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Perfect Banana Pudding Recipe

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This homemade banana pudding recipe is a creamy, nostalgic dessert with fresh bananas, vanilla wafers, and a deliciously rich vanilla custard. Perfect for gatherings!

  • Total Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 medium to large bananas
  • 1 box (11 ounces) of vanilla cookies, such as Nilla Wafers
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (16 grams) of cornstarch
  • 3 cups (709 milliliters) of whole milk, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons (56 grams) of salted butter
  • Fresh whipped cream, optional for serving

Instructions

Making the vanilla pudding

  1. Set up your dish: Find a 2-quart dish, ideally at least 2 inches deep. An 8×8-inch square dish works well, but feel free to use a different shape. If your dish is larger, keep a few extra bananas and cookies handy in case you need to fill it up.
  2. Whisk the egg mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, and ½ cup of milk. Don’t worry if it seems a little gritty; it’ll smooth out once it’s cooked.
  3. Heat the milk: Pour the remaining 2 ½ cups of milk into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it just starts to simmer. Turn off the heat once you see bubbles around the edges.
  4. Temper the eggs: This step is crucial to avoid scrambled eggs in your pudding! Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, then add another ½ cup, whisking constantly. This warms up the eggs gradually so they won’t cook too fast.
  5. Combine and cook: Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Add the vanilla extract, and set the heat to medium. Whisk constantly for about 3-4 minutes, or until the pudding thickens. You’ll know it’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn with your finger stays visible for a few seconds.
  6. Add the butter: Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the butter until it’s fully melted and incorporated.

Assembling the layers

  1. Layer the cookies and bananas: In your prepared dish, start with a layer of vanilla wafers, placing them flat side down. Add a layer of banana slices on top. Repeat this process to create at least two layers, stopping about ½ inch from the top.
  2. Pour the pudding: Pour the hot pudding over the banana and cookie layers, spreading it out to the edges.
  3. Let it settle: Gently shake and tilt the dish so the pudding flows down and around the layers. You’ll see air bubbles rising – that’s a good thing! Keep gently shaking for a couple of minutes to make sure the pudding reaches the bottom.
  4. Chill: Let the pudding cool to room temperature on the counter, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight. The longer it sits, the better it tastes!
  5. Top it off: Before serving, add a dollop of whipped cream on top, along with extra banana slices and crumbled cookies for a little garnish.

Notes

Banana pudding is best enjoyed fresh, but it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store it covered to prevent it from absorbing any fridge odors. If you want to keep the bananas from browning, you can add a light layer of whipped cream on top as a seal. Avoid freezing – the texture of the pudding and bananas won’t hold up well once thawed.

  • Author: Soraya
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dessert