes, and there is no cooking step at all. Here is the order of operations, start to finish.
- Make the pudding base. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the vanilla pudding mix with the cold milk, stirring to whisk out any lumps. Set it aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
- Whip the cream. In the meantime, combine 1/2 cup of the heavy whipping cream and 3 tbsp powdered sugar. Whip to stiff peaks, then fold the whipped cream into the thickened vanilla pudding.
- Bag the filling. Transfer the vanilla pudding mixture into a piping bag or Ziploc bag and set it in the fridge.
- Start the ganache. Pour the chocolate chips and the remaining heavy whipping cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds, or until the cream is hot but not boiling.
- Stir it smooth. Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer it to another piping bag or Ziploc bag and set it aside.
- Lay out the bases. Lay half of the Nilla Wafers, flat side facing up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Fill and sandwich. Cut off one end of the vanilla pudding bag, then squeeze a dollop of the pudding onto each vanilla wafer. Lightly press another Nilla Wafer on top to sandwich the filling.
- Top with chocolate. Cut off one end of the ganache bag and squeeze a dollop on top of each cookie sandwich. If you need to, go back in with a spoon to smooth out the surface.
- Chill or serve. Transfer the tray to the fridge to chill, or enjoy them immediately.
| Recipe detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
| Method | No bake assembly |
| Servings | 15 |
| Course | Dessert |
| Cuisine | American |
You can assemble the whole tray and leave the cookie bites in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.
On texture, the oven is skipped on purpose and vanilla wafers stand in for the cake. If you are worried that wafers will be too crisp to mimic Boston cream pie, give them a little time. The longer these cookie bites sit, the more the filling softens the wafers and turns them into something closer to a cake like texture.
Any leftover pudding filling will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep it in the piping bag and squeeze a little onto a crisp graham cracker whenever you want a quick treat.
This recipe is adapted from the original Boston cream pie cookie bites recipe at Dang That’s Sweet.
My top tips:
Use instant pudding, not cook and serve. Instant vanilla pudding mix thickens without any time on the stove. Once it meets the cold milk, it takes about 5 minutes to set on its own. Cook and serve pudding will not give you the same filling.
Shortcut the whipped cream if you like. To make things even easier, skip whipping the fresh cream and powdered sugar together and use 1 cup of thawed Cool Whip or another whipped topping instead. Feel free to take that shortcut on a busy weeknight.
| Filling option | What you do |
|---|---|
| Whipped cream version | Whip 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream with 3 tbsp powdered sugar to stiff peaks, then fold into the thickened pudding |
| Cool Whip shortcut | Skip the whipping step and fold in 1 cup of thawed Cool Whip or whipped topping |
Make the ganache in the microwave. Ganache is really just hot cream and chocolate. It is typically made on the stovetop, sometimes over a double boiler, but the microwave gets you there in a quick 45 seconds. The heavy cream and semi sweet chocolate chips go in together, and you stir until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
Do not chill the ganache. Cold ganache becomes too thick to pipe and spread over the sandwich cookies. Let it cool a little instead, just enough that it is not too runny when you spoon or pipe it on top.
Piping bags keep everything neat. Putting the pudding filling and the chocolate topping into piping bags or Ziploc bags helps you control how much goes onto each cookie bite. Piping bags are recommended but optional, and a spoon works perfectly well if that is what you have on hand.
Give yourself a piping station. Set both bags on a plate next to the lined tray before you start. Fill every wafer first, then go back and add the tops, then finish with the chocolate. Working in passes keeps the process tidy and fast.
Store them in the fridge. Leftover Boston cream pie cookie bites do need to be stored in the fridge, because the pudding and custard filling is perishable. They keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
The longer they are stored, the more the vanilla wafers soften and lose their crunch, so if you want a crisp texture, enjoy them within 1 day.
Plan around the crunch factor. These bites are crisp on day one and get softer and more cake like the longer they chill.
Serve them straight from the fridge on a platter or a cake stand so guests can help themselves.
If creamy no bake desserts are your thing, my No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie is another one worth keeping in rotation.
FAQs
What are Boston cream pie cookie bites?
They are no-bake, bite-sized sandwich cookies that recreate the flavors of classic Boston cream pie in a handheld form. Vanilla wafers stand in for the cake layers, a creamy vanilla pudding filling replaces the pastry cream, and each bite is finished with a smooth semi-sweet chocolate ganache. The recipe makes about 15 servings from 70 Nilla Wafers.
How do you make Boston cream pie cookie bites?
Whisk 1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix with 1 cup cold milk and let it thicken for 5 minutes. Whip 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream with 3 tbsp powdered sugar to stiff peaks, fold it into the pudding, then pipe the filling between vanilla wafers. Microwave 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream for about 45 seconds, stir until smooth, and spoon it over each sandwich. Prep and total time are both 30 minutes.
Can I use whipped topping instead of whipping the cream?
Yes. You can skip whipping the 1/2 cup heavy cream and 3 tbsp powdered sugar and fold 1 cup thawed whipped topping into the thickened pudding instead. The filling will be slightly softer and a little sweeter, but it still pipes neatly. Just be sure to use instant vanilla pudding, not cook-and-serve, since cook-and-serve has to be heated on the stove and will not set the same no-bake way.
How long do Boston cream pie cookie bites last, and can you freeze them?
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, since the pudding filling is perishable. They are crunchiest within 1 day, and the wafers soften into a more cake-like texture the longer they chill. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy filling can turn icy or watery after thawing. Any leftover pudding filling keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 15 people 1x
Description
Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites Boston cream pie cookie bites pack all the flavor of the classic American dessert into a neat little treat you can eat in two bites. A creamy vanilla custard filling is sandwiched between two Nilla Wafers, then finished with a smooth chocolate ganache on top.
Ingredients
1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup cold milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
70 Nilla Wafers, divided
Instructions
1-In a medium mixing bowl, combine vanilla: In a medium mixing bowl, combine vanilla pudding mix with cold milk, stirring to whisk out any lumps. Set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
2-In the meantime, combine ½ cup heavy: In the meantime, combine ½ cup heavy whipping cream and 3 tbsp powdered sugar. Whip to form stiff peaks, then fold the whipped cream into the thickened vanilla pudding.
3-Transfer the vanilla pudding mixture into a: Transfer the vanilla pudding mixture into a piping bag or Ziploc bag and set in the fridge.
4-Pour chocolate chips and the remaining heavy: Pour chocolate chips and the remaining heavy whipping cream into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds or until the cream is hot but not boiling.
5-Stir with a rubber spatula until the: Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer to another piping bag or Ziploc bag and set aside.
6-Lay half of the nilla wafers (flat: Lay half of the nilla wafers (flat side facing up) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
7-Cut off one end of the vanilla: Cut off one end of the vanilla pudding bag, then squeeze a dollop of the nilla pudding onto each vanilla wafer. Lightly press another nilla wafer on top to sandwich the filling.
8-Cut off one end of the ganache: Cut off one end of the ganache bag and squeeze a dollop on top of each cookie sandwich. If needed, go back in with a spoon to smooth out the surface.
9-Transfer to the fridge to chill or: Transfer to the fridge to chill or enjoy immediately!
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Method: no_cook
Keywords: Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites, boston cream pie cookies, mini boston cream pies, nilla wafer boston cream pies