This no-bake banana pudding recipe is a creamy, dreamy dessert classic. Top with whipped cream for an easy, eye-popping treat that will wow your dinner guests.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Vanilla pudding, bananas, and Nilla wafers create a trifecta of cozy, sweet & creamy flavor.
- Skill Level: Just whip, layer, top, and serve. It’s easy enough that even smaller kids can help assemble the layers.
- Recommended Tools: A trifle bowl is perfect for showcasing all those delicious layers.
- Swaps: Swap out Nilla Wafers for Biscoff cookies or even homemade peanut butter cookies.
Sweet and Simple Ingredients
- Nilla Wafers: Nilla wafers soak up that vanilla goodness while still maintaining their structure.
- Creamy Dairy: For the richest flavor, use full-fat cream cheese and whole milk. No need to get the brand name of instant pudding; any basic vanilla pudding mix works.
- Whipped Cream: Make your own fresh whipped cream, or if time is short, use a tub of Cool Whip instead.
- Bananas: For the best results, use fresh, firm but ripe bananas. Save the older bananas for banana bread or banana cake.
Variations
- For a twist, use layers of graham crackers in place of vanilla wafers.
- If time permits, try using homemade vanilla custard to make this the best banana pudding recipe. (Serve any extra with fresh berries for an extra sweet treat!)
- Add pops of color and layer in some blueberries, sliced strawberries, or top banana pudding with a sprinkle of homemade granola or candied pecans.
How to Make Banana Pudding
- Mix the pudding layer and make whipped cream. Fold them together (reserving some whipped cream as per full recipe below).
- Layer the trifle dish with cookies, slices of banana, and pudding.
- Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up.
- Top with whipped cream, cover, and chill pudding.
Banana Pudding Pro Tips
- To prevent browning, slice bananas just before using and ensure they’re fully covered with pudding. And if you’re using a layer of banana slices as a garnish, slice them right before serving.
- For the best results, chill banana pudding overnight or for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Store banana pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze.
The Best Banana Desserts
Did you make this Banana Pudding Recipe? Leave a rating and comment below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (5.1 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix 6 serving size
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 5 bananas ripened
- 1 (11 ounce) package vanilla wafers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the condensed milk. Use a hand mixer to beat until fluffy.
- Add in pudding mix, milk, and vanilla. Continue beating until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating; stop as soon as you see stiff peaks forming.
- Reserve 2½ cups of whipped cream for topping. Carefully fold the rest of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture.
- Line the bottom of a glass trifle bowl with vanilla wafers. Top with sliced bananas, followed by a layer of the pudding mixture, ensuring that the bananas are completely covered. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used.
- Top with the reserved whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Garnish with additional banana slices or crumbled vanilla wafers just before serving, if desired.
Video
Notes
Cookies: Other options for cookies are graham crackers, digestive biscuits, Biscoff, or chessmen cookies.
Dish: To make in a 9×13-inch pan or two 9×9-inch pans: Line the bottom of the pan(s) with vanilla wafers, and top with sliced bananas. Spread the pudding mixture over the top, ensuring the bananas are completely covered. Garnish with reserved whipped cream.
Bananas: Completely cover the bananas with the other layers to keep them from browning.
Chill: Allow the dessert to sit at least 4 hours, but overnight is better if possible. This softens the cookies.
Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Dish: To make in a 9×13-inch pan or two 9×9-inch pans: Line the bottom of the pan(s) with vanilla wafers, and top with sliced bananas. Spread the pudding mixture over the top, ensuring the bananas are completely covered. Garnish with reserved whipped cream.
Bananas: Completely cover the bananas with the other layers to keep them from browning.
Chill: Allow the dessert to sit at least 4 hours, but overnight is better if possible. This softens the cookies.
Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 413 | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 876IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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I have made this recipe twice, and it is absolutely the best banana pudding I have ever tasted! I made it this past weekend for my daughter-in-law’s birthday and she was thrilled. She said she’d rather have that than cake any day! As far as a stabilizer for the whipped cream, I used powdered milk, which made it creamy and helped it to hold up perfectly. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for the tip Joy! So happy to hear she loved it.
I hate to burst anyone’s balloon, but 15 servings out of a 9 x 13″ pan = a very tiny serving with a LOT of calories (I’m looking at the Nutr. Info. on this page). Oh, those delicious southern recipes…..
It’s the perfect taste Angelina! But seriously, why must the most delicious things also have the most calories :(
Hi Holly: PLEASE don’t get me wrong. I LOVE your blog, and this is definitely an awesome recipe. I’m going to try making it with ‘lighter’ (lower fat) ingredients, so I hope it works out ok. My ‘old school’ Italian father-in-law (from Sicily) often says, “Everything I like is either illegal, immoral, or fattening”. He’s SO cute, but truer words were never spoken, right?
I love that! “Everything I like is either illegal, immoral, or fattening”. Let us know how it turns out!
Your reply/post below (2014) states “I used 2 cups of heavy cream” However, the recipe ingredient lists “3 cups heavy cream” Knowing 1 cup of heavy cream (when whipped) doubles to 2 cups cream…
Is the recipe correct as listed? 3 cups heavy cream yielding 6 cups of whipped cream? OR is it 2 cups heavy cream yielding 4 cups of whipped cream?
Thank you very much for clarifying.
Holly
July 8, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Hi Bonnie!
Thank you for stopping by! I used 2 cups of heavy cream. I did find this information online: If recipe calls for one cup liquid heavy cream to be whipped (will double in volume), use 2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. I haven’t tried it this way but I would love to hear how it works for you!
The recipe has been updated since 2014 for improved consistency. 3 cups of heavy cream is correct. Enjoy!
So 3 1/2 cups get folded into the pudding mixture? And 2 1/2 cups go on top?
2½ cups is reserved to go on top, the rest is folded into the pudding mixture.
Love your recipes.
Thanks Nancy!
I have made most all of these wonderful dishes and I must say that they are a hit. Everyone loves them. Thanks for posting.
Yay! We love hearing that Suzy! Thanks for sharing.
Love your recipes
Thank you Bearice!
How to make banana bread ?
We have a delicious banana bread recipe we think you’ll love Stella!
Yummy..
Glad you enjoyed it Maribel!
This was great! Used cook n serve vanilla, the big box, and cooked it with 2 cups of whole milk. Let it cool slightly then used electric mixer to beat the cream cheese (got the whipped version) and condensed milk. Everyone really loved this version at a potluck I went to today!
That sounds great RL. So glad everyone loved it!
How can I keep bananas from going brown for longer?
Hi Angie, here are a few of my favorite tips to keep bananas fresh longer!
With fresh whipped cream, I am wondering how long this will hold up, how long will it keep in the frig. and still look good? With just 2 of us, it won’t get eaten up in just a couple of days.
You might want to add the whipped cream as you eat it Charlaine, I don’t think that part would hold up well in the fridge.
Hi there;) making this recipe just curious how you would recommend assembling in for the trifle? Thank you so much!!
Hi Candace! I would suggest layering everything so you have a single layer of cookies, bananas and a layer of the pudding mixture. The pudding mixture softens the and keeps air away from the bananas so they don’t oxidize (brown) as quickly. To top with whipped cream! Enjoy the pudding!
Received this recipe from Candace Lopez and absolutely loved it!! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe
You’re welcome Kaitlyn! We are happy to share!
What if I don’t use a stabilizer? I just bought everything and do not have that! I’m making it tonight and cannot go back to the store! Will it be ok without it??
Hi Jennifer, it should turn out fine it just won’t remain as stiff in the fridge. This won’t affect the flavor though. Enjoy!
You mention (I add a packet or two) of stabilizer? Is it 0.35 oz packets? And do you add just 1 or 2. I’m making this in a few days.
Yes, that is correct Sheri, the packets I used are about that weight.
I love how simple your recipes are….more convenient for me now that I am 76 yrs old and don’t get around as well as I use to Thanks so much Joan Asbury
I am so glad you are enjoying these recipes joan!
Made this once…turned out perfect! Have TRIED to make another three times and the wafers and bananas float to the top and pudding doesn’t set up. It’s just stays runny! I decreased the milk to 1 cup thinking that may help but still a flop! Any suggestions?
Are you using instant pudding and sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)?
Holly, I still don’t understand why you,yourself don’t have any videos on your web site.
:) I have many videos on the site, you can find recipes with videos here. I will be featuring videos with narrative each Tue/Wed on Youtube here.
Thanks so much Charles!
Hi Holly, I love all the recipes I’ve tried from your site.
In the Banana Pudding recipe notes, you mentioned a “stabalizer for the whipped cream, but didn’t say how to incorporate it into the whipped cream?.
Thank you Lori! It is a powder so I add it into the cream prior to whipping. I hope that helps!
Hi Holly,
I live in New Zealand so am checking on one of your ingredients. Are the vanilla wafers, in the banana pudding, like the wafer you can buy to put a slice of ice cream into? We also have wafer biscuits in New Zealand and they are pink wafers put together with a vanilla cream icing. Are these the same wafers you are referring to?
I really enjoy your posts, but do have the odd problem with ingredients when I don’t know what they are Lindy
PS I also don’t think we have “stabiliser” for the cream, in New Zealand?
Hi Lindy. Vanilla wafers are more like a small hard cookie. The whipped cream should be fine without stabilizer. Enjoy!
Hello, Lindy,
I’m a dual national USA and New Zealand, so I’ll provide some suggestions. Banana pudding is essentially a trifle, but instead of a sponge cake, the recipe calls for ‘Nilla Wafers, which as Holly mentioned, are hard, small cookies about the size of a 50 cent piece. They are considered biscuits (cookies in the USA, not USA “biscuits”, which are similar to scones) for young children, if that gives you any ideas for substitutions. I would not use any vanilla creme wafers, as that is not what ‘Nilla Wafers are.
‘Nilla Wafers have the following description in Wikipedia, which I hope helps you find an appropriate substitution: “The original Nilla product is the Nilla wafer, a round, thin, light wafer cookie made with flour, sugar, shortening, and eggs.[2] Originally flavored with real vanilla, Nilla wafers have been primarily flavored with synthetic vanillin since at least 1994, a change which prompted some criticism.”
I would suggest trying the following: a thin layer of sponge cake, no more than a centimeter high to get the same “feel” as the ‘Nilla Wafers which soften in recipes like this. Plain shortbread or digestive biscuits. I think plain shortbread would be the closest to ‘Nilla Wafers, but if I were to make it in NZ, I would use a plain sponge cake.
Basically, if it is a cake or biscuit that you could or would use in a trifle, you most likely can substitute it for ‘Nilla Wafers.
I hope that helps.
— Jewel
I ADD MINATURE MARSHALLOWS TO MY BANANA PUDDING TOO. THEY SOFTEN UP AFTER THEY SET FOR AWHILE.
That sounds great Ruth! Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is so simple, but so so amazing.
, I made it with my Delicake cake pan for no bake cakes, and it came out so professionally that my guests thought I actually bought it haha
Thank you Etty! Glad you loved it. Love that your guests thought you bought it!
This is divine! My husband and I love the not so sweet whipped cream with the rest of the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients. Another keeper recipe! Love!
So glad you enjoyed it Peggy! Thank you! :)