Banana Pudding Recipe from Scratch

This classic southern dessert is homemade from scratch - no boxes of instant pudding or weird ingredients. Instructions for adding optional meringue are included.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love it
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🥫 Storage
• 📖 Variations
• 💭 Tips
• 👩‍🍳 FAQs
• 📚 Related recipes
• 🍽️ Serve with...
• 📞 The last word
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love it

• Easy dessert for any family gatherings or casual dinners.
• Super creamy vanilla custard like Grandma used to make.
• Make it fancy with optional meringue topping.

This old fashioned banana pudding recipe is homemade from scratch - none of that boxed pudding mix stuff, thank you very much!

Lots of fresh bananas, rich and creamy homemade pudding, and a serious amount of 'Nilla Wafers make this one of the very favorite southern desserts ever!

🧾 Ingredients

🔪 Instructions

This old-fashioned banana pudding recipe is really simple to make - there's no need to use a boxed mix! Here's how, step by step -

1. Mix all purpose flour and sugar then slowly whisk in evaporated milk.
2. Microwave on high until the mixture thickens then add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks whisking constantly. Carefully add the egg yolk mixture back into the hot milk mixture.
3. Cook until thick then add the butter and vanilla.
4. Put down a layer of vanilla wafers, then a layer of banana slices, and the warm, creamy vanilla pudding in a bowl or trifle dish.

📖 Variations

Sometimes I whip the egg whites up into a stiff, sweetened meringue and then carefully fold it into the cooled custard right before putting it all together.

You end up with a lighter mouth feel with all the flavor and deliciousness of the pudding. Kinda like a mousse.

Try it that way once and if you don't like it just use the meringue as a topping next time instead of folding it in. Or, use the egg whites for something else.

• If you're in a time pinch use instant banana pudding mix instead of homemade vanilla pudding. Not as good as real bananas but it works.
• You could use instant vanilla pudding mix instead of the homemade custard.
• Some southern banana pudding recipes use chessmen cookies instead of the 'Nilla Wafers.
• This is the best banana pudding if you're looking for the classic recipe but try my Nutter Butter Banana Pudding if you're feeling adventurous.
• Sliced strawberries, peaches, or raspberries are a delicious change from bananas.
• Use graham crackers instead of the vanilla wafers.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: An old fashioned secret to the best banana pudding recipe is evaporated milk. I have tried half and half, heavy cream, whole milk, and combinations of those ingredients and nothing makes a pudding creamier than evaporated milk. You can substitute 3 cups of milk if you want to - but I am telling you the evaporated milk works best.

• I don't recommend low fat milk and I've never tried non-dairy milks. I try to stick with the classic recipe. It creates a super creamy pudding.
• Dip bananas in a tiny bit of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
• Cooking the rich vanilla egg custard in the microwave means that it doesn't scorch and is always rich and creamy. You can cook it on top of the stove if you want but stir it constantly!
• Make this the day before you plan on serving it if you can. The cookies soak up all the flavor and it's just SO good.
• For the best result use ripe bananas but not so ripe they're turning into liquid or mushy. They should still be firm. Save the extra ripe ones for banana bread.
• You can save the egg whites and whip them to stiff peaks to make meringue for the top or just save them for another use.
• Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip if you like.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Homemade banana pudding is even better the next day.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📚 Related recipes

Who doesn't love bananas? Here are some of my favorite banana desserts!

• Southern Banana Pudding Cheesecake is a creamy New York cheesecake with big banana pudding flavor.
• Nutter Butter Banana Pudding brings lots of peanut butter flavor to this version.
• Banana Cake with gooey walnut filling is covered in a whipped cream cheese frosting that's light and fluffy. Best banana layer cake recipe ever!

🍽️ Serve with...

If you want a classic southern meal serve this old fashioned banana pudding with:

• deviled chicken
• mashed potatoes
• green beans
• biscuits

📞 The last word

Classic banana pudding is the ultimate comfort food!

It's one of those southern staples that finds its way to nearly every Texas table around just about any holiday. As long as a glazed ham, some hot out of the oven rolls, and a creamy rich banana pudding are on the table it doesn't much matter what else fills it out.

Don't make this for Christmas dinner. Keep it instead for that night when you changed a flat in the cold, found out you had the wrong size spare and trudged three miles through sleet to get help.

Save this family favorite for a night when you want to watch a chick flick and cry. Save it for a night when the family is doing a 120000000 piece puzzle of Einstein's brain or playing Monopoly.

This easy banana pudding recipe is like your favorite sweats. Comfortable, warm, and cozy -not elegant or spectacular.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Originally published on October 14, 2014. This post was last updated on November 30, 2021 to improve images and instructions.