This homemade Delicious Banana Pudding is creamy, sweet, and simple. Smooth vanilla pudding meets tender banana slices and crisp vanilla wafers. The pudding smells of warm vanilla and banana. The texture is silky, with soft banana and a light crunch from the wafers. It chills into a cool, spoonable dessert that feels like a hug on the plate.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 10 minutes (10 minutes active cooking + 4 hours chilling)
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Nutrition Information
(Approximate per serving)
- Calories per serving: 420 kcal
- Protein: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 33 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
Why Make This Delicious Banana Pudding
This banana pudding is classic and comforting. It’s quick to make with pantry staples. The pudding is smooth and rich. Fresh bananas add natural sweetness and a soft texture. Vanilla wafers add a light crunch that soaks up the pudding flavor. It’s perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or a simple weekend dessert. The recipe is forgiving and easy to scale.
How to Make Delicious Banana Pudding
Make the pudding on the stovetop, layer it with bananas and wafers, then chill. Follow the short active steps below, then let it set in the fridge so flavors meld and the wafers soften slightly.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup of cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 package of vanilla wafers
- Whipped cream for topping
Directions:
Step 1: Preparation
In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of whole milk, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Put the pan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a whisk. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. This prevents lumps and keeps the pudding smooth.
Step 2: Mixing
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3 large egg yolks until smooth. To temper the yolks, slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. This raises the yolks’ temperature so they don’t scramble.
Step 3: Cooking
Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the butter melts and the pudding is silky.
Step 4: Finishing
In a trifle dish or baking dish, layer vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and the warm pudding. Repeat layers until the ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of pudding on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set. Serve chilled with whipped cream on top.
How to Serve Delicious Banana Pudding
Serve chilled in a trifle bowl or individual dishes. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a wafer or banana slice for garnish. For a more elegant plate, sprinkle a few crushed wafers and a light dusting of cinnamon. This pudding works well for family dinners, casual parties, or as a potluck favorite.
How to Store Delicious Banana Pudding
- Refrigerate: Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The pudding will soften the wafers more over time.
- Freeze: Not recommended for best texture. Freezing changes the pudding’s texture and makes bananas mushy.
- Make-ahead: Assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving for best texture. After longer storage, add fresh banana slices before serving to refresh texture.
Expert Tips for Perfect Delicious Banana Pudding
- Temper the eggs slowly to avoid scrambling. Add hot liquid in a thin stream while whisking.
- Use ripe but firm bananas. Overripe bananas can become mushy and discolor the layers.
- For extra smooth pudding, whisk constantly and strain through a fine mesh sieve before adding butter and vanilla.
- If you like a bit of crunch, add a layer of crushed wafers just before serving so they stay crisp.
- For lighter pudding, swap 1 cup of whole milk for half-and-half or reduce butter to 1 tablespoon.
- To prevent brown banana discoloration, toss slices with a little lemon juice before layering.
- Taste the pudding before chilling and adjust vanilla or sugar to your liking.
Delicious Variations
- Chocolate Banana Pudding: Stir 1/4 cup cocoa powder into the dry mix or melt 4 oz of chocolate into the warm pudding.
- Banana-Strawberry Pudding: Add a layer of sliced strawberries with the bananas for a bright, fruity twist.
- Boozy Pudding: Brush wafers lightly with a tablespoon of rum or bourbon before layering for adult flavor.
- Coconut Banana Pudding: Fold 1/2 cup of toasted coconut into the pudding and use coconut wafers or shredded coconut on top.
- Lighter Version: Use 2% milk and reduce sugar to 1/3 cup; add 1 cup whipped topping folded into cooled pudding for a mousse-like texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use instant pudding mix instead of making pudding from scratch?
A: Yes. Instant pudding speeds up the process. Use the package directions with cold milk, and then layer with bananas and wafers. Homemade pudding gives a fresher, richer flavor and smoother texture.
Q: How ripe should the bananas be?
A: Use ripe but still firm bananas. They should be yellow with few brown spots. Overripe bananas will become too soft and may turn mushy in the pudding.
Q: Why did my pudding get lumps?
A: Lumps usually come from adding eggs or cornstarch to hot liquid too quickly or not whisking constantly. Temper the eggs and whisk while heating. Strain the cooked pudding through a sieve to remove any lumps.
Q: Can I assemble the pudding in individual cups?
A: Yes. Layer wafers, bananas, and pudding in small glasses or ramekins for individual servings. Chill as directed.
Q: How long will this pudding hold in the fridge?
A: Keep it covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. The texture changes over time as wafers soften. For best appearance, add any extra garnish just before serving.
Q: Can I make this dairy-free?
A: You can substitute full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk, but texture changes. Use a dairy-free butter substitute and reduce added sugar slightly if the milk alternative is sweetened.
Q: Can I prepare pudding ahead of time?
A: Yes. You can make the pudding a day ahead. Store pudding separately and layer with bananas and wafers up to 24 hours before serving. Add fresh whipped cream when serving.
Conclusion
This Delicious Banana Pudding is creamy, simple, and satisfying. It brings a mix of smooth vanilla, soft banana, and light crunch that most people love. Try it chilled for family dinners or at gatherings. For another classic take with a helpful video, see The Best Banana Pudding Recipe (with Video). Give this recipe a try — it’s an easy way to make a memorable dessert.
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Delicious Banana Pudding
- Total Time: 265
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A classic homemade banana pudding that combines smooth vanilla pudding, ripe banana slices, and crispy vanilla wafers for a comforting dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup of cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 package of vanilla wafers
- Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of whole milk, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Put the pan over medium heat and stir continuously with a whisk until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3 large egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.
- Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until melted.
- In a trifle dish or baking dish, layer vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and warm pudding. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with pudding. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set. Serve chilled with whipped cream on top.
Notes
For best texture, assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving. Add fresh banana slices before serving to refresh texture.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 250
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Chilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 33g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 186mg
