1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

4. Incorporate Pudding Mix: Add the banana cream instant pudding mix and stir until fully combined.

5. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.

6. Fold in Mix-Ins: Gently fold in the crushed vanilla wafers and white chocolate chips, if using.

7. Scoop Dough: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

8. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly soft—that’s okay!

9. Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.