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Homemade Banana Pudding That Actually Tastes Like Bananas Recipe

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4.3 from 76 reviews

This Homemade Banana Pudding recipe delivers a rich, creamy dessert bursting with fresh banana flavor and layered with crunchy vanilla wafers. With a smooth pudding base enhanced by cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, whipped heavy cream for lightness, and fresh banana slices, it’s a classic Southern treat perfect for any occasion. The pudding is cooked on the stovetop and chilled for several hours, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.

Ingredients

Pudding Base

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Banana Mixture

  • 5 medium bananas
  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk (not a full 14 oz can)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese or mascarpone (room temperature)

Whipped Cream

  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Assembly

  • 3 cups Nilla Wafers (about ½ box)

Instructions

  1. Make the Pudding Base: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in the whole milk and egg until fully incorporated. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes until the mixture boils and thickens significantly. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate to cool while preparing the banana mixture.
  2. Prepare the Banana Mixture: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese (or mascarpone) until smooth and creamy. Chop one banana into small pieces and gently fold these into the slightly warm pudding mixture. Refrigerate this combined mixture for 1 hour to chill and develop flavor.
  3. Whip the Cream: In a clean bowl, beat the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon cornstarch until very stiff peaks form. The whipped cream should be thick and not watery to ensure good stability in the pudding.
  4. Slice Remaining Bananas: Slice the remaining 4 bananas into thin rounds about ¼ inch thick, ready for layering.
  5. Fold Whipped Cream into Pudding: Gently fold two-thirds of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding mixture, reserving the remaining whipped cream for topping the assembled dessert.
  6. Assemble the Layers: In an 8 x 8 inch casserole dish, spread one-third of the pudding mixture evenly on the bottom. Layer vanilla wafers with some space between them, then add half of the sliced bananas. Repeat with another third of pudding, another layer of vanilla wafers, the remaining bananas, and the final third of pudding. Spread the reserved whipped cream evenly over the top layer of pudding.
  7. Add Crumbled Topping and Chill: Place about ½ cup of vanilla wafers in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin to create crumbs. Sprinkle these crumbs over the whipped cream topping. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the pudding to set properly.

Notes

  • Use ripe but firm bananas to maintain texture in the pudding layers.
  • Ensure the pudding is not too hot when mixing with cream cheese to avoid curdling.
  • Whipping the cream with cornstarch helps stabilize it so it holds shape longer in the pudding.
  • The dessert improves if refrigerated overnight for best flavor and texture.
  • For a gluten-free option, substitute gluten-free vanilla wafers.
  • Serve chilled directly from the refrigerator.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/homemade-banana-pudding-that-actually-tastes-like-bananas-recipe/