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Banana Pudding Recipe

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close up shot of a slice of Banana Pudding on a plate
Layers of creamy vanilla pudding, bananas, and vanilla wafers are topped with Cool Whip in this quick and easy old fashioned banana pudding!
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Table of Contents
  1. Best Banana Pudding Ingredients
  2. Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make Banana Pudding
  4. How To Serve This Banana Pudding Recipe
  5. How To Store This Recipe For Banana Pudding
  6. You’ll Love This Banana Pudding Recipe with Condensed Milk
  7. Best Banana Pudding Recipe FAQ
  8. More Recipes You’ll Love
  9. JUMP TO RECIPE

This delicious, homemade banana pudding recipe is an old-fashioned favorite you’ll love. Easy and no-bake, it’s the ultimate Southern dessert, made in minutes and featuring layers of crunchy wafers, fresh bananas, and sweet creamy pudding.

close up shot of a slice of Banana Pudding topped with a slice of banana on a plate

Best Banana Pudding Ingredients

Banana Pudding raw ingredients that are labeled
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You’ll need:

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup of water
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 2 (5.1-ounce) boxes of instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 (11-ounce) box of vanilla wafers (Nilla wafers or another brand of vanilla wafers)
  • 4 to 6 bananas
  • 1 (8-ounce) tub of Cool Whip

Substitutions And Additions

PUDDING: You could also make this with an instant banana pudding mix for an even more intense banana flavor.

Instant cheesecake pudding or French vanilla pudding are other favorites for us!

COOL WHIP: This banana pudding recipe calls for Cool Whip, but you can also use our homemade whipped cream on top of your delicious dessert instead of Cool Whip.

How To Make Banana Pudding

PRO TIP:

You’ll want to make sure you’re starting with firm, just-ripe bananas. If you get bananas that are too ripe, they’re likely to brown much quicker.

You can treat the bananas with a spritz of lemon juice or lime juice. To avoid changing the flavor, you won’t want to use a ton of citrus juice — just a quick brush to each side or spritz from a spray bottle.

STEP ONE: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk with the water and milk. Stir in the instant pudding mix and blend well.

Banana Pudding process shot of ingredients in a bowl

STEP TWO: Line the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with one layer of Nilla or vanilla wafers.

STEP THREE: Give your pudding mixture a quick stir and pour a layer of pudding over the wafers.

STEP FOUR: Thinly slice your bananas and add a layer of banana slices over top of the pudding.

PRO TIP:

Slice your bananas just before you use them. The longer they’re exposed to air, the more likely they are to turn brown. The layers of pudding also help them stay out of the air and maintain their color.

STEP FIVE: Repeat the layers using wafers, pudding, and sliced bananas until you have filled your dish.

The top layer should be pudding topped with the remaining cookies instead of bananas — this way, you won’t have brown bananas on top.

Banana Pudding process shot of vanilla wafers layered over pudding

STEP SIX: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to allow the vanilla wafers to soften.

PRO TIP:

It is best to make this classic dessert a day in advance as it will allow time for all of the flavors to mingle and the wafers will have softened just the right amount by the next day.

make layer until dish is full and cover with plastic wrap

STEP SEVEN: Top with Cool Whip before serving and garnish with extra banana slices or wafers.

Banana Pudding process shot of whipped topping spread over pudding

How To Serve This Banana Pudding Recipe

Serve this creamy dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and a cold, refreshing iced tea to wash it down.

It would make the perfect dessert to share with friends.

P.S. I also won’t judge you if you just sit and eat the entire pan by yourself, no garnishes needed!

For a fun version of this easy recipe, I think you’ll love this Chessmen banana pudding.

We have plenty of other banana desserts too! How about trying our banana upside down cake which is a real family favorite.

How To Store This Recipe For Banana Pudding

IN THE FRIDGE: Store your banana pudding in the fridge covered in plastic wrap for up to three to four days.

IN THE FREEZER: It’s not recommended to freeze your banana pudding because the bananas won’t hold up well in the freezer, and thawing it can make the texture soggy.

close up overhead shot of Banana Pudding in a pan

You’ll Love This Banana Pudding Recipe with Condensed Milk

This easy banana pudding recipe was always one of my favorite desserts to make and eat — it’s the best banana pudding recipe ever. Simple to layer together with only a few ingredients, it’s one of those recipes that reminds me of childhood and makes me all nostalgic every time I eat it.

Best Banana Pudding Recipe FAQ

How long will the banana pudding keep in the fridge?

This no-bake banana pudding will keep in the fridge for up to four days. The only thing you will want to keep in mind is that the bananas will start to turn brown unless you spray them with lemon juice before layering them in the dish.

What can I use if I can’t find vanilla wafers?

Butter or shortbread cookies are probably the closest you can get to vanilla wafers if you can’t find them in the store. They would taste just as delicious in this southern banana pudding.

How to keep bananas from turning brown in banana pudding:

To keep your bananas from turning brown, spritz them with a bit of lemon or lime juice.

How long does a banana pudding have to sit before you eat it?

We recommend waiting at least two hours to allow the banana pudding to set before enjoying it.

How is pudding made from scratch?

To make pudding from scratch, ingredients such as milk, sugar, salt, and cornstarch are whisked together over heat. Once heated, the mixture is removed from the heat, and the egg yolks are slowly incorporated into the mixture. Once thickened, the mixture can be served warm or allowed to cool first.

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close up shot of a slice of Banana Pudding on a plate

Banana Pudding Recipe

5 from 10 votes
Layers of creamy vanilla pudding, bananas, and vanilla wafers are topped with Cool Whip in this quick and easy old fashioned banana pudding!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 28 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 cups milk
  • 10.2 ounces instant vanilla pudding
  • 11 ounces vanilla wafers
  • 4 to 6 bananas
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk with the water and milk.
  • Stir in the instant vanilla pudding and blend well.
  • Line the bottom of an 8×8 casserole dish with one layer of vanilla wafers.
  • Thinly slice your bananas and add a layer of bananas over the wafers.
  • Give your pudding a quick stir and pour a layer of pudding over the bananas.
  • Repeat the layers using wafers, bananas, and pudding until you have filled your dish, making the top layer a layer of vanilla wafers.
  • Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to allow the vanilla wafers to soften.
  • Top with Cool Whip before serving and garnish with extra banana slices or wafers.

Notes

  • You’ll want to make sure you’re starting with firm, just-ripe bananas. If you get bananas that are too ripe, they’re likely to brown much quicker. 
  • You can treat the bananas with a spritz of lemon juice or lime juice. To avoid changing the flavor, you won’t want to use a ton of citrus juice — just a quick brush to each side or spritz from a spray bottle.
  • Slice your bananas just before you use them. The longer they’re exposed to air, the more likely they are to turn brown. The layers of pudding also help them stay out of the air and maintain their color.
  • It is best to make this classic dessert a day in advance as it will allow time for all of the flavors to mingle, and the wafers will have softened just the right amount by the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 456mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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  1. Del Davies says

    Hi there.
    Both yr banana pudding and the egg salad are on my agenda ……will let u know how they r received.
    Lotsaluv frm Cape Town!

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