Banana Pudding

For many, banana pudding calls up cozy childhood memories. Some people grew up delighting in the fruity dessert at family gatherings. Others first knew it as a filling for decadent banana cream pies at diners and barbecues. We’re here to show you how to make it from scratch!

Banana pudding was originally a bit more complicated, with its origins in the British dessert called trifle. Trifle is typically made with layers of sponge cake, custard, fruit and whipped cream. As packaged vanilla cookies became popular in the United States, the simpler task of layering pudding and cookies became the norm.

While you can purchase boxed versions, our easy pudding recipe—made with simple ingredients including milk, flour, sugar, vanilla and the eponymous tropical fruit—only takes about half an hour (plus chilling), and it has a fresh flavor that surpasses anything you’d buy at the store. Some tips for making pudding include using a whisk to prevent clumps and resisting the urge to stir the pudding once you set it in the fridge to chill.

Although banana pudding is associated with southern food, it didn’t originate there. The earliest recipes discovered for the dessert came from Illinois and Massachusetts! No matter where it comes from, learning how to make banana pudding, one of the most classic desserts, will put you in potluck star status.

Ingredients for Banana Pudding

• Sugar: Granulated sugar is the go-to for banana pudding, but you could use light or dark brown sugar for an even richer flavor.
• Flour: Puddings rely on thickening agents, and flour is one of them. You’ll want all-purpose flour here. If you don’t have flour but do happen to have cornstarch, you can still make this pudding! Just swap in the starch using half of the amount of flour called for in the recipe — in this case, 2 tablespoons.
• Milk: We prefer 2% milk for this recipe, but you could use whole milk or half-and-half to make your dessert more decadent. Don’t do dairy? Try any nondairy milk alternatives.
• Eggs: When it comes to cage-free vs. free-range eggs, I love using free-range farm eggs in dessert recipes because they give the finished treats a lovely golden color. If you don’t have access to local eggs, any grade A large eggs from the grocery store will work fine.
• Vanilla extract: Make sure you use real vanilla extract in all your baking recipes. My preferred brand is Nielsen-Massey, which is also a Test Kitchen pick for the best vanilla extract. You can further ramp up the vanilla flavor by using vanilla bean paste.
• Vanilla wafer cookies: If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your vanilla wafers cookies from scratch If not, Nabisco’s Nilla Wafers are a classic for banana pudding.
• Bananas: You want just-ripe fruit for banana pudding. Green bananas, while fine to eat, aren’t sweet enough. Too ripe, and the texture will be too mushy. Here’s how to ripen bananas if they’re not ready and how to store bananas so they’re ready when you are.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the pudding

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In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for two more minutes. Remove from heat.

Editor’s Tip: When adding the milk, remember to stir constantly, getting the whisk into the very edge of the saucepan. This helps prevent clumps in your finished pudding.

Step 2: Temper the eggs

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In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Slowly drizzle some of the hot pudding mixture into the eggs, whisking vigorously as you do.

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Return all to the pan, whisking constantly, and bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for two minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla. Cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Editor’s Tip: This is how you temper the eggs, which helps to prevent them from curdling when you add them to the hot pan. The more hot liquid you whisk into your eggs before adding them back to the pan, the lower your risk of the whites curdling in the heat. (I typically add half of the hot milk mixture to my eggs.) If you do notice some graininess in your pudding, pour it through a sieve to remove the curdled bits.

Step 3: Assemble the dish

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In an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish, layer 25 vanilla wafers, half of the banana slices and half of the pudding. Repeat the layers.

Step 4: Chill out

Press plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding to prevent it from forming a skin. Refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

Step 5: Unwrap and finish

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Before serving, and unwrap the pudding. Crush the remaining wafers, and sprinkle over the top.

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Recipe Variations

• Make hasty pudding: In a hurry? You can make this a boxed vanilla pudding recipe (or use banana-flavored pudding). Just follow the directions on the pudding package and layer it up!
• Change up the cookies: People love making this recipe with graham crackers, gingersnaps or peanut butter cookies, but a chocolate cookie would be nice, too. Want to get fancy? Try Italian ladyfinger cookies (the same kind you’d use for tiramisu), Biscoff or shortbread.
• Caramelize your fruit: For even more flavor, you can cook bananas before adding them to the pudding.
• Try a topping: Roasted and crushed nuts, chocolate shavings, homemade whipped cream, or a toasty layer of meringue would be lovely additions to banana pudding.
• Go for slightly different desserts: Want similar vibes in a different package? Try whipping up banana bread pudding, frosted banana bars or banana cream pie!

How to Store Banana Pudding

Store banana pudding in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for three to four days.

Can you freeze banana pudding?

Because of the cookies and the banana slices, this is not the best recipe for freezing. If you need to store the pudding for more than a few days, freeze the pudding by itself for up to three months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator, then layer it with cookies and bananas before serving.

Banana Pudding Tips

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Why is my banana pudding runny?

To prevent runny banana pudding, watch the flour, eggs and temperature. Two ingredients thicken this banana pudding: flour and eggs. After each ingredient is added, the mixture needs at least a gentle simmer to ensure its thickening power goes into effect. You can also use a digital thermometer to check the temperature. After the eggs are added, the pudding should reach at least 155°F; that’s when you know they’re cooked perfectly. Also, pudding thickens as it cools, so chilling it overnight gives the nicest texture.

How do you keep bananas from turning brown in banana pudding?

To prevent bananas from browning, brush a little lemon juice or citric acid onto your banana slices to help reduce oxidation, the chemical process that turns the fruit brown.

How should you serve banana pudding?

Banana pudding is best served cold, in cute little parfait or custard cups. You can also use a glass trifle bowl so you can see each distinct layer of the dessert. Save room for whipped cream!