I’m excited to share my Easy Banana Cream Pudding Recipe, a no bake, make ahead layered dessert with vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and creamy vanilla pudding that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Easter, or any family gathering.

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I never planned to turn a grocery aisle guilty pleasure into my signature thing, but here we are. I call it an Easy Banana Cream Pudding Recipe because it nails that nostalgia without a million steps, and its also got the punch of Banana Cream With Vanilla Wafers I always wanted at potlucks.

I toss in vanilla wafers and ripe bananas, and somehow the result tastes like summer boxed up, but more grown up. You’ll be curious how something so simple can vanish fast, and yeah, people always ask for the secret even tho there really isnt one.

Ingredients

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Bananas: Sweet, soft fruit; adds potassium, fiber, natural sugars and creamy texture when mashed.
Vanilla wafers: Crunchy cookie layers adding carbs, butter flavor and a kinda nostalgic cookie-custard contrast.
Instant vanilla pudding mix: Pre-sweetened starch base that thickens quickly, gives sweet vanilla flavor and convenience.
Whole milk: Adds richness, protein and calories, helps set pudding and smooth mouthfeel.
Whipped topping or cream: Light airy creaminess, adds fat, sweetness, whipping your own tastes fresher.
Sweetened condensed milk: Optional syrupy sweetener, boosts creaminess and sugars, so use sparingly.
Lemon juice: Acidic splash to slow browning of bananas and brighten overall flavor.
Vanilla extract: Concentrated vanilla notes, deepens flavor without extra sweetness.
Pinch of salt: Tiny savory touch that balances sweetness and enhances flavors.

Ingredient Quantities

1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafers

4 to 5 ripe bananas, sliced

2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix

3 cups cold whole milk

1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, or 2 cups heavy cream plus 1/4 cup powdered sugar if you wanna whip your own

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, optional for extra creamy, sweeter pudding

1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional to toss with banana slices to slow browning

Pinch of salt

How to Make this

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1. Thaw the whipped topping in the fridge if using, or chill your bowl and beaters if you wanna whip cream. Slice 4 to 5 ripe bananas and toss them gently with 1 tablespoon lemon juice if you want to slow browning.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together both
3.4 oz pudding mixes, 3 cups cold whole milk and a pinch of salt for about 2 minutes until the mix starts to thicken.

3. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and, if you want extra creamy and sweeter pudding, fold in the whole 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk now.

4. If you chose homemade whipped cream: whip 2 cups heavy cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar to soft to medium peaks. If you used frozen whipped topping, fold the thawed topping gently in the pudding until combined and smooth.

5. Reserve a handful of vanilla wafers and crush them roughly for the top. Line the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 9 x 13 pan with a single layer of vanilla wafers.

6. Spread about a third of the pudding mixture over the wafers, then add a layer of banana slices. Repeat with another layer of wafers, pudding, and bananas until you run out, finishing with a pudding layer on top.

7. Sprinkle the crushed vanilla wafers over the top and garnish with a few whole wafers or extra banana slices if you like. Save a few whole cookies for last minute garnish so they stay crisp.

8. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, best if overnight so the flavors meld and the wafers soften to that perfect tender bite. If you want crisper layers, assemble closer to serving time.

9. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Bananas will brown after a day or so, so consider adding fresh slices right before serving for best look and taste.

Equipment Needed

1. Refrigerator for chilling bowls or thawing the whipped topping
2. Mixing bowls, medium and large
3. Electric hand mixer with beaters or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons plus a liquid measuring cup for the milk
5. Rubber spatula for folding and smoothing layers
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for slicing the bananas
7. 9 x 13 baking pan or a trifle bowl for assembling
8. Zip top bag and rolling pin or a food processor to crush the vanilla wafers
9. Can opener and a wooden spoon for stirring the sweetened condensed milk

FAQ

1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafers

4 to 5 ripe bananas, sliced

2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix

3 cups cold whole milk

1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, or 2 cups heavy cream plus 1/4 cup powdered sugar if you wanna whip your own

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, optional for extra creamy, sweeter pudding

1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional to toss with banana slices to slow browning

Pinch of salt

Q: How long does this pudding need to chill? A: At least 2 hours, but overnight is best for the wafers to soften and flavor to meld.

Q: Can I make this ahead? A: Yes, make it up to 24 hours ahead. Keep covered in the fridge. The bananas might brown a little, so toss them in lemon juice if you're prepping early.

Q: Can I use low fat milk or non dairy milk? A: Yes but texture may be slightly thinner. Whole milk gives the creamiest result. For non dairy use an unsweetened almond or oat milk, but skip the condensed milk unless you want extra sweetness.

Q: What if I want crunch on top? A: Crush some vanilla wafers or sprinkle chopped nuts right before serving so they stay crunchy.

Q: Can I freeze banana pudding? A: Not well. Freezing makes the texture grainy and bananas mushy. Better to refrigerate only.

Q: Do I have to use instant pudding mix? A: No, you can make a cooked custard from scratch but it takes longer. Instant pudding is the fastest, and with whipped topping folded in it’s still very good.

HOW TO MAKE EASY BANANA PUDDING Recipe Substitutions and Variations

HOW TO MAKE EASY BANANA PUDDING

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafers
4 to 5 ripe bananas, sliced
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups cold whole milk
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, or 2 cups heavy cream plus 1/4 cup powdered sugar if you wanna whip your own
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, optional for extra creamy, sweeter pudding
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional to toss with banana slices to slow browning
Pinch of salt

Quick directions
1. Pour the cold milk into a bowl, whisk in the two pudding mixes and a pinch of salt until smooth. Whisk about 2 minutes so it sets up good. If using sweetened condensed milk, whisk it in now for extra creaminess.
2. Fold in the thawed whipped topping or your whipped cream and the vanilla extract until evenly mixed. Dont overmix, you want it light.
3. If you like, toss banana slices with the lemon juice quickly so they dont brown as fast.
4. In a 9×13 dish or trifle bowl, layer a single layer of vanilla wafers, then a layer of banana slices, then a layer of pudding. Repeat until you run out, finishing with pudding on top. Crush a few wafers for a crumb topping if you want.
5. Chill at least 2 hours so the wafers soften and flavors meld, overnight is better. Serve cold, scoop and enjoy. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge 3 to 4 days.

Substitutions

Vanilla wafers: swap for graham crackers, shortbread cookies, or gluten-free sandwich cookies, 1:1. Toasting them a little gives extra crunch.
Whole milk: use 2% or full-fat plant milks like unsweetened oat or almond. If using plant milk, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup to help pudding set.
Instant vanilla pudding mix: make a cooked custard by whisking 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, pinch salt, 2 egg yolks, 2 cups milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, cook until thick then cool.
Frozen whipped topping or heavy cream: use full-fat coconut cream for dairy-free, or mascarpone folded with a little cream for richer texture. If whipping cream, add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar per cup to sweeten.

Pro Tips

– Chill the pudding before you fold in the whipped cream, you want it cold so it doesnt deflate the whipped topping and turn runny. If you fold warm pudding into whipped cream you’ll lose that light fluffy texture fast.

– If you need it to hold up for a party, stabilize the whipped cream: sprinkle 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin (bloomed in 2 tablespoons cold water then warmed till dissolved) into the whipped cream while beating, or fold in 4 ounces of room temp cream cheese for extra structure and tang. Both tricks keep the layers from collapsing after a few hours.

– Keep some banana slices fresh for the top, instead of putting all the slices in during assembly; bananas brown, it happens. Add the lemon toss to the inside layers, but save nicer un-browned slices for garnish so it looks fresh when you serve.

– Want a textural pop? Crush a handful of vanilla wafers fine and fold some into the pudding, and reserve coarser crumbs for the top. Also, assemble no more than a few hours ahead if you like crispier cookie layers, otherwise let it sit overnight for that melt-in-your-mouth softened-wafer vibe.

HOW TO MAKE EASY BANANA PUDDING Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I'm excited to share my Easy Banana Cream Pudding Recipe, a no bake, make ahead layered dessert with vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and creamy vanilla pudding that's perfect for Thanksgiving, Easter, or any family gathering.

Servings

servings

Calories

443

kcal

Equipment: 1. Refrigerator for chilling bowls or thawing the whipped topping
2. Mixing bowls, medium and large
3. Electric hand mixer with beaters or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons plus a liquid measuring cup for the milk
5. Rubber spatula for folding and smoothing layers
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for slicing the bananas
7. 9 x 13 baking pan or a trifle bowl for assembling
8. Zip top bag and rolling pin or a food processor to crush the vanilla wafers
9. Can opener and a wooden spoon for stirring the sweetened condensed milk

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafers
4 to 5 ripe bananas, sliced
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups cold whole milk
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, or 2 cups heavy cream plus 1/4 cup powdered sugar if you wanna whip your own
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, optional for extra creamy, sweeter pudding
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional to toss with banana slices to slow browning
Pinch of salt

Directions

Thaw the whipped topping in the fridge if using, or chill your bowl and beaters if you wanna whip cream. Slice 4 to 5 ripe bananas and toss them gently with 1 tablespoon lemon juice if you want to slow browning.
In a medium bowl whisk together both
4 oz pudding mixes, 3 cups cold whole milk and a pinch of salt for about 2 minutes until the mix starts to thicken.
Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and, if you want extra creamy and sweeter pudding, fold in the whole 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk now.
If you chose homemade whipped cream: whip 2 cups heavy cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar to soft to medium peaks. If you used frozen whipped topping, fold the thawed topping gently in the pudding until combined and smooth.
Reserve a handful of vanilla wafers and crush them roughly for the top. Line the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 9 x 13 pan with a single layer of vanilla wafers.
Spread about a third of the pudding mixture over the wafers, then add a layer of banana slices. Repeat with another layer of wafers, pudding, and bananas until you run out, finishing with a pudding layer on top.
Sprinkle the crushed vanilla wafers over the top and garnish with a few whole wafers or extra banana slices if you like. Save a few whole cookies for last minute garnish so they stay crisp.
Cover and chill at least 4 hours, best if overnight so the flavors meld and the wafers soften to that perfect tender bite. If you want crisper layers, assemble closer to serving time.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Bananas will brown after a day or so, so consider adding fresh slices right before serving for best look and taste.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.