Old Fashioned Banana Pudding Recipe (Creamy & From Scratch)

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This from-scratch banana pudding has a secret: a mashed ripe banana folded right into the pudding base for deep banana flavor, plus real whipped cream that gets folded in to create an ultra-creamy, mousse-like texture. No Cool Whip!

Layered with vanilla wafers, fresh banana slices, and a pinch of flaky salt, this is the homemade banana pudding recipe people ask you to bring every single time. You’ll love our homemade banana cream pie, too!

QUICK LOOK: Homemade Banana Pudding

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours (overnight preferred)
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12–14
Cook Method: No cook recipe / refrigerator dessert
Flavor & Texture: Creamy, banana-forward, slightly mousse-like with tender wafers and fresh banana layers
Difficulty: Easy

What Makes This Banana Pudding Different from the Rest

Most banana pudding recipes taste like vanilla pudding that happens to have bananas in it. This one actually tastes like banana pudding.

Here’s 5 reasons why:

A mashed ripe banana goes directly into the pudding base. Not just banana slices in the layers, but one very ripe, mashed banana whisked right into the pudding mixture. It deepens the flavor and makes every single bite taste like banana. (Love banana? Try our banana pumpkin muffins!)

Sweetened condensed milk is part of the pudding base. This is the move borrowed from classic Southern dessert. Condensed milk adds a richness and sweetness that straight milk alone just doesn’t give you.

The whipped cream gets folded into the pudding. Half of the homemade whipped cream mixture gets folded directly into the pudding. What you end up with is a filling that’s lighter than regular pudding but richer than plain whipped cream. It’s almost mousse-like, making the layers light and creamy instead of stiff and dense.

Real whipped cream with cream cheese. Cream cheese stabilizes the whipped cream so it holds up beautifully overnight in the fridge without weeping or deflating.

A pinch of flaky salt between layers. This sounds small, but it wakes up every other flavor. Don’t skip it!

banana pudding with a serving on a spoon

Will My Bananas Turn Brown? Here’s How to Prevent It

The short answer: slice your bananas right before you layer them, not before.

Banana browning happens when the cut bananas are exposed to oxygen. If you slice them and let them sit, they’ll start to turn within 20–30 minutes. The fix is simple: have everything else ready to go, then slice and layer immediately.

A few other notes:

Don’t toss the bananas in lemon juice. It works, but it changes the flavor in a way that doesn’t work well with the sweetness of the pudding. The timing method above is better.
The bananas in the middle layers will stay fresher longer because the pudding creates a barrier between them and the air.
The top garnish bananas will brown by day 2. That’s totally normal. If you’re making this for a party, either add the top banana garnish right before serving, or skip it and just do crushed wafers on top.
Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding before refrigerating slows the process significantly.

Here’s What You Need for the Best Banana Pudding

A few ingredient notes before you start:

Instant vanilla pudding mix (2 boxes, 5.1 oz each): Yes, we’re using instant pudding mix, but we’re building on top of it with condensed milk and real cream, so this isn’t a shortcut-tasting recipe. Want from scratch? Make 2 recipes of our homemade vanilla pudding.

Whole milk (4 cups): Use whole milk. The fat matters here for texture.

Sweetened condensed milk (1 can, 14 oz): This is what takes a good banana pudding to a great one. It adds depth, sweetness, and a silky texture to the base.

One very ripe banana for the pudding, 5 large fresh bananas for layering: The pudding banana should have plenty of brown speckles. The layering bananas should be yellow with just a few speckles: ripe but still firm enough to hold their shape in the layers. Try our banana bread and banana cheesecake bread, too.

Cream cheese (4 oz, softened): This is what keeps your whipped cream stable for hours (or overnight) in the fridge. Let it soften fully before you start so it blends smoothly.

Heavy whipping cream (2 cups): Real cream, not the tub.

Vanilla wafers (12 oz): Classic Nilla Wafers are the go-to. They soften into something almost cake-like after a few hours in the fridge, which is exactly what you want.

Flaky salt: Just a pinch between layers. Trust me. I’m a huge fan of flaky Morton salt. I use it on a finisher of many of our baked goods!

How to Make Homemade Banana Pudding Step by Step

Step 1: Make the pudding base. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, both boxes of instant pudding mix, and the sweetened condensed milk. Whisk for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and starts to thicken. Stir in the mashed ripe banana and vanilla extract. Pop it in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes to finish setting up while you make the whipped cream.

Step 2: Make the stabilized whipped cream. Beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer in a mixing bowl until there are no lumps. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the cream should hold a peak that doesn’t flop over. This takes about 3–4 minutes on medium-high.

Step 3: Fold the whipped cream into the pudding. Take half of the whipped cream mixture and gently fold it into the pudding base. Use a rubber spatula and fold gently to keep the air in. The pudding will lighten in color and become noticeably fluffier. This is the step that makes the texture feel like mousse instead of straight pudding.

Step 4: Layer it up. In a trifle dish or large glass bowl, start with a layer of wafers. Top with sliced ripe bananas. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the bananas. Add a tiny pinch of flaky salt. Repeat until you’ve used everything up.

Step 5: Top and chill. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top. Garnish with crushed vanilla wafers and a few banana slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better for the layers to soften and meld together.

Trifle Dish, 9×13 pan, or Individual Cups: Which Should You Use?

It depends on the occasion.

Trifle dish or large glass bowl: The classic dessert choice, and the most impressive presentation. You can see all the banana pudding layers through the glass. Perfect for potlucks, holidays, or any time you want it to look as good as it tastes. See our strawberry cheesecake trifle and triple berry trifle.

9×13 baking dish: Great for feeding a crowd, easy to transport, easy to scoop. The layers won’t be as visible, but the flavor is identical. This is what I’d do for a church potluck or a cookout where you need to cover it transport it easily.

Individual plastic cups or mason jars: Adorable for parties where people are serving themselves. Layer everything the same way, just in individual portions. These are especially nice for outdoor events or when you want everything to stay neat and tidy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the secret to a rich banana pudding?

Two things: sweetened condensed milk in the pudding base (it adds richness and depth that regular milk alone can’t achieve), and folding real whipped cream into the pudding itself. That folding step creates a texture that’s lighter and creamier like mousse.

Can I use homemade pudding instead of instant?

You can make a cooked custard base from scratch if you’d like, but the condensed milk and mashed banana in this recipe already do a lot of the flavor work that a scratch custard would. The texture with instant pudding + condensed milk + whipped cream is excellent.

Why does banana pudding get watery?

Banana pudding gets watery when the whipped cream isn’t stabilized (it weeps over time) or when bananas release moisture into the layers. Using cream cheese in the whipped cream helps to prevent weeping. Slicing bananas right before layering reduces moisture release.

Can I make banana pudding the night before?

Yes. Overnight is actually the ideal chill time. The cookies soften completely, the layers meld together, and the pudding sets to a perfect scoopable consistency you know and love.

banana pudding in a glass bowl on a table

Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

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This from-scratch banana pudding uses a trick most recipes skip — fold real whipped cream into the pudding and you get a mousse-like filling that holds up overnight.

Servings 12

Prep Time 20

Chill time 4

Total Time 4 20

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Ingredients

For the pudding layer:

2 boxes instant vanilla pudding 5.1 ounces each
4 cups whole milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces
1 very ripe banana mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the whipped cream:

4 ounces cream cheese softened
2 cups heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For layering:

12 ounces vanilla wafer cookies such as Nilla Wafers
5 large bananas sliced (yellow with just a few brown speckles)
Pinch flaky salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, pudding mixes, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth and thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the mashed banana and vanilla extract. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes to set. 2 boxes instant vanilla pudding, 4 cups whole milk, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 very ripe banana, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form. 4 ounces cream cheese, 2 cups heavy whipping cream, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture. This step makes the pudding extra creamy and light, almost like a mousse.
In a trifle dish or large glass bowl: Add a layer of vanilla wafers, top with sliced bananas, Spread a layer of pudding, Add a tiny pinch of flaky salt Repeat the layers until the dish is filled. 12 ounces vanilla wafer cookies, 5 large bananas, Pinch flaky salt
Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top. Garnish with crushed vanilla wafers and banana slices. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better).

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 12, with 1 serving being 1/12 of the pudding. This is large servings, so for smaller servings it could serve up to 15. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 582

Keyword comfort food, easy, kid-friendly, no bake dessert