Homemade Banana Pudding
Hey look! Homemade banana pudding recipe! It’s time for a creamy treat, kids! This was one of my favorite desserts when I was wee, perhaps tied with pistachio pudding out of a box which I just loved, and coming in a close second to bubblegum ice cream from Baskin Robbins which sounds absolutely appalling to me now.
My mom and grandma used boxed pudding mix those many years ago and while I honestly believe that boxed pudding is delicious, it also does have a lot of weird ingredients listed in it, most of which are not “milk, eggs, sugar” which is pretty much all that’s in this homemade vanilla pudding. Pudding which may in fact truly be considered custard, but I’m not from England so I don’t eat that stuff.
I kid. I kid. I’m pretty sure pudding = custard = pudding again.
See banana pudding recipe in video form!
Or recipe card!
PrintHomemade Banana Pudding
Homemade vanilla pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups milk (I’ve used both whole and 2% with good results)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened or cut into small bits
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For assembly:
- 1 large ripe banana, peeled and sliced
- about 20–30 vanilla wafer cookies
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and cold milk in a pot. Whisk thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the egg yolks and whisk again to combine well.
- Add the butter and turn the heat to medium.
- Stir constantly until the mixture just begins to bubble (see video). This will take about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- By now it should be thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside.
- Layer half the cookies and half the banana slices in the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart dish (or an 8×8 cake pan).
- Top with half the pudding, more bananas and/or cookies, and the rest of the pudding.
- Top with cookies or lay a piece of plastic wrap right over the top of the pudding and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
- Add more crispy cookies on top when you serve it.
Oh oh oh! And if you’de like to make your own HOMEMADE VANILLA WAFERS click here. I did so for the photo you see on the post, and they were ever-so-heavenly. In fact, way way way better than Nilla wafers, I thought. But I also understand if two homemade things in one day is too much for you. It was too much for me on the day we shot this video, evidently.
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I have made this many times, using the egg whites as a meringue. And then I toast it for a few minutes under the broiler. I once ran out of Nilla Wafers, so I broke up a bunch of Oreos and made crumbs and layered it with those. Which was awesomer!
Yumm! I’ve never tried with Oreos, but I’ve often imagined them – like a cookies’n’cream banana split pudding!
I need to put on my big-girl britches and try making a baked meringue some time. I’ve only ever done meringue cookies. Meringue-topped pies and such frighten me. 😉
Clearly, you need help from the Food Porn Emergency Hotline: face your fears and dive in, lady! It’s total ecstasy!
http://tastyinfidelicacies.blogspot.com/2011/09/food-porn-hotline-episode-5-she-delves.html
Yay!!!
You are super cute. My mama always made the box mix pudding, but I am trying to do the homemade custard now and I fold in a cup of whipped cream … sooooo good!!!
I want to taste this yummy homemade banana pudding *now* (but I don’t wanna cook it now, heheh). I’ll keep it in the file.
This is obviously more wholesome than the boxed mix, but you are so brave to admit that you find boxed pudding mix delicious as well. See, I do too, but I didn’t know I could…SAY it. Out loud?? Ahem, “I too find packaged pistachio pudding delicious!”
Free at last! Free at last!
Hahaha! I’m so glad I could help you face your demons and love them anyway, David. 🙂 Man, boxed pudding, right?! Especially that pistachio flavor – it just can’t* be duplicated.
*Not that I’ve actually tried to duplicate it. I’m just assuming that artificial pistachio flavoring is impossible to make at home.
I did a little Internet research and all I could find for the home cook is this method for making pistachio paste.
Oh my god, my mom will LOVE this. I have to make it now… Looks so yummy and probably just as good as boxed pudding…though maybe a tad healthier.
Yeah, I think it might be a little healthier, if only because there’s no preservatives!
Hilah,
You are amazing! I think you are hilarious, educational, and essential in my learning process of cooking. Thanks for all your fun and great videos you have. I particuarily follow your vegetrian recipes as I have been vegeterian for the past year(transitioning into vegan) and cant wait to make your bean burgers this week. I cant wait to try this banana pudding one too; looks badass. I hope one day to be able to spread recipes too and do it as entertaining as you do. As a gay latino ameican vegeterian I salute you! Lol.
Signed,
Adrian
Hi Adrian!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! You’re very kind. I’m glad to help you learn to cook, so let me know how it turns out!
xoh
Hello, i just wanted to say that this pudding is really good. I did have a problem with it not being thick enough. I know it was something that I did. Can you help? Should I add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch?
Hi Missy!
I’m glad you enjoyed the pudding. It’s difficult to say what could have gone wrong. Cornstarch is a fickle beast. If you undercook it, it doesn’t set up as thick, but if you over cook it, it will completely not set up and just be really thin and watery. Sounds like if it set up partially, you may have undercooked it a bit, but yes, you can always add a little more cornstarch next time, rather than risk over cooking it. Maybe just an extra teaspoon, though; a whole tablespoon might make it too firm.
Thanks for writing!
I’ll give it a try. Thanks!
Awesome custard recipe! Definitely my favourite one! 😀 I have made it as is, and I did make a chocolate variation and a raspberry variation. I will try to turn it into a chocolate raspberry mousse by folding in some whipped heavy cream. I’m certain that it will turn out awesome! Thanks for the recipe Hilah!!! <3 😀 For others, this is defintely an excellent pudding/custard recipe and a must try!!! Recommend it to everyone!
Thanks, Filip! So glad you had success. Can’t wait to hear how your chocolate raspberry mousse turns out!
It is divine! >.< I used half of this recipe for the base. Then I added 45g of milk chocolate, 40g of dark chocolate, 1/2 tsp. of instant coffee powder and a pinch of salt. Finally, after the chocolate melted completely and after everything was uniform I took it off the heat. I cooked the raspberries (around 125g) with some water and sugar to form a syrup and then I passed it through a sieve. Added around 4-7 tablespoons of the mixture, didn't really measure, went by taste and instinct 😀 I mixed it in with the chocolate pudding and added a little bit o' buttah' #LOLIHaveToSayItLikeThat xD *ehm.. butter 😀
I set it aside to cooldown till room temperature. Then I saved the egg white and I whipped it with some salt, just by hand until foamy and until the peaks stay stiff once you lift them. I also whipped around 75ml of heavy cream until soft peaks formed. #IHaveNoReasonForDoingItThisWay : I slightly stirred through the first half of the whipped cream, then I folded in all of the egg whites and finally I folded in all of the heavy cream. I set it in the fridge overnight and since it's the morning here now, I'm gonna go and indulge! Who needs a savoury breakfast? Am I right? 😀 #LOLJK Have an awesome day Hilah! Pleasure chatting with you! :))
Thank you for sharing! This sounds wonderful!
Hi Hilah,
Just wanted to say that your recipe is the best that I have had. I made it a few times and everyone loves it. I plan on making it again but I am going to use Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies this time. Have u tried those yet?
So happy to hear that, Aminah! I bet Chessmen would be really good with the banana pudding. 🙂
I’m actually making your banana pudding right now and will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again for the delicious recipe! 🙂
Hi Hilah! YOU’RE RECIPE IS THE BOMB! Everyone loves it! It’s the only recipe I use. I don’t even tweak it! People are always begging me to make banana pudding now and I always use the Chessman cookies because they taste so much better than Nilla wafers! Thanks so much! ????
That’s wonderful to hear, Aminah!! 😀
Hi Hilal! Just wanted to tell you that I made your pudding and added strawberries and bananas and chessman cookies AND cubes of strawberry cake! Oh my goodness! You have got to try it!
That sounds delicious!
This is the only recipe I use! Best banana pudding ever!
Yay! So glad to hear that, Aminah! 🙂