• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Table Full Of Joy

Delicious food for everyone!

  • Halloween Treats
  • Fall Favorites
  • All Recipes
  • About & Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Halloween Treats
  • Fall Favorites
  • All Recipes
  • About & Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Homemade Banana Pudding

    Jun 7, 2023 This post may contain affiliate links.

    This Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe is easy to make and extra tasty. With crushed cookies, banana slices, and the smoothest pudding, you will want seconds and thirds!

    close up of layered banana pudding in cup
    This dessert is so easy and delicious to make!
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    With creamy layers of pudding, ripe banana slices, and a delightful crunch from vanilla cookies, this classic dessert is a crowd-pleaser. Whether it's a summer treat or a comforting dessert for any occasion, this recipe is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

    So, let's dive into this easy recipe and learn how to make this irresistible banana pudding.

    whisked pudding in sauce pan
    You mix and cook everything in one pan!

    What is banana pudding?

    Banana pudding is a beloved dessert that can be enjoyed throughout the year. While it's perfect for summertime gatherings and picnics, it's also a popular choice for holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving.

    The combination of ripe bananas, creamy pudding, and crunchy wafers creates a nostalgic flavor that brings back memories of childhood and family get-togethers.

    banana pudding in cups
    Do you like individual cups or a large trifle instead?

    What you need for banana pudding:

    • Milk- I like to use whole milk but 2% will work too
    • Flour
    • Salt
    • Sugar
    • Eggs- 1 whole egg and 3 egg yolks
    • Butter
    • Vanilla Extract
    • Bananas
    • Toppings: Nilla Wafers and Cool Whip
    homemade banana pudding ingredients
    All you need are a few simple ingredients!

    Is the pudding banana flavored?

    Actually, the pudding is vanilla flavored with slices of banana added to it. This dish became popular in the south with the import of bananas and trying to get people to develop a taste for “exotic” fruits.

    Tools: For this recipe I used a medium sized saucepan, whisk, sieve, a medium bowl, and cups to layer the desserts in. I also used a piping bag to help layer everything in the cups but a Ziploc baggie with the corner cut will do the trick too. (Amazon affiliate links)

    Let’s talk about this saucepan for a second! De Buyer sent me their new 5-ply stainless steel saucepan from the Affinity line to try out and it is the nicest saucepan I’ve ever used.

    empty stainless steel sauce pan
    This pan is the perfect size.

    Not only does it come with a lifetime guarantee, but it has amazing heat conductivity, and is designed with a drip-free pouring rim.

    The saucepan also have measurement/volume lines on the inside which is so nice when it comes to adding or reducing liquids.

    inside of sauce pan showing measurement lines
    Love this feature- especially if I have to reduce a sauce!

    My favorite part is the ergonomic grip on the handle and lid. Seriously so nice when it comes to pouring. 

    de buyer sauce pan bottom near pudding
    The highest quality stainless steel!

    This pan is perfect for any simmering, reheating of soups, or making custards! Cannot recommend this product and the de Buyer brand enough!

    How to make homemade banana pudding?

    • Whisk together milk, flour, sugar, salt, and whole egg in saucepan.
    • Whisk egg yolks into mixture.
    whisking all ingredients together in saucepan
    Whisk everything in the saucepan.
    • Heat while whisking continually, over medium heat until thickened.
    • Remove from heat, whisk in butter and vanilla.
    pudding after mixing in vanilla and butter
    Heat and keep stirring!
    • Pour the pudding through a strainer into a bowl.
    pouring budding through sieve
    Strain for extra smoothness,
    • Let sit for 20 minutes then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.
    plastic wrap touch top of pudding
    Make sure the plastic wrap touches the top of the pudding!
    banana pudding in bowl after chilling with plastic wrap over it
    It thickens more as it cools.
    • Once chilled, layer pudding with sliced bananas, Nilla wafers and cool whip.
    layered banana pudding in cups
    I use a piping bag to minimize the mess when layering everything.

    Helpful Pudding Tips

    • Keep heat set to medium to melt the sugar consistently and allow the pudding to set up correctly.
    • Only whisk the pudding at boiling for 1 minute.
    • Pouring the pudding through a strainer makes it extra smooth.
    • You will want to double this recipe if you want to use a trifle dish.

    What to do with the extra egg whites?

    Besides whisking them up for a tasty breakfast sandwich or burrito, you could make a meringue and top the pudding with that! Yum!

    How long does homemade banana pudding last?

    The pudding will stay good for 3-6 days if covered. If you have layered it with cookies and bananas, keep in mind the cookies will tend to get soggy and the bananas will start to oxidize/brown the longer they sit.

    Can you make this pudding ahead of time?

    Absolutely! Make this pudding 2 days before you plan on serving it, then layer all the bananas and cookies right before you are ready to eat.

    top of pudding cup with banana slice and cookie
    Don' t forget to top each cup with a cookie and banana slice!

    How to store homemade banana pudding?

    Store pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    Pudding Variations

    At its core this is a vanilla pudding with added banana slices, meaning you can use it for much more than this banana pudding recipe!

    Fruit: Instead of bananas, use fresh strawberries, or blackberries!

    Layers: This would be incredible layered with some caramel and mini chocolate chips!

    Cookies: Crush up Oreos, ginger snaps, or graham crackers instead of Nilla wafers!

    If you like this recipe, check out my homemade chocolate cake, bakery style rice crispy treats, and this fan favorite chocolate chip pie!

    homemade banana pudding pinterest image
    Don't forget to pin this recipe!

    Want more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

    pudding featured image

    Homemade Banana Pudding

    Author: Lisa
    This Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe is easy to make and extra tasty. This recipe will leave you craving more!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Chill Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups milk whole or 2%
    • 3 tbs flour
    • Pinch of salt
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • 1 whole egg
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 1 tbs butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 4 bananas sliced
    • cool whip thawed- at least 8 oz but you may need more depending on how you layer the pudding in cups.
    • 11 oz Nilla Wafers

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium saucepan combine milk, flour, sugar, salt and 1 whole egg. Whisk together.
      3 cups milk, 3 tbs flour, Pinch of salt, ¾ cup sugar, 1 whole egg
      homemade banana pudding ingredients
    • Add the egg yolks and mix completely.
      3 egg yolks
      whisking all ingredients together in saucepan
    • Heat mixture over medium heat until slightly thickened 3-5 minutes stirring constantly. The pudding is slightly thickened when you can dip a spoon into the pudding mixture, and coat the spoon completely, then run your finger down the back of the spoon and it creates line that doesn’t close back up/fill in with pudding.
    • Continue stirring until the mixture it just comes to a boil, then whisk for an additional 1 minute, then remove from heat and continue whisking off heat for 20-30 more seconds (helps prevent burning).
    • After you’ve sufficiently whisked the pudding, stir in vanilla and butter.
      1 tbs butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      pudding after mixing in vanilla and butter
    • At this point I like to run the pudding through a fine mesh strainer/sieve to make it absolutely smooth but if you don’t have one no worries.
      pouring budding through sieve
    • Place pudding in a bowl, and let sit for 20 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the surface of the pudding to prevent a film/skin forming. Refrigerate pudding until set, ~2 hrs.
      plastic wrap touch top of pudding
    • Once set, layer the pudding in cups or mason jars with crushed Nilla Wafers, banana slices, and cool whip.
      4 bananas, cool whip, 11 oz Nilla Wafers
      banana pudding in cups

    Notes

    Tips and Tricks
    • Keep heat at medium so sugars melt properly and the pudding will set up correctly.
    • If you heat to high and to fast you could burn/scorch the pudding or it won’t set up like it should.
    • To make enough for a trifle dish you will need to double the recipe.
    • Depending on the size of cups/bowls this may serve more or less than 8.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 235mgPotassium: 431mgFiber: 2gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 406IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Banana Pudding, Banana Pudding Recipe, Homemade Banana Pudding
    Did you make this recipe?Tag me on Instagram at @atablefullofjoy

    More Dessert

    • Pecan Pie Cake
    • caramel pecan pie featured image
      Caramel Pecan Pie
    • chocolate pudding pie featured image
      Chocolate Pudding Pie
    • cinnamon pull apart bread featured image
      Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Lisa

      June 06, 2023 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      Love this banana pudding recipe! Just like I had as a kid!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Here you will find easy and delicious recipes and helpful posts!

    Trending This Month

    • Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars, a delicious spin on the classic rice crispy! #cinnamontoastcrunch #ricecrispytreat #cerealbar #breakfast #marshmallow #atablefullofjoy
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars
    • smoked spatchcock chicken on parchment paper featured image
      Smoked Spatchcock Chicken
    • cowboy candy featured image
      Cowboy Candy
    • steak pasta in bowl featured image
      Steak Pasta

    Summer Recipes

    • Wagyu burger featured image
      Wagyu Burger
    • smoked ribeye featured image
      Smoked Ribeye
    • Watermelon Drink featured image
      Watermelon Drink
    • Smoked Queso featured image
      Smoked Queso

    Featured On

    AS seen on Parade, Hearthstone, Yummly, Sam's Club, Congra, Red Tricycle, Chefling App. Foodgawker, Karo

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright Information

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates!

    Contact

    • About Me and Contact Info

    As an Amazon Associate, ThermoWorks Affiliate, and a Berkey Water Filtration Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 A Table Full of Joy™

    Copyright © 2023 ·ATableFullofJoy.com ·

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT