This Easy Banana Pudding Recipe will be the new family favorite. All of the delicious layers of pudding, whipped cream and more make this so tasty. Plus, the layers look gorgeous in a trifle dish.
Banana Pudding is such a classic no bake dessert recipe and makes me think of Sunday lunch at Grandma’s. So many decadent layers make this so luscious. My favorite is when the vanilla wafers get soft, and it is just so amazing with the pudding and bananas.
We also love Banana Pudding Poke Cake and Paula Deen Banana Pudding.
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Why We Love This Recipe
This is really so easy to make! You are going to love how simple it is, and your family will love how it tastes.
It is the perfect dessert for company but easy enough for any day of the week. It is not hard at all, and the kids can even help.
It is very simple and not complicated at all. We use whipped cream mixed into the pudding so it makes it so simple to make the layers.
If you love banana pudding, try our Banana Pudding Fluff too.
Ingredients
- Sweetened Condensed Milk. This adds a richness and sweetness to the recipe that is so amazing.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix – Try our Homemade Vanilla Pudding.
- Heavy Cream – make sure the heavy whipping cream is cold. You can also use cool whip or whipped topping instead of homemade whipped cream.
- Sliced Ripe Bananas – The bananas should not be overly ripe.
- Nilla Wafers – You can also try Vanilla Wafer Cookies.
Find the entire ingredients for this recipe at the bottom of the page.
How to Make Banana Pudding Recipe
Step 1. In a large bowl, combine together the sweetened condensed milk and water until smooth. Then add the pudding mix and beat with a mixer. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
Step 2. Get out a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Then fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture.
Step 3. Now, it’s time to assemble the dessert. Place ⅓ of the Nilla wafers on the bottom. Next, layer ⅓ of the bananas, and ½ of the pudding mixture.
Step 4. Continue to layer the ingredients. Repeat two more times. Then garnish with additional wafers or crumbs on the top layer. Allow to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
Storage
Store the leftover banana pudding in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap and it will last about 2-3 days. The bananas will start to get brown spots if stored too long.
Also see Can you freeze Banana Pudding?
Pro Tips
- Let Pudding Mixture Cool – Before adding in the whipped cream, make sure your pudding mixture has cooled.
- Refrigerate Overnight – We recommend making this banana pudding in advance. Letting all the flavors marinate together makes it so delicious and creamy.
- Add Chocolate Chips – Toss in some chocolate chips for an added chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – To enhance warm vanilla flavor, add in a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Banana Pudding is a dessert that has layers of sweet french vanilla custard, vanilla wafers, and slices of fresh bananas. This creamy dessert is usually served in a clear dish, so you can see the layers.
Banana Pudding is usually topped with whipped cream or meringue.
You can toss the banana slices in a tiny bit of lemon juice to prevent them from browning. You do not want to use much, or it will alter the taste of the pudding.
It really is best if made a day in advance. It allows the vanilla wafers to get soft. All of the flavors blend together and it is even better the next day. I definitely would suggest making this a day ahead of when you plan to serve it.
I served it once the same day and it was good. But not as good as the times I made it the night before.
Some recipes call for you to heat the pudding mix with the milk for about 15 minutes. If you have a problem with the mixture not thickening this is an option to try. Just make sure that you do not over mix it.
If you don’t have a trifle dish you can use a glass 9×13 baking dish and just do two layers. If you are taking this dish to a potluck, you can use a plastic container. I have even used a large plastic container from the dollar store before.
It is not nearly as pretty but I have used a disposable pan before. They are very convenient if you are taking this dessert to someone’s house. It is easy for them just to toss the disposable pan, and not worry about giving you back the pan.
Another idea for serving is to use clear plastic cups to make individual serving sizes. This will take a bit longer but would be fun for parties. It makes it easy to just grab and go since it is already in a cup.
More Banana Desserts
- Banana Pudding Cookies Recipe
- Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding Recipe
- Cheesecake Pudding
- Easy Banana Cake Recipe
- Banana Slit Cake Recipe
I can’t wait for you to make this homemade Banana Pudding recipe. Please leave a comment once you do.
Easy Banana Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 can
- 1 1/2 cups ice cold water
- 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix 1 box
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups sliced ripe bananas
- 12 ounces Nilla Wafers 1 box
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined – about 1 minute.
- Add the pudding mix and beat well.
- Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to overnight. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set. It will be watery if you don't let it set up long enough.
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until no streaks of pudding remain.
- To assemble dessert, use a trifle dish.
- Arrange ⅓ of the Nilla wafers covering the bottom, overlapping if necessary. Next, layer 1/3of the bananas, and ½ of the pudding mixture. Repeat two more times garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer. Cover tightly and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours – or up to 8 hours.
