This homemade banana pudding recipe has layers of vanilla wafers, banana slices, and thick, creamy vanilla pudding- all topped with whipped cream! It’s a classic that’s perfect for any occasion and one of my favorite desserts!
The hubs and I are HUGE fans of banana pudding. Like, huge. In fact, we love any and all things banana pudding – just refer to all the delicious banana recipes on my site – Banana Pudding Pie (my newest favorite), Banana Pudding Cheesecake, Banana Pudding Popsicles and Banana Pudding Ice Cream Cake – the list goes on. If you can put bananas in it, we love it.
And there’s nothing better than a delicious homemade pudding. This version is a traditional, southern, homemade banana pudding. The classic. It’s a rich, creamy vanilla pudding that’s full of flavor, set on top of layers of Nilla wafers and slices of banana. The key is to let it all rest in the fridge for a bit before serving. It lets the wafers soften up and the pudding take on the banana flavor. This banana pudding is hard to beat!
Why This Is The Best Banana Pudding Recipe
- Big banana flavor. If given enough time to chill in the fridge, the flavor from the bananas layered into the dessert really sets into the pudding. No extracts here. Just real banana flavor.
- Smooth and creamy. The pudding itself is so smooth, creamy, and rich. It’s also nice and thick and sets up just right.
- Simple, made-from-scratch. This recipe uses ingredients you likely have on hand, or at least can easily find. And for a homemade dessert, it comes together quickly.
Ingredients and Notes
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you might already have ready to go! Here’s a look at what they are. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- Egg yolks – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large. These will help thicken the pudding
- All-purpose flour – I used flour here to achieve an even creamier texture. If you’d like to use cornstarch, you can. Just use half the amount.
- Salt – Brings out the flavors already present and keeps your pudding from being bland.
- Whole milk – You want to stick with whole milk here. Do not use a milk product that is lower in fat. The pudding will end up too thin.
- Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter, that would be fine.
- Bananas – Look for nice, yellow bananas. They will last longer in your pudding. Don’t use over ripe bananas.
- Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream should be cold. If it is too warm, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly.
- Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar works to sweeten the whipped cream and also to stabilize it so it won’t wilt.
How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding
Here’s a quick look at how to make this classic dessert. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for more thorough instructions.
First, whisk together the egg yolks and set to the side.
Combine sugar, flour and salt in a large saucepan.
Add the milk and combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it begins to bubble.
Slowly pour some of the milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk mixture.
Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Allow to boil for about 3 minutes, until thickened, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and butter.
Add a layer of vanilla wafers to an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Add a layer of banana slices on top of the wafer cookies.
Pour the warm pudding over the top of the bananas. Press clear wrap onto the top and chill.
Once fully cool and chilled, remove the clear wrap from the pudding.
Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the pudding. Garnish with vanilla wafers and banana slices.
Tips for Success
This banana pudding recipe is pretty simple but it is important to pay attention to the details. Here are a few pro tips that will help you achieve the best results possible.
- Keep the heat under control. As the pudding is thickening, resist the temptation to turn the heat up to speed up the process. Keep the heat to medium (or even a little lower, not higher) so that it has time to thicken properly.
- Use whole milk. Attempting to use a milk product that is lower in fat will give end you a runny pudding.
- Whisk. Whisk. Whisk. When making the pudding, you pretty much want to be whisking the whole time. If you don’t keep the mixture moving, it is likely to burn and/or cook unevenly.
- Don’t overcook. There’s no need to cook it for more than about 3 minutes over medium heat once it starts boiling. Because the mixture is thick, you may need to stop your whisk for just a moment to notice the bubbling. Keep in mind that the pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Temper. It might be tempting to add the egg yolks to the warm milk mixture as is. Don’t do it. They can scramble and negatively affect the texture of the pudding. Instead, whisk about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs first. This will help bring them to temperature before you add them to the pudding.
- Don’t skimp on chill time. The pudding needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to firm up and let the cookies soften before digging in. If you can, allow the pudding to chill overnight. The banana flavor will set into the pudding, and the consistency will be even better the next day.
Can I Use Another Size Pan?
Yes, this dessert can also be made in an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Just cut the recipe in half or add two of each layer. Vanilla wafer, banana slices, pudding, and repeat.
How to Store Banana Pudding
If you find yourself with leftovers, cover the baking dish with a double layer of plastic wrap. You can store banana pudding in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the wafers will get increasingly soggy and the bananas will brown once exposed to air and the longer the pudding sits.
I don’t recommend freezing this dessert. It doesn’t thaw well.
More Banana Desserts To Try
This recipe was updated 7/1/2026. If you’d like the original version of this recipe, download the recipe PDF.
Homemade Banana Pudding
save this recipe
Enter your email & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get new recipes from us every week!
Ingredients
Pudding
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- ¼ cup (33g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (720ml) whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 40 –50 vanilla wafers
- 6 medium-sized bananas (cut into ½-inch slices)
Whipped Cream
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
- ½ cup (58g) powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the pudding
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Add the milk and whisk together to combine.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it just begins to bubble.
- Slowly pour a small amount (about ½ cup) of the milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk mixture. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Allow to gently boil for about 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Keep in mind that the pudding thickens as it cools, so you don’t need it to be super thick before you remove it from the heat.
- Stir in vanilla extract and butter until butter is melted and combined.
Layer Together
- In an ungreased 9×13 baking dish, add a layer of vanilla wafers (about 40-50 wafers), then a layer of banana slices and then the pudding.
- Cover with clear wrap that is pressed against the top of the pudding and set in the fridge to cool completely and firm up, about 3-4 hours
- Prior to serving, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Remove the clear wrap from the top of the cooled pudding and spread the whipped cream over the top. Garnish with additional vanilla wafers and banana slices, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Best if eaten within 2-3 days, because the bananas will spoil and the vanilla wafers can end up soggy over time.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Easter, Holidays, July 4th, No Bake Desserts, Other Sweets, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats,
This was my very first homemade banana pudding recipe, it was so delicious ,and creamy. It was a hit in my family’s house thank you for sharing this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is so amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect
So glad to hear that!
I poured all the pudding mixture into the whipped cream then folded it.. did this mess up my recipe??
What do you mean by “fold” in two parts??
It’s a little hard to describe folding without showing it so I might do a quick Google search for a video. The point of folding is to gently combine two things so that you weren’t deflating one – the whipped cream in this case. If you add it all at once and just stir it or mix it together, there’s a greater chance of that happening.
Do you have a recipe if you just need to make a small amount for 2-3 people?
I don’t, I’m sorry.
So, after I mix the eggs with the milk. Do I pour the salt, sugar, and milk back in the pan with the eggs and milk?
The sugar, flour and salt should all be cooked together with the milk before it’s added to the eggs. So all of it should be added back into the pan. It’s all one mixture at that point. Does that help?
Can I double or triple the Ingredients to double or triple the yield?
I haven’t tried it and I’m not sure if I would for this particular recipe. You certainly could try it though.
what do you mean by folding the whipped cream in 2 parts?
Here’s a link to something that might be able to explain folding. I hope that helps!
I couldnt find heavy whipping cream what else could i use for it?
You could swap out the homemade whipped cream for something like Cool Whip. You’d probably need a touch more than 8 oz.
How do you keep the bananas from turning brown overnight
I didn’t add anything additional. They just are fine for a day or two when inside the pudding.
Perfect recipe just as you say! Took some time to make but very much worth the effort!! My 4 grandsons and whole family loved this with breakfast today.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
So very good. I’ve been looking for a a banana pudding recipe and stopped looking after trying this one.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I am in the process of making this Banana pudding, I have never tried it with condensed milk or the heavy cream whipped. I am looking forward to tasting this, probably tonight I doubt my husband or I could hold on until tomorrow!!
OH MY SWEET GOODNESS! This is the recipe I was looking for. I scrolled through so many recipes and this one just seemed perfect and I wasnt wrong. This recipe makes a delicious and luxurious pudding!! The recipe is perfect, but I’m am the queen of modifications so I tweaked it a litte. The changes was so accommodate my palate. Otherwise it would have been too sweet for me.
1. I dumped all of the vanilla paste into the pudding (my mistake I didnt read) good mistake!
2. I used only half a can of condensed milk, and maybe 4 tbsp of powdered sugar
3.I added a teensy weensy amount of butter to my pudding
4. I added a few drops of banana extract to my pudding
Thank you soooo much!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome banana pudding!! I have made it twice and both times it was soupy like it didn’t set? What could I be doing wrong? It still tasted great and wasn’t wasted just wish I knew how to make it not soupy. I put it in the freezer and it made a great banana pudding type ice cream. Any suggestions??
Thanks,
Lori
It’s so hard to say from a distance but it could be that it needs to cook a bit longer. It could also be that the whipped cream isn’t staying firm after you add it. If that’s the case, be sure you’re using the powdered sugar to help keep the whipped cream stable and be sure the pudding is cool enough. If it’s too warm, it can “melt” the whipped cream.
@Lori Sutton Bishop
So I followed this receipe to the letter. I think the issue might be the sweetened condensed milk. I had it moderately thick but the minute I added the condensed milk it water. I know the author noted that it would water down a little but it don’t think it should be that watered down. I am putting it in the fridge to see if the chilling will thicken it back up. But I think that may be the issue. If chilling does fix the issue I will try adding 1/2 a can of the 14 oz condensed milk or leave it out all together.
Perfect recipe. Your pudding will only be as good as your ingredients though. I used good quality milk and high quality cocoa powder and butter. The taste is very good with the chocolate flavor being center and not too sweet.
Everything cooked up very nicely, no lumps. Will make this again for sure.