Banana Pudding

On December 18, 2023 (Updated March 28, 2024)

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Topped with fresh banana slices, rich whipped cream, and some vanilla wafers for crunch, my Homemade Banana Pudding is layer upon layer of sweet, smooth yumminess.

Homemade Banana Pudding

Banana pudding is a classic dessert dish perfect for just about any occasion. Layers of smooth pudding and rich, sweet whipped cream make it a light followup to a meal. Ripe slices of banana give it a light freshness in every bite. The vanilla wafers not only add to the sweetness, they add a texture and crunchiness that take this indulgent snack right over the top.

Because this banana pudding is served chilled, it’s a perfect fit for a hot summer day or after a meaty BBQ platter. No wonder this creamy delight is such a longtime favorite in the South.

Banana Pudding Ingredients

It’s super quick and easy to make your own pudding for this amazing dish. It only takes a handful of simple ingredients, and you likely have most or all of them on hand in your fridge and pantry already:

eggs
sugar
flour
salt
whole milk
vanilla extract

You can use an instant pudding mix, but you’re going to lose a lot in terms of flavor and texture. Because of that I highly recommend making the elements for this dish from scratch. If you decide to go the instant route, use vanilla pudding. Banana pudding mix will overpower the natural banana flavor.

Whipped Cream for Pudding

No banana pudding would be complete without a rich, smooth whipped cream. You can use a store-bought option like a cool whip, but I personally love a homemade whipped cream with this dish, and it only takes a couple minutes and a few simple ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Mix these well with a hand mixer or whisk for a few minutes until it starts to stiffen up a little and peaks start to form. And voila, you’ve got an amazing homemade whipped cream for your banana pudding (or really any sweet treat).

Layering Your Dish

The thing that sets this banana pudding apart from a bland and boring pudding is all the different layers of yummy goodness. By layering your pudding, bananas, whipped cream, and vanilla wafers rather than mixing them, each element gets a chance to shine. The bananas maintain their freshness and a little bite, and the wafers remain crispy and crunchy. If you want to take things up a notch, crumble some vanilla wafers on top. This makes for a finishing touch everyone will love.

How to Serve Pudding

This delectable recipe is designed to work in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, or for serving in individual stemless wine glasses. I personally prefer the wine glasses because your guests will get more of those gorgeous and tasty layers to mix and combine. Whichever way you go, the key is layering all those delicious and distinct elements so your guests get a unique experience with each bite.

Making Ahead and Storing Pudding

You can make the banana pudding ahead of time and store it. Simply make the pudding, then store it in sealable mason jars or other airtight container in your refrigerator until you’re ready to mix in your toppings. It will keep chilled this way up to 7 days, provided you don’t add in the bananas until serving.

If you have leftovers, you can store them the same way and they’ll keep up to 3 days. After that, your bananas will start to brown. To keep your bananas from browning, I recommend waiting until you’re ready to devour this creamy delight to prepare and add your toppings. Honestly though, this stuff is so delicious I’ll be surprised if there’s enough left for you to be pudding away for later.

How to Make Banana Pudding

Prepare eggs. The recipe calls for 4 eggs, but you’re going to separate 3 of the egg yolks and then discard the egg whites before adding the 4th egg to your yolk mixture and whisking. This is important to the final smooth texture of your pudding.
Combine and heat. In a saucepan with no heat, whisk together your sugar, flour and salt. Next stir in your egg mix and your milk, and cook uncovered over a medium heat. Let your mixture simmer for about 10 minutes. Be sure to whisk often to thicken. This will take about 10 minutes, at which point you want to remove your mix from heat and stir in your vanilla.
Set. Let your pudding mixture cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a medium bowl or baking dish, cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and place in your refrigerator to chill. I like to let it set overnight, but make sure you give it at least 3 hours. This way you ensure it chills all the way through.
Make whipped cream. Combine your heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and mix it until stiff peaks form and you have a consistent, creamy mix.
Layer and enjoy. In a 1 1/2 quart trifle dish or individual stemless wine glasses, build your layers. Start with your pudding, and then add a layer of vanilla wafers. Next, add a layer of banana slices and then some whipped cream. Continue piling on delicious layers until you run out of room, and then crumble some wafers on top.

More Yummy Dessert Options

Now that you’ve got the sweet tooth, here are a few of my favorite recipes for you to try for a post-BBQ dessert or if you just want a yummy treat:

Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

Now that you know how to make this Banana Pudding recipe, you can make it anytime you want. If you enjoyed making this recipe, then give it a 5 star rating and drop me a comment below. I’ve got over 500 other amazing recipes just like this one in the Hey Grill Hey app to help you make better BBQ and feed the people you love.

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