Homemade Banana Pudding
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Easy Homemade Banana Pudding made with from-scratch vanilla pudding, whipped cream, sliced bananas, and vanilla wafers. It’s a classic no-bake dessert your friends and family will keep going back for!
If you love to pick up a tub of banana pudding from your local bakery, it is completely worth it to make this Homemade Banana Pudding at home. Made with homemade vanilla pudding, whipped cream, ripe bananas, and vanilla wafers, this recipe is the very best version you can make. Plus, it is surprisingly easy to make and a great no-bake dessert to make on hot summer days when you do not want to turn on the oven.
Most banana pudding recipes call for instant pudding mix, which is a quick and easy option for those who do not want to make vanilla pudding from scratch. While instant pudding mix is convenient, it is not that much harder to make vanilla pudding from scratch. It has just 6 simple ingredients. The homemade vanilla pudding is so good. You might never buy the boxed stuff again.
Another thing I love about this recipe is that it tastes even better after sitting in the fridge! The pudding will firm up as it refrigerates overnight, and the banana flavor will intensify. This is a dessert you’ll want to make ahead of time!
Components
The main components to make Homemade Banana Pudding:
- Bananas. Use ripe bananas for this recipe. Do not use soft, mushy browned bananas.
- Vanilla wafers. Nilla Wafers are the classic choice for the layers of vanilla wafers. They are wonderfully crisp and soften just enough while the banana pudding sets in the refrigerator. If you’d like to switch it up, you can try replacing them with butter cookies or graham crackers.
- Homemade vanilla pudding. Homemade pudding offers a richer, more complex flavor and a smoother, creamier texture compared to the often artificial taste and granular texture of instant pudding. Additionally, homemade recipes allow for control over ingredients, enabling the use of fresh, high-quality components like real milk, butter, and vanilla extract, rather than relying on artificial flavorings and preservatives.
- Heavy whipping cream. Whip until stiff peaks. The whipped cream is then folded into the pudding to make it airy and lighter.
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Ingredients
- Egg yolks. The yolks give pudding a rich tasting velvety texture and yellow color.
- Granulated sugar. To sweeten the pudding.
- Cornstarch. It helps to thicken the pudding.
- Whole milk. For the best flavor, use whole milk. It gives this pudding a creamy texture and rich flavor.
- Butter. Butter is added to pudding to enhance richness, flavor, and texture. It contributes to a smoother mouthfeel and can help create a more decadent and satisfying dessert.
- Vanilla extract. It adds subtle and delicious flavor of vanilla to the pudding.
How to Make Banana Pudding From Scratch
- Make vanilla pudding. Combine egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and milk. Then, simmer on low heat until thickened, whisking constantly. Once thickened, turn off the heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate to allow the pudding to chill and thicken.
- Mix the pudding with whipped cream. Whip heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. Whisk or beat the chilled vanilla pudding until smooth with no lumps. Add one-third of whipped cream into the pudding and fold with a spatula or beat on low speed using a mixer until combined. Add the remaining whipped cream and beat until just combined.
- Assemble the pudding. Spread layers of the cream in a trifle bowl, baking dish, or individual cups with vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. Top with the cream.
- Chill the pudding. Cover and chill the pudding until the cookies soften and the pudding is chilled through.
- Serve. Sprinkle vanilla wafer crumbs and place some banana slices on top of the pudding right before serving.
No Egg Tempering
This homemade vanilla pudding is made differently than the most traditional methods out there, requiring just one pot and no egg tempering. Normally, you have to temper the eggs with hot milk to avoid making scrambled eggs. You can actually make it with a non-tempering technique, which is significantly easier and with less clean-up.
Combine the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and milk in a pan. Heat on low heat while whisking constantly until thickened. Turn off the heat. Add butter and vanilla extract and whisk until incorporated. And if you want the pudding extra smooth, you can strain it through a sieve.
How to Keep Pudding From Scorching
Cooking pudding requires careful attention to prevent scorching. Follow these tips to ensure your pudding comes out creamy and delicious:
- Use heavy-bottomed saucepan. Ideal for distributing heat evenly and minimizing the risk of scorching.
- Use low heat. Even heating allows pudding to thicken gradually and evenly, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. Overheating can cause the pudding to separate and become grainy or lumpy. Resist the temptation to crank the heat up to move things along more quickly.
- Whisk constantly. You want to be whisking the mixture continuously. This will ensure that it cooks evenly, doesn’t overcook and reduces the chance of lumps and burned spots.
- Don’t overcook the pudding. Once it begins to thicken, stop whisking for a few seconds here and there to pause and see if it’s bubbling. When the pudding is overcooked, the once silky-smooth texture becomes grainy and lumpy.
How to Serve Banana Pudding
You can serve this dessert in a trifle dish or baking dish and scoop your servings into a bowl or onto a plate. You can even build mini versions in individual serving cups.
Storage
Store your pudding in the fridge, covered. It will last for 2-3 days. The banana pudding should be refrigerated for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the vanilla wafers to soften. Please note that after 2 days, the bananas will start to become brown and mushy.
Don’t freeze banana pudding. Freezing can cause the pudding to become watery or develop an icy texture due to ice crystal formation, and the bananas can brown.
More Dessert Recipes
- Burnt Cheese Tart
- Blueberry Crumble Muffins
- Pistachio Tiramisu
- Tiramisu Madeleines
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Banana Bread
- Crunchy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 3 cups (165 gr) vanilla wafers
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
Vanilla Pudding
- 2 egg yolks
- 5 tbsp (65 gr) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp (25 gr) cornstarch
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 tbsp (15 gr) salted butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Vanilla Pudding
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and milk. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Heat the saucepan on low heat. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly until thickened. Turn off the heat. Add butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the whole surface. This is to prevent the skin from forming on top. You can also choose to pass the mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- Let the pudding cool down to room temperature and then let it chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Assemble
- Add heavy cream to a bowl and beat on high speed using a mixer or hand whisk until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Remove the chilled pudding from the fridge and beat on high speed using a mixer or hand whisk until smooth with no lumps.
- Transfer one-third of the whipped cream to the pudding. Fold with a spatula or beat on low speed until well combined. Add the remaining whipped cream in 2 additions, gently folding it or beat on low speed into the pudding each time.
- Cover the bottom of serving glasses, trifle dishes, or baking dishes with the cream mixture. Top with a layer of vanilla wafers. Arrange banana slices on top of the wafers. Repeat the layers until you run out of space or ingredients. Top the final layer with the cream.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This ensures the cookies have time to soften.
- Just before serving, garnish with extra vanilla wafers and sliced bananas, if desired.
So good!