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With the extra time on our hands, we recently decided to make a fun dessert for our weekend treat that we’ve never made before … Homemade Banana Pudding!
I don’t have banana pudding very often, maybe once every five years, but the last time I had some it was super yummy (from a local Charlotte restaurant called Haberdish). So, when I passed by the (organic) Vanilla Wafers at the store the other day I was like, “That’s it, we are totally going to make this at home!” Nothing like a fun new recipe to get you through right now.
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I love anything with banana but this banana pudding is absolutely over the top.
What’s funny is that when we ordered the banana pudding at Haberdish I had to talk my husband into it; he didn’t think he liked banana pudding. But, as it turns out, he’d never had the real deal made from scratch, and once he had a bite his mind changed instantly. He was even fighting us over the last few bites when we made our version at home.
He was quickly converted, and you can be too … even if you’ve never had this southern dessert before. It’s the perfect time to try it and see what all the hype is about!
We eat mostly real food, but usually have a weekend treat to look forward to. And these days we’ve regularly had the time to make something more elaborate than usual!
Ingredients to Make Banana Pudding
- Milk – 4 cups.
- Sugar – Granulated.
- Corn starch – 1/4 cup.
- Eggs – If you can’t get them from a farmers’ market check out what to look for here.
- Butter – Organic or Non-GMO.
- Pure vanilla extract – Store-bought or homemade.
- Heavy whipping cream – 1 1/2 cups.
- Vanilla wafers – Organic or homemade.
- Bananas – Cut into round slices.
How to Make Banana Pudding
- Whisk: Whisk together the pudding ingredients in a wide-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk frequently and when the mixture begins to bubble up, turn the heat down to medium-low. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. It’s very important to continue whisking frequently so the eggs don’t curdle!
- Beat: Use electric beaters or a whisk to whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla together until peaks form. Set aside.
- Assemble: In jars or a trifle dish, layer the cookies, bananas, and then the pudding; top with whipped cream (and cookie crumbles for garnish, if desired); and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours before serving.
More Treats You Might Enjoy
- Homemade Chocolate Pudding Pie
- Homemade Creme Pies (with a Homemade Marshmallow Fluff Filling)
- Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Homemade Banana Pudding
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 4 cups milk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For whipped cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar (granulated or confectioners)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For pudding
- Whisk together the pudding ingredients in a wide-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk frequently and when the mixture begins to bubble up, turn the heat down to medium-low. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. It's very important to continue whisking frequently so the eggs don't curdle!
For whipped cream
- Use electric beaters or a whisk to whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla together until peaks form. Set aside.
For assembly
- In jars or a trifle dish layer the cookies, bananas, and then the pudding; top with whipped cream (and cookie crumbles for garnish, if desired); and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours before serving.
Notes
- If you make homemade vanilla wafers you will need to make approximately one and a half recipes.
- The pictured glasses are large and contain two servings each.
- We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
This is a great recipe that I have made many times. One thing I’ve been doing lately is putting the wafers in the food processor. I use this instead of whole wafers in the layers. It really takes it to the next level.
Will be making this soon. Can I substitute Almond Milk for cows milk?
That should be fine! – Nicole
How long does it take for the pudding to thicken? I followed the steps in the recipe; yet, after 15 minutes it was still more runny than thick pudding consistency. Will it become thicker once in the refrigerator? Thank you for your help!
The recipe doesn’t have amounts for most of the ingredients
Hi Helen, you need to keep scrolling down the page until you get to the recipe card in order to see all the ingredients, measurements, and instructions. – Nicole
Had to try this and it is as good as it looks!
I love anything with banana but this banana pudding is absolutely over the top. Thanks for recommending this. Really needed it during the stay-home notice.
Do you have to pour out of the pan immediately after you cook the pudding? My eggs curdled and I’m guessing that is why because I stirred it constantly. Just curious. Thanks!!
You want to make sure you take it off the heat. It’s best if you have the jars/containers ready so that you can pour the pudding in after cooking. – Nicole
Can anybody tell me about the calories of this item?
We include the nutritional facts in the recipe. This comes to about 391 calories per serving. – Nicole
The homemade banana pudding is sweet, luscious, and smooth with big nostalgic appeal. The texture from the wafers and the bananas, both suspended in thick and creamy, is pure good old-fashioned comfort food in a bowl. If you’ve never made Nilla Wafer banana pudding from scratch, you’re going to love it.
So good! My kids and I made this yesterday. The entire family loved it! We even used the recipe for the wafers
Resist the temptation to eat this the day you make it! Letting it sit 12+ hours allows the flavors to really come together. I omitted the whipped cream and it was still plenty rich.
Looks very delicious. I will try this for sure, my kids love new dishes and this would be surprise for them. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I tried this recipe and my family loved it! It tasted like my grandmas homemade banana pudding! I would highly recommend this recipe to others. One this I changed was we used whipped cream out of a can instead of making it homemade but it was still delicious!
So good! My kids and I made this yesterday. The entire family loved it! We even used the recipe for the wafers.
Is this the same as your chocolate pudding recipe but without the cocoa? The pudding itself is just vanilla flavored?
Yes, the pudding is pretty much the same. – Nicole