This no-bake homemade banana pudding is a classic, comforting dessert—nostalgic, easy to make, and luxuriously creamy in every bite.
Ripe bananas almost always sit on my counter. Before they go too ripe for snacks or banana bread, I often use them in this simple banana pudding. Think of it as a pared-down banana cream pie served in pretty parfait glasses—no baking required and just as satisfying.
What is Banana Pudding?
Banana pudding is a traditional Southern dessert made from layers of butter cookies or wafers, vanilla custard, and sliced bananas, finished with meringue or sweet whipped cream. It can be assembled in a trifle bowl, serving dish, or individual parfait glasses. For many Americans, banana pudding is as iconic as tiramisu is in Italy.
Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Instant pudding mix – French vanilla is traditional; you can use banana-flavored pudding or combine both for extra banana taste.
- Whole milk – use cold whole milk for the pudding to set correctly.
- Heavy cream and powdered sugar – whipped to make fresh sweetened whipped cream. You can substitute Cool Whip, but fresh cream tastes best.
- Cream cheese – adds richness and a silky texture that elevates the pudding.
- Sweetened condensed milk – makes the filling sweet and creamy when blended with cream cheese.
- Cookies – Nilla wafers are classic, but shortbread or butter cookies work well. You can even use pound cake if you prefer.
- Bananas – choose ripe but firm bananas, fully yellow with minimal brown spots, and slice into rounds.
How to Make Banana Pudding
This no-cook dessert is quick to assemble and delivers contrasting textures—creamy pudding, tender bananas, and softening wafers. Summary of steps below; full printable directions are in the recipe card.
- Make the whipped cream: In a cold bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Chill while preparing the filling.
- Make the pudding: Beat softened cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add the instant pudding mix and cold whole milk, then beat until fully combined (about 5 minutes). Gently fold in half of the chilled whipped cream; save the remainder for topping. Transfer the pudding mixture to a piping bag for easier layering if desired.
- Assemble layers: Place 2–3 cookies in the bottom of each parfait glass (or a layer in a trifle dish), add 3–4 banana slices, and pipe or spoon on pudding. Repeat layers, finishing with pudding on top.
- Chill: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally 6–8 hours but no more than 12, so cookies soften while retaining some texture.
- Garnish and serve: Pipe the reserved whipped cream on top and garnish with a banana slice and a wafer cookie before serving.
Setting Time and Texture Tips
How long the pudding needs to set depends on the cookie you use. Nilla wafers soften faster than shortbread; 4 hours is the minimum, 6–8 hours is ideal, and avoid leaving it longer than 12 hours if you prefer some texture. If you want crunchy cookies, crush them and add right before serving.
Preventing Browning of Banana Slices
Tossing banana slices with a little lemon juice helps prevent browning, but that can introduce lemon flavor. A better option is to ensure banana slices are fully submerged in the pudding so they aren’t exposed to air, and serve soon after assembling.
Recipe Notes
- Cover the pudding: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the pudding from picking up other fridge odors.
- Variation: Add a splash of rum or coconut rum to the banana slices or pudding for a Bananas Foster twist.
- Cookie texture: Crushing cookies creates a cake-like texture faster; whole cookies yield more distinct layers.
- Calories: A standard serving in a parfait glass is about 555 calories. Use smaller glasses to reduce portion size and calories.
- Gluten: This recipe is not gluten-free as written because of the wafers and some instant pudding mixes.
Storing Banana Pudding
Keep refrigerated and covered. Banana pudding is best eaten within 2–3 days; after about 2 days it may begin to become runny. Do not freeze—dairy and bananas separate and become mushy when thawed.
Video
Homemade banana pudding is easy and far better than store-bought. It’s perfect for summer gatherings, holidays, or any day you want a comforting, creamy dessert.
Other Pudding Recipes
- Tapioca Pudding
- Chocolate Pudding
- Butterscotch Pudding
If you try this recipe, please leave a review. Enjoy!
Homemade Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 3.4-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding mix (or regular vanilla)
- 2 cups cold whole milk
- 11-ounce box Nilla wafers (about 60 cookies)
- 4–5 ripe, firm bananas, sliced into rounds
Instructions
- Make the whipped cream: In a cold bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Chill.
- Make the pudding: Beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add the pudding mix and cold whole milk and beat for about 5 minutes. Fold in half of the whipped cream and reserve the rest for topping.
- Transfer the pudding mixture to a piping bag for easier layering (optional).
- Assemble: Place 2–3 cookies in each glass, add 3–4 banana slices, and pipe or spoon on pudding. Repeat layers, finishing with pudding.
- Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight so the cookies soften.
- Top with remaining whipped cream, a banana slice, and a wafer cookie before serving.
Notes
For tips, variations, and storage advice, see the full article above.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 62 g |
Protein: 7 g |
Fat: 32 g
Nutrition is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
