Banana pudding is one of those desserts I don’t make often enough, but every time I do, I wonder why I waited so long.
It’s cool, creamy, and just hits every time—layers of bananas, pudding, and those soft cookies that soak everything up. It feels a little old-school in the best way, but still so good.
Why You’ll Love It: It’s sweet, creamy, and has that perfect mix of textures—soft bananas, fluffy pudding, and cookies that get just the right amount of soft. It’s the kind of dessert everyone goes back for.
Top Tip: Let it chill for a few hours before serving so everything can come together—that’s when it really gets good.
How to Make Banana Pudding
Banana Pudding
Creamy, nostalgic, and irresistibly sweet, banana pudding is the ultimate comfort dessert. Layers of smooth vanilla custard, fresh bananas, and soft cookies come together for a classic treat that’s both simple and crowd-pleasing. Perfect for gatherings or an easy make-ahead dessert, it’s a recipe everyone will come back for.
Ingredients
Pudding:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
- 1/2 vanilla bean (cut in half lengthwise)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
To Finish:
- One 11-ounce box vanilla wafers (plus additional crushed wafers, for garnish, optional)
- 5 medium-size ripe bananas (sliced, plus more for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Begin by measuring out all the ingredients. Place the egg yolks in a small to medium size mixing bowl.
- Add the milk, sugar, flour, and salt to a sauce pan, then turn the burner on to medium heat. Keep the burner on medium until the pudding mixture comes to 150 degrees.
- Lower the burner to the lowest setting and cook for 8 minutes. Using a large Wisk, stir consistently to prevent the pudding from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan
- Remove from heat and begin to temper the eggs (The egg yolks should already be in a small mixing bowl). Using a large Wisk or a hand mixer, start adding 1 tablespoon at a time the pudding mixture to the eggs and Wisk consistently so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs. Once eggs are heated up, then pour them into the saucepan. (I use anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of pudding mixture to temper the egg yolks.
- Turn the stove to medium low and bring the pudding mixture back up to 160 degrees. After hitting this temperature, cook for an additional 2 minutes, whisking consistently
- Remove from heat and add the vanilla and butter
- let it rest for 30 minutes
