The first time I made banana pudding was for my sister's birthday. She didn't want cake; she wanted "that creamy dessert with cookies and bananas," and I've made it ever since.
It was one of those last-minute desserts I threw together with pantry staples, but the moment we tasted it, we all knew it was a keeper. Something about the layers, fluffy vanilla pudding, soft bananas, sweet wafers, just works. It's cozy and light at the same time.
Now it's a tradition. I always make it the night before so the flavors settle in and the cookies soften just right. No oven, no fuss, just chill and serve.
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⭐Why You'll Love This Banana Pudding
- You Can Make it Ahead: I love that this sets up overnight, so you don't have to fuss the day you serve it.
- No Baking Needed: Everything comes together on the stovetop and in the fridge, making it ideal for warm days.
🧾Banana Pudding Ingredients
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at a few of the ingredients and why I use them.
- Whole Milk + Condensed Milk: I warm these together first; it helps the pudding mix blend smoothly and gives the base that rich, sweet flavor we all love.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: I stick with instant pudding because it sets perfectly every time and brings that familiar banana pudding taste.
- Heavy Cream, Vanilla, and Icing Sugar: I whip this into a sweet, fluffy topping; some goes into the pudding, and the rest I save to spread on top.
- Bananas and Vanilla Wafers: I use ripe bananas that hold their shape and layer them between soft vanilla wafers that soak up the pudding like sponge cake.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Banana Pudding
You can find the complete printable Banana Pudding recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. In a small pan, heat milk and condensed milk over medium heat until it boils, then take it off the heat.
2. Whisk the vanilla pudding mix into the milk until smooth and lump-free.
3. Pour the vanilla pudding into a large bowl, cover it, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
4. In a bowl, whip heavy cream with icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
5. Take the pudding out of the fridge and gently fold in ⅔ of the whipped cream. Reserve the rest of the cream.
6. In a large bowl or dish, layer vanilla wafers on the bottom.
7. Spread the pudding mixture over the cookies.
8. Add another layer of cookies, then place a row upright against the dish with the flat sides facing out.
9. Top the cookies with a layer of banana slices and spread a layer of pudding over the banana slices.
10. Layer the ingredients until finished, ending with whipped cream on top.
11. Crush some vanilla wafers and sprinkle the crumbs on top for decoration.
12. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours (or overnight) to blend the flavors and soften the cookies.
📖Variations
- Chocolate Banana Pudding: Add a layer of chocolate pudding (just swap in instant chocolate pudding mix) between the vanilla pudding and banana layers. It creates a rich, chocolate-banana combo that's heavenly. For extra chocolatey goodness, sprinkle mini chocolate chips or drizzle melted chocolate on top.
- Caramel Banana Pudding: Drizzle caramel sauce between the vanilla pudding and banana layers. The buttery caramel complements the bananas perfectly. For a bit of crunch, add toasted pecans or crushed graham crackers.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Use a Trifle Dish if You Have One: I love building this pudding in a clear trifle bowl; it shows off the layers beautifully and makes it feel a little more special, even for casual dinners.
Build Layers without Pressing: I always spoon the pudding gently instead of smoothing or pressing it flat. It keeps the whipped texture light and helps the cookies soften evenly.
Leftovers Stay Good for 2 Days: I keep mine covered in the fridge and serve within 48 hours. After that, the bananas lose their color, but the flavor is still creamy and delicious.
🍌More Banana Recipes to Try!
If you love using bananas when you are cooking, then check out the following recipes for inspiration:
- Chocolate Banana Cake
- Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
- Banana and Quick Oat Cookies
- Cocoa Banana Cake
- Banana Bread
🍰More Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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Recipe
Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 200 ml Whole Milk
- 397 g Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 Can
- 144 g Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix - 1 Packet
- 720 ml Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoon Icing Sugar
- 3 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 425 g Vanilla Wafer Cookies - 1 Box
- 4 Large Bananas
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and sweetened condensed milk over medium heat until it starts to boil, then remove from the heat.
- Add the vanilla pudding mix to the hot milk mixture and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the pudding into a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set and firm.
- In a separate bowl, combine the heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Fold two-thirds of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding until fully combined. Keep the remaining whipped cream chilled for topping.
- Peel the bananas and slice into ½-inch thick rounds.
- Layer vanilla wafer cookies on the bottom of a large bowl or trifle dish.
- Spread a layer of pudding over the cookies.
- Add another layer of cookies, then place a row of cookies upright around the inner edge of the dish.
- Add a layer of banana slices over the cookies.
- Spread another layer of pudding over the bananas.
- Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of whipped cream on top.
- Crush a few vanilla wafers and sprinkle the crumbs over the top for decoration.
- Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
This nanner pudding is the perfect balance of sweet and creamy. The vanilla wafers add a lovely crunch, and the bananas are perfectly ripe. I'll definitely be making this again and again!