Banana Pudding

This is our idea of the best Homemade Banana Pudding recipe! A dreamy dessert that’s made with a rich homemade vanilla pudding, and abundance of fresh bananas, and two layers vanilla wafer cookies that soak up some of the pudding as they soften to the perfect texture.

Homemade Banana Pudding

This banana pudding recipe has it all. The pudding is made with half and half for richness, egg yolks and cornstarch for a sure thickening, just the right amount of sweetness, and to fancy it up we add a vanilla bean and fresh grated nutmeg for flavor.

Then it includes a generous amount of just ripened bananas, and of course those simple but ever so nostalgic store-bought vanilla wafers. And no baking required.

It’s as good as it gets!

This is a year round dessert that’s perfect for a holiday celebration, a welcome addition to a weekend dinner, or just because you want a treat yourself kind of indulgence today.

Serve it up laid back casserole style in a baking dish or make it more elegant and serve in individual tumblers or dessert cups.

Have family or friends help with this fun layered cooking project that once complete is amazingly refreshing and satisfying with each and every bite!

Watch the Video!

Banana Pudding Recipe Ingredients

• Half and half: To make your own half and half you can use 1 cup heavy cream and 2 cups whole milk.
• Granulated sugar: This will be added to both the pudding and the whipped topping for sweetness.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a key ingredient in the recipe to thicken the pudding.
• Salt: Don’t forget this or it will taste flat and also overly sweet, this balances.
• Egg yolks: These also help thicken the pudding and add richness. Reserve the egg whites for another use.
• Vanilla bean and vanilla extract: You can use just vanilla extract if you don’t have a vanilla bean on hand.
• Nutmeg: I recommend fresh grated nutmeg here. If preferred you can omit this ingredient but I like the hint of background flavor it adds.
• Butter: Salted or unsalted butter can be used here.
• Vanilla wafer cookies: I use the Nabisco brand cookies.
• Bananas: Use just yellow bananas. Not green and not spotty. They should be firm and just sweet.
• Lemon juice: Preferably use fresh lemon. This ingredient reduces browning.
• Heavy cream: This is labeled as ‘heavy cream’ or ‘heavy whipping cream’, not just ‘whipping cream’.

How to Make Banana Pudding

1. Heat dairy: Pour half and half into a large saucepan add seeds of vanilla bean and the vanilla bean pod, and nutmeg to the half and half. Heat over medium heat until it is just simmering.
2. Whisk sweetener and thickener: Meanwhile whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, salt and egg yolks until slightly pale and fluffy about 1 minute (it will be very thick at first, keep whisking).
3. Temper yolks: Once half and half is simmering slowly pour 1 cup hot half and half into the sugar egg yolk mixture while whisking. Then pour that sugar egg yolk mixture into the saucepan while whisking vigorously.
4. Cook until well thickened: Cook and whisk vigorously (while scraping down the bottom edges as you whisk), until large bubbles appear in center. Then cook and whisk 30 seconds longer.
5. Transfer, add butter: Immediately scoop mixture into a bowl. Add butter and stir mixture well.
6. Chill to cool: Cover with plastic wrap clinging it over top of the pudding to prevent skin from forming and chill 2 hours or until cooled.

How to Assemble and Layer Banana Pudding

1. Layer cookies: Align 30 vanilla wafer cookies into the bottom of an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking sheet slightly overlapping them.
2. Top with pudding: Remove vanilla bean from pudding and dollop half of the pudding over the cookies in spoonfuls then spread even.
3. Add bananas: Slice 2 of the bananas into 1/4-inch slices and align evenly over pudding layer, brush top of bananas lightly with lemon juice.
4. Repeat cookie and pudding layering: Align 30 more vanilla wafer cookies over banana layer, followed by spreading over remaining 1/2 of the pudding.
5. Chill: Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
6. Make whipped topping: In a mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip together the heavy cream, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and the vanilla on medium speed until it thickens then increase to high spread and whip until very stiff peaks form.
7. Add more bananas: Cut remaining 2 bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices. Spread slices evenly over pudding layer then brush with lemon juice.
8. Finish with whipped topping: Spread whipped topping evenly over bananas. If desired you can garnish top with some of the remaining cookies.

Helpful Tips

• Properly thickening: For the recipe to work it is imperative that you let the pudding mixture simmer once you add the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture to the hot half and half. Cornstarch needs to reach that heat point to thicken.
• Fully chill through to set: Once finished the pudding should be well thickened but upon chilling it will set a little further so don’t do shortcut chill times. Plus cold pudding just tastes better.
• Best bananas: Don’t use overripe bananas here, save those for banana bread. They’ll be too soft here and will brown too quickly. Go for just yellow bananas (some speckles is fine).
• Keeping bananas from browning: It’s important when layering that you cover the banana layers completely with pudding/topping. This will seal out further air from entering to reduce the risk of browning. Adding lemon also helps some.
• Layering: When doing each layer work to keep them even for the best presentation and so each serving gets and equal amount of pudding to cookie to banana ratio.

How long does banana pudding last?

• Banana pudding will keep in the fridge for 3 days. Just keep in mind after the first day the banana slices may brown some and the cookies get softer.
• I like a slight bite to the cookie in the center with a soft exterior so I serve it the day I make it.

Does it have to be refrigerated?

• Yes because of all the dairy it contains and the egg yolks banana pudding has to be refrigerated.
• It shouldn’t sit out longer than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour in hotter weather. Keep in mind if it gets too warm the whipped topping will melt.

Do I have to use lemon?

This ingredient isn’t critical. The bananas may just brown a little more but it’s okay to skip it if you don’t have it.

Possible Variations

• In place of whipped cream topping you can finish with toasted meringue for banana pudding with meringue topping.
• If desired you can also finish with chopped nuts or chocolate chips to make it taste like a banana split.
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon can also be added along with the nutmeg for more spiced flavor.
• Try shortbread cookies, Biscoff cookies or graham crackers in place of vanilla wafers.
• For a chocolate pudding mix add 4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into the pudding, reduce cornstarch by 2 Tbsp.

More Tempting Pudding Recipes to Try

• Bread Pudding
• Chia Seed Pudding
• Chocolate Pudding
• Rice Pudding
• Sticky Toffee Pudding

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe

Banana Pudding Recipe

This is our idea of the best Homemade Banana Pudding! A dreamy dessert that's made with a rich homemade vanilla pudding, and abundance of fresh bananas, and two layers vanilla wafer cookies that soak up some of the pudding as they soften to the perfect texture.

Watch the video

Servings: 9

Prep30 minutes minutes

Cook10 minutes minutes

Chill4 hours hours

Ready in: 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Pudding

• 3 cups (710ml) half and half
• 1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
• 3/4 cups (150g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (32g) cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp butter (unsalted or salted)
• 1 (11 oz) pkg vanilla wafer cookies
• 4 medium bananas (just yellow and ripe, not green or spotty)
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Whipped topping

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Pour half and half into a large saucepan add seeds of vanilla bean and the vanilla bean pod, and nutmeg to the half and half. Heat over medium heat until it is just simmering.
• Meanwhile whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, salt and egg yolks until slightly pale and fluffy about 1 minute (it will be very thick at first, keep whisking).
• Once half and half is simmering slowly pour 1 cup hot half and half into the sugar egg yolk mixture while whisking. Then pour that sugar egg yolk mixture into the saucepan while whisking vigorously.
• Cook and whisk vigorously (while scraping down the bottom edges as you whisk), until thickened and large bubbles appear. Then cook and whisk 30 seconds longer.
• Immediately pour and scrape mixture into a heatproof bowl. Add butter and stir mixture well. If using vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean add 2 tsp at this point and stir in.
• Cover with plastic wrap clinging it over top of the pudding to prevent skin from forming and chill 2 hours or until cooled.
• Align 30 vanilla wafer cookies into the bottom of an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish slightly overlapping them.
• Remove vanilla bean from pudding and dollop half of the pudding over the cookies in spoonfuls then spread even. Slice 2 of the bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices and align evenly over pudding layer, brush top of bananas lightly with lemon juice.
• Align 30 more vanilla wafer cookies over banana layer, followed by spreading over remaining 1/2 of the pudding.
• Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
• In a mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip together the heavy cream, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and1/2 tsp vanilla on medium speed until it thickens then increase to high spread and whip until very stiff peaks form.
• Cut remaining 2 bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Spread slices evenly over pudding layer then brush with lemon juice.
• Spread whipped topping evenly over bananas. If desired you can garnish top with some of the remaining cookies, slightly crushed and some banana slices adding them just before serving so they don't brown.

Notes

To Make Banana Pudding Cups

1. Prepare the pudding as directed and chill.
2. Crush 10 oz of the vanilla wafer cookies (setting remainder aside to garnish top). Sprinkle half of the crushed cookies between 6 larger goblets or 9 smaller cups.
3. Scoop pudding into a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe half of the pudding over cookie layer in cups (pipe pudding to touch edges up cup).
4. Dice bananas or slice if using larger cups, brush with lemon juice. Spread half the bananas over the pudding layer.
5. Whip the heavy cream as directed but use 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 3 Tbsp sugar and 3/4 tsp vanilla. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe half of the whipped cream over banana layer (pipe to edges to seal out air).
6. Repeat layering process once more with crushed cookies, pudding, bananas and whipped cream.
7. Serve right away or let rest in fridge up to 1 day. Garnish with vanilla wafers and a sliced banana if desired.

Nutrition estimate is based on 9 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Banana Pudding Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 498 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 163mg54%

Sodium 274mg12%

Potassium 219mg6%

Carbohydrates 56g19%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 36g40%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 851IU17%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 116mg12%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana pudding, banana pudding recipe, how to make banana pudding

Author: Jaclyn