Homemade Banana Pudding

Homemade Banana Pudding will take you right back to your childhood. Creamy vanilla pudding packed full of fresh bananas and an unexpected cookie crunch to create an irresistible treat.

One of my favorite childhood memories is when we would go visit my gramma and she would cook for us. Absolutely everything she made was the best thing we had ever eaten. 😉

Come to think of it, both of my grandmothers were amazing cooks, but they had very different styles.

Sometimes you take a bite of something and it transports you immediately back to a special time in your life. This Homemade Banana Pudding does exactly that for me.

This recipe is a scrumptious take on the classic banana pudding and will have your whole family thinking you spent oodles of time in the kitchen to perfect your grandmother’s recipe.

Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. 😉

If you want more kid-approved dessert recipes, try my:

• Smookies (S’mores Cookies)
• Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Fruit Tacos with Fresh Berries

Ingredients Needed For Homemade Banana Pudding

• Bananas – not too green yet not over-ripe
• Ice Cold Water – add ice after you measure the water
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• White Chocolate Pudding – any brand vanilla pudding will work
• Heavy Cream
• Chessman Cookies – or vanilla wafers

How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding

Just follow this process to make classic, delicious, irresistible homemade banana pudding.

Step 1

Begin adding 1 1/2 cups of water to a measuring cup, then add ice cubes to make the water ice cold.

Step 2

Next, making sure there are no ice cubes in the water, add the condensed milk and whisk.

Step 3

After the water and condensed milk are mixed well, add the packet of pudding.

Step 4

Whisk the water, milk, and pudding together thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Step 5

Once the pudding has set for 4 hours, it is time to whip the cream. Whip it to stiff peaks with an electric mixer.

Step 6

Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture. Fold together thoroughly until no streaks remain.

Step 7

Peel and slice the bananas just before adding them to the pudding layers.

Step 8

In a serving bowl or individual serving dishes, add a layer of pudding and cream mixture, next cookies, and finally bananas. Repeat the layers until the serving bowl or dishes are full.

Step 9

Put in refrigerator and chill for 12 hours or overnight.

Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe Notes And Tips

• If Godiva pudding is not available in your supermarket, the regular vanilla pudding will work just as well.

• Nilla wafers are a great substitute for Chessman cookies if your store does not carry them.

• To keep bananas from turning brown even a little bit, be sure to cover completely with the pudding mixture when layering.

• Nilla wafers will get soft much quicker than the Chessman cookies so that means less time in the fridge.

Variations Of Homemade Banana Pudding To Try

• Fold coconut flakes into the pudding while folding in the whipped cream.

• Fine chop some pecans, walnuts, or pistachios to add on top of the banana pudding.

• Finely chop some Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s to sprinkle on top or mix in the pudding.

Homemade Banana Pudding FAQs

If you have questions about this recipe, please check below to see if I’ve already answered it. If you don’t see your question below, please leave it in the comments.

What is the best way to store my Homemade Banana Pudding leftovers?

The leftovers will keep up to 2 – 3 days if stored in an air-tight container. Around the third day, the bananas may not look quite as fresh but don’t let that bother you. Your Homemade Banana Pudding will still be just as scrumptious.

Is it best to chill the banana pudding before serving?

It is best to chill the pudding at least 3 – 4 hours before serving but overnight is best as it will help bring out the banana flavor, and the pudding will set more firmly.

Can I make this Homemade Banana Pudding ahead of time?

Yes, definitely! In fact, you should make it at least 3 to 18 hours ahead of time to allow for it to chill and set up completely.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk?

Yes, you can! One thing you need to keep in mind, though, is that evaporated milk is unsweetened, whereas sweetened condensed milk has added sugar.

Your pudding will still taste great if you use evaporated milk, but if you prefer a sweeter, richer pudding you should definitely use sweetened condensed milk.

Should I use banana pudding in place of the vanilla pudding?

You certainly can! If you LOVE the taste and flavor of bananas, by all means, use banana pudding. If you only prefer the fresh banana flavor in the pudding then I would recommend using the vanilla pudding.

More Delicious Summer Dessert Recipes To Try

If you love this homemade banana pudding, you’ll love these recipes too!

• Homemade Banana Pudding Poke Cake
• How To Make Apple Nachos
• 3-Ingredient Homemade Blueberry Popsicles
• Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
• Homemade Strawberry Cobbler