Luscious Banana Pudding
4.0
(6)
The proof truly lies in this (banana) pudding. For those who fancy the Southern classic but crave balance, our best banana pudding recipe comes together in a flash and doesn’t skew too sweet. In a nod to the style of banana pudding popularized by New York’s Magnolia Bakery, it leans on the milky, candy-like quality of sweetened condensed milk, which gives the creamy vanilla custard body and rich caramel undertones. You’ll use the whole can as the sole sweetener, so there’s no need to open a bag of sugar. The pudding is topped with swooshes of homemade whipped cream and as many vanilla wafer cookies as your heart desires for a welcome textural contrast.
When choosing ripe bananas for your dessert recipes, look for ones with black speckles “covering at least 40% of the peel,” according to senior food editor Shilpa Uskokovic. As fresh bananas ripen, their starches break down into sugars, making the flesh softer and the banana flavor more intense. Bright yellow specimens, while great for eating out of hand, would taste stiff and dry here.
Tips:
Taking your homemade banana pudding to a potluck? Add about 1 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding mix to the whipped cream for a whipped topping that stands the test of time.
Pan size: We chose to pack this simple, homey recipe into a 13x9" dish, but you could opt for a 3-quart trifle bowl if preferred. Simply lay down a single layer of bananas, add about 1” of pudding, and top with a single layer of cookies. Repeat layering until you reach the top of your trifle dish and garnish with the whipped cream.
What you’ll need
Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, 14oz. can
$3 At Amazon
Nilla Wafers, 11 oz. box
$12 $4 At Amazon
Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste, 2.29 ounces
$18 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes (plus chilling)
Yield
12 servings
Ingredients
Pudding
Whipped cream and assembly
Preparation
Pudding
Step 1
Whisk together 2½ cups whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream, 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Remove ¼ cup milk mixture and set aside. Bring remaining milk mixture in pan to a simmer over medium-low heat, then immediately remove from heat.
Step 2
Whisk together 3 large egg yolks, one 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk, ⅓ cup cornstarch, sifted, 2 Tbsp. bourbon, and reserved ¼ cup milk mixture in a large heatproof bowl until smooth. Pour in hot milk mixture, whisking constantly to combine. Transfer mixture back to pan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and making sure to scrape bottom and sides of pan, until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; add 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and whisk until butter is melted and pudding is smooth. Let cool.
Whipped Cream and Assembly
Step 3
Whisk 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. (Alternatively, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed.)
Step 4
Arrange 4 ripe medium bananas, peeled, sliced ½" thick, in a single layer in a 13x9" baking dish. Spread half of pudding mixture evenly over. Layer half of an 11 oz. box Nilla Wafers (about 40 cookies) in a single layer on top. Spread remaining pudding over. Spread whipped cream over, swooshing decoratively as desired. Top with whole and crushed Nilla wafers if desired. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours before serving.
Editor’s note: Head this way for more of our favorite banana desserts, breakfasts, snacks, and more →
Recipe notes
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