In the 6 years I’ve had my blog I have now posted this recipe 3x.. I keep wanting excuses to make it again and so I figure why not revamp the photos and recipe yet again? It’s just so addictingly good that I need to make sure that all of you have had a chance to see it and make it. If you haven’t made homemade banana pudding you really need to. I’m talking from scratch vanilla pudding, fresh whipped cream, banana slices, and even from-scratch vanilla wafers if you are feeling ambitious. My original plan was to make a recipe that rivaled Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding, but I can safely say this is way better.
What I love about this recipe is how it doesn’t take too long to prep, but then it can sit in the fridge overnight and chill. Perfect for a cook out, pot luck, or other type of communal food-eating get together. In fact, I think is even tastier after a day or two.
Now I have made the Vanilla Wafers from scratch before, but for this I used the real vanilla bean ones from Trader Joes. I’m not a huge fan of the fake-tasting variety, so these were perfect. Easy in a pinch, but almost as good as the from-scratch ones I’ve made. All in all, a super quick recipe that is impressive and delicious. Enjoy this version while you can, chances are I’ll be making it again in a year or two ;).
- ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 and ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 3 cups whole milk (don’t substitute for anything else, or it won’t be as rich)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large (ripe) bananas, sliced thinly
- 1 batch of homemade vanilla wafers* (or 10 oz. of store bought ones.)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch, egg, egg yolk, whole milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk together until combined, then continue whisking constantly for about 10 minutes, until the pudding thickens and starts to bubble.
- Add in the butter, remove from the heat, and whisk until completely melted. If there are any lumps, pour the pudding through a mesh sieve into a separate bowl. Allow pudding to sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, until cool to the touch.
- First, place a layer of bananas in the bottom of a round 9 inch bowl (or something of similar size), then a layer of vanilla wafers (it doesn’t have to be perfect, because when you scoop up the pudding to serve, everything gets served together), then a layer of pudding.
- Repeat this banana, wafer, pudding layering until the last layer is pudding. Place in the fridge for 5-6 hours, covered in tin foil or plastic wrap. (I chilled mine overnight and in the morning it tasted perfect!)
- When the pudding is ready, Put your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 5/10 minutes or until very cold. Then, whip together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until peaks form, about 5 minutes at the most.
- Top the pudding with the whipped cream, then sprinkle some crushed wafers over the top of the pudding. Keeps well in the fridge for 3 days. Serves 8.
Go. Be. Do says
March 4, 2011 at 1:16 ambanana pudding is one of my most favorite things…I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks!
Anonymous says
March 4, 2011 at 3:49 amOmg! De-lish!
ellen says
March 8, 2011 at 4:40 pmI’ve been searching for a good banana pudding recipe (since I had some at Rudy’s BBQ in Austin). Thank you!
christycunn1 says
March 10, 2011 at 5:58 amI was Manhattan last week and never made it over to Magnolias for their pudding so I am going to try this tomorrow…THANKS! I can hardly wait!
Shannon Cody says
September 7, 2011 at 1:05 amLove, love, LOVE!! I stumbled upon your blog tonight and I am so glad that I did. You must be my soul-sister-in-baking because every recipe you have is like the one I’ve been searching for. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be baking away your sweet recipes, one by one. Chubby hubby cupcakes?! Seriously. Thank you!
Baker Momma says
September 22, 2012 at 12:15 amThis was fabulous Audra, and the recipe looks really simple. Did you use your Silpat for the wafers?
Audra says
September 22, 2012 at 2:01 amIt really was very easy! And yes- I used the silpat for the wafers :)
Abigail says
September 1, 2017 at 11:25 pmI made the pudding and it was EXTREMELY runny even after I cooled it for 45 minutes… what did I do wrong???
Audra says
September 5, 2017 at 3:00 pmHmm I’m really not sure! It’s hard to know since I wasn’t there. This pudding is always extremely thick when I make it.
Ellie says
November 2, 2018 at 8:51 amCoild you possibly accidently left out the cornstarch?
Mary McC says
May 18, 2019 at 4:41 pmI made the pudding, cooked for the recommended time and it was still quite liquidy. So I cranked up the heat a little and kept going. Stove tops can be like ovens, your timing may vary. Good luck next time, this is delicious!
Lisa {Sweet 2 Eat Baking} says
September 23, 2012 at 1:07 amAhhh, now I see why you made those wafers. ;) This looks awesome Audra, the pudding looks similar to my recipe for the banana pie. I guess mine would be a banana pudding pie then.
Your recipe seems kinda like a UK trifle. UK trifles have those sugar coated wafer things at the bottom soaked in fruit flavoured jelly (jello?) with chunks of fruit in it too. Then followed by the custard (or pudding we made), then followed by a layer of whipped cream (with or without sprinkles on top).
Which makes me love your pudding even more.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
September 23, 2012 at 3:54 amI love that you used homemade wafers in this pudding. This happen to be my husband’s favorite dessert, so I’ll be pinning this to make for him later.
Luv What You Do says
September 24, 2012 at 1:57 pmI haven’t had homemade banana pudding since I lived in Memphis. It is amazing! I could definitely lick the bowl clean!
Nikki @ Chef in Training says
September 26, 2012 at 5:51 pmAudra! This looks AMAZING! So creamy and delicious! Thanks for the great recipe :)
Siobhan Huck says
September 26, 2012 at 6:54 pmI am so excited to try this recipe! I too love Magnolia’s pudding – I get it each time I visit and I usually eat it by the time I am through the Lincoln Tunnel!
Stephie Swope says
September 27, 2012 at 2:35 amBanana pudding is one of the only kinds of pudding I will eat regularly and in obscene amounts. I just LOVE it. Yowza this looks incredible.
Audra says
September 27, 2012 at 3:05 amMe too! This was to die. :)
Audra says
September 27, 2012 at 3:05 amI hear ya. I always buy that pint-sized container thinking it will be too much….nope- never is!
Audra says
September 27, 2012 at 3:06 amThanks Nikki! It really was the creamiest thing. :)
Audra says
September 27, 2012 at 3:07 amYes! This is trife-like. I actually was thinking of making a trifle with the leftover cookies! I’ll have to look up some UK recipes!
bob says
February 18, 2013 at 4:18 pmwhy vanilla extract 3 teaspoons and then 1 teaspoon?
Audra says
February 18, 2013 at 4:48 pmThe 3 teaspoons are for the pudding. The 1 teaspoon is for the whipped cream. :)
Debra says
April 24, 2013 at 12:08 pmMakes my mouth water and reminds of the Mom made us growing up. :D
Tim says
June 29, 2013 at 3:51 pmMade this today, with the homemade wafers and all, and it’s incredible! Really easy too!
Dani says
May 25, 2014 at 7:01 pmMade this last week! The BEST banana pudding I have ever had, also so easy to make! It didn’t last long at all!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
September 6, 2016 at 8:04 pmThis is definitely a recipe that DESERVES to be revisited again and again!!!
Jenn @ The Last Course says
September 17, 2016 at 11:40 pmThis looks like the perfect Sunday treat.. I’ll be trying this out tomorrow :)!
Jackie says
February 28, 2017 at 12:00 amHi Audr
Does the whip cream weep?
Megan says
November 30, 2018 at 8:15 pmJust made this pudding tonight as filling for individual banana cream pies and it was delicious! It thickened up nicely as it cooked and set up well when chilled. Thanks for a great recipe!
Bushra Hussain says
May 15, 2019 at 11:29 pmHi.
I was looking for a dessert recipe for my nephew’s first jungle themed birthday party. Can I make this one day ahead and would it be safe for it to transport to the party venue which is an hour and a half away?
Thank you