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Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding – A delicious no bake dessert made by layering homemade vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, toasted meringue, and Nilla Wafers.  An elegant spin on a childhood favorite!

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Pudding was one of life’s simple joys that I just discovered a few years ago.  There was definitely a period that I went through where it became my go-to simple dessert to make when I had a sweet tooth but until very recently, I hadn’t tried making it from scratch! When I set off to make the perfect pudding, banana was definitely the first flavor that came to mind!

Now homemade banana pudding doesn’t actually have bananas in the pudding itself, it is instead a layered dessert that has vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, cookies, and either whipped cream or a meringue.  This recipe can be made as a multi-serving dessert in a glass serving dish or as an individual dessert in smaller containers such as mason jars.

Pudding

Common Questions About Making Banana Pudding

What is banana pudding?

Banana pudding is a custard-like dessert flavored with vanilla extract and served layered with fresh banana slices and homemade meringue on top.

How do I make homemade pudding?

Making homemade pudding is surprisingly easy.  You cook milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstach over medium-high heat while whisking constantly for 5-7 minutes.  The pudding should thicken up and you can then add in the vanilla extract.

Do I have to make the meringue?

Nope! It’s totally optional but it makes it taste like a banana cream pie!

Banana Pudding Recipe

What can I serve with banana pudding?

I like to serve the pudding with Nilla Wafers but some other great additions are graham crackers, salted caramel sauce, bourbon salted caramel sauce, or butterscotch sauce.

What other types of pudding can I make?

There are so many great homemade pudding flavors to try! Some of my favorites include –

  • Vanilla Pudding
  • Chocolate Pudding
  • Butterscotch Pudding

Homemade Pudding

Looking for more dessert recipes? Check these out!

Pudding Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding - A delicious no bake dessert made by layering homemade vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, toasted meringue, and Nilla Wafers.  An elegant spin on a childhood favorite!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pudding

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue below)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Meringue

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Assemble

  • 2 cups Nilla Wafers
  • 3 rips bananas (sliced)

Instructions

Make the Vanilla Pudding

  1. Add the milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, and corn starch to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon - about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract and cover the pudding with plastic wrap. Transfer it to the fridge until chilled - about 1 hour.

Make the Meringue

  1. Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
  2. Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl and whisk constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved - about 2 minutes.
  3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form - about 8 minutes.
  4. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Assemble

  1. Cover the bottom of your serving dish with Nilla Wafers (you can either do one big serving dish or individual cups).
  2. Cover with a layer of pudding followed by a layer of sliced bananas. Repeat until all of the components are completely used, making sure the last layer is pudding.
  3. Spread or pipe the meringue evenly over the custard layer. Toast the top of the meringue with a kitchen torch until ready to enjoy - up to four hours in advance.
  4. Serve immediately or store the pudding in the fridge until ready to enjoy - up to four hours in advance.
  5. You can assemble the pudding up to 24 hours in advance - assemble through step 2 and then make and toast the meringue right before you serve it. The meringue tends to become runny when stored in the fridge overnight so it's best to make it right before serving.

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Banana Pudding

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