This silky, sweet, and easy Banana Pudding recipe will transport you back to childhood with layers of fresh bananas, pudding, and classic vanilla wafer cookies. The rich and creamy combination of whole milk and sweetened condensed milk creates the most incredible pudding texture. The pudding is then folded with fresh whipped cream for a fluffy layer that is simply divine.
This no-bake dessert is perfect for making without using the oven on hot days, and the timeless flavors are sure to become one of your family’s favorites. Using a trifle bowl also shows off the banana and cookie layers and makes this recipe centerpiece-worthy! For more banana dessert recipes, try my banoffee pie, banana cupcakes, or banana cream pie recipe.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Bananas – ripe bananas that are firm with no green and a few brown spots will be sweet and easy to slice. Aim for bananas that are sweet to taste but aren’t overly ripe like the ones you would use to make banana bread.
Vanilla pudding – instant pudding mix keeps this no-bake recipe quick and easy! You can also use homemade pudding if you prefer. See my notes below for my favorite homemade pudding recipe.
Sweetened condensed milk – this ingredient adds sweetness and a decadent creaminess to the pudding layer, making it perfectly spreadable and delicious.
Vanilla wafer cookies – it’s traditional to make banana pudding with vanilla wafers. They soften perfectly as the pudding is refrigerated, but you can substitute your favorite type of shortbread cookie or use Chessman cookies in place of the vanilla wafers if desired.
How To Make Banana Pudding
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk and sweetened condensed milk. Add the vanilla pudding and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 5 minutes or until set.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 2 cups of the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold the whipped cream into the pudding. Peel and slice the bananas into ½-thick coins.
4. To assemble, place a single layer of cookies in a trifle dish as the base and then scoop a quarter of the pudding mixture on top of the cookies, and spread out.
5. Layer cookies and sliced bananas on top of the pudding and place a row of cookies vertically around the sides of the trifle. Add another quarter of the pudding. Repeat the layering process until you have used all of the pudding, alternating between cookies and bananas for the row that is pressed against the edge of the glass and visible.
6. Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon sugar. Dollop the whipped cream on top of the pudding and add some cookie crumbles or additional banana slices to the top. Chill for 3 hours.
How Ripe Should The Bananas Be?
They should be ripe, with no green left on the peel, but still firm. A few brown spots are fine, but heavily browned bananas will be very soft and become mushy in the pudding.
Can This Be Made A Day Ahead?
I prefer crisper cookies in my pudding, so I like to assemble it the day I’m serving. However, I often make the pudding mixture a day ahead and fold in the whipped cream just before assembling. You can assemble the whole pudding and refrigerate it for 24 hours before serving. Just keep in mind the cookies will be soft, and the bananas will be slightly brown, but it will taste delicious nonetheless!
How Do You Keep The Bananas From Turning Brown?
Slice the bananas just before assembling the pudding. Once in the pudding, they will naturally brown with time, but they will be exposed to less air, so the browning will take longer. You can also lightly brush each slice with lemon juice or pineapple juice to help slow the browning.
How To Make Homemade Pudding
If you want to add an extra homemade touch, making a pudding from scratch is easy! In a medium pot, whisk together ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of room-temperature milk. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Whisk 3 large egg yolks in a medium bowl. Drizzle in ½ cup of the hot milk mixture while whisking. Whisk the egg mixture back into the milk mixture in the pot. Cook over medium-low heat just until it starts to bubble. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap to the surface. Cool completely and chill for 2 hours. Continue with the recipe by folding whipped cream into the chilled pudding and assembling the pudding as directed.
Can You Freeze Banana Pudding?
Yes and no. If you portion out leftovers into individual containers and serve it still partially frozen, then yes! It’s a cold creamy treat perfect for summer. Once defrosted through, the ice crystals that formed while frozen will melt and the pudding and bananas will have lost their texture and become quite watery or split. For storing leftovers, I recommend covering and refrigerating the pudding to consume within 5 days.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Watch the whipped cream carefully. Overwhipped cream will curdle and begin to become butter, so don’t step away from the mixer while whipping the cream. The cream is ready as soon as stiff peaks remain when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
- Use any glass bowl or serving dish in place of a trifle bowl. If you don’t have a trifle bowl, this dessert is just as delicious layered in any large bowl, casserole, or serving dish. A glass bowl will showcase the layers the best, so use glass if you have it!
- Dollop the pudding mixture. To preserve the placement of the cookies and sliced bananas, dollop the pudding to distribute it in the trifle bowl. Avoid spreading the pudding too forcefully, or the lower layers of the dish will be compromised.
- Divide the cookies and sliced bananas before layering. Divide the cookies and bananas into equal portions before you start the layering process. This will ensure that you still have enough bananas and cookies for the final layer. Alternatively, you can have an extra banana or two on hand if you run out before finishing the layers.
- Use whipped topping to save time. You can substitute a frozen whipped topping like Cool Whip for the whipped cream in this recipe for banana pudding. Whipped topping is typically sold in the freezer section, so allow it to defrost in the refrigerator according to the package instructions before using.
- Make individual portions for a party. This is the best banana pudding recipe for parties and holidays, and you can make serving a breeze by preparing individual portions in plastic cups or wine glasses. Just divide the ingredients carefully across your desired number of individual servings so that they are all the same size!
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Cover the pudding tightly with plastic wrap before refrigerating, and note that the cookies will continue to soften and the bananas will brown the longer the pudding sits.
A simple topping of cookie crumbs or sliced bananas is the perfect garnish for this recipe, but you can also drizzle the top with decadent chocolate ganache, a sprinkle of chopped toasted walnuts or mini chocolate chips, or you can garnish it add additional fresh fruit such as sliced strawberries or blueberries.
Certainly! While vanilla is classic, you can use French vanilla, banana cream, or even a flavor like pistachio, white chocolate, or cheesecake for a decadent twist!
Absolutely! Chess cookies, shortbread cookies, or even thin wafer cookies like ginger or chocolate wafers would be delicious!
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Banana Pudding
Video
Equipment
- Bowls
- Whisk
- Trifle dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (240ml)
- 1 (14-ounce/397g) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (5.1-ounce/144g) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups heavy cream divided (720ml)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) box vanilla wafer cookies
- 5 large bananas
Instructions
For the Pudding:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and sweetened condensed milk until combined. Sprinkle in the instant pudding, and mix until completely incorporated with no lumps remaining. You can do this by hand or with an electric mixer. Refrigerate for 5 minutes or until set.
- Add 2 cups of whipped cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla to a bowl, then mix on high until stiff peaks form.
- Remove pudding from the refrigerator then fold the whipped cream into it.
- Peel the bananas and slice then into ½-inch thick coins. (I don’t like to cut them until I’m ready to assemble so the slices don’t turn brown.)
- To assemble, add a layer of cookies to the bottom of your trifle dish or a large serving bowl. Place a quarter of the pudding mixture over the cookies, then smooth using a spatula.
- Add another layer of cookies then place a row of cookies set upright against the side of the dish facing out. Add a layer of banana slices on top. Add another quarter of the pudding mixture and smooth.
- Continue layering with cookies, bananas and pudding until complete. Alternate a row of banana slices with the cookies you’re pressing against the wall of the trifle dish. Chill for three hours.
For the Topping:
- Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream, remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Top the pudding with the whipped cream. Pile any remaining cookies on top, crumbling up a few, along with more banana slices if desired. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- Watch the whipped cream carefully. Overwhipped cream will curdle and begin to become butter, so don’t step away from the mixer while whipping the cream. The cream is ready as soon as stiff peaks remain when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
- Use any glass bowl or serving dish in place of a trifle bowl. If you don’t have a trifle bowl, this dessert is just as delicious layered in any large bowl, casserole, or serving dish. A glass bowl will showcase the layers the best, so use glass if you have it!
- Dollop the pudding mixture. To preserve the placement of the cookies and sliced bananas, dollop the pudding to distribute it in the trifle bowl. Avoid spreading the pudding too forcefully, or the lower layers of the dish will be compromised.
- Divide the cookies and sliced bananas before layering. Divide the cookies and bananas into equal portions before you start the layering process. This will ensure that you still have enough bananas and cookies for the final layer. Alternatively, you can have an extra banana or two on hand if you run out before finishing the layers.
- Use whipped topping to save time. You can substitute a frozen whipped topping like Cool Whip for the whipped cream in this recipe for banana pudding. Whipped topping is typically sold in the freezer section, so allow it to defrost in the refrigerator according to the package instructions before using.
- Make individual portions for a party. This is the best banana pudding recipe for parties and holidays, and you can make serving a breeze by preparing individual portions in plastic cups or wine glasses. Just divide the ingredients carefully across your desired number of individual servings so that they are all the same size!
