No-Bake Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe You’ll Love

The best old-fashioned, thick and creamy banana pudding made from scratch with simple ingredients. This no-bake dessert is rich with mashed bananas, whole milk, butter, eggs and crunchy vanilla wafers.

Banana pudding has regained its popularity in recent years, and this easy Southern-style version delivers classic flavor with minimal fuss. If you have overripe bananas to use up, try layering them into this pudding for a quick, comforting dessert.

More Pudding Desserts

• Homemade Vanilla Pudding
• Chia Seed Pudding (4 Ingredients)
• Coconut Rice Pudding
• Easy Rice Pudding
• Vegan Chocolate Pudding
• Halloween Pudding Cups
• Chocolate Pudding Pots

How to Make Easy Southern Banana Pudding from Scratch

1. Make banana milk — Combine milk, sugar, butter and mashed bananas in a saucepan and heat to a gentle simmer.
2. Strain — Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove banana solids for a silky base.
3. Mix eggs — Whisk together whole eggs, egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth.
4. Temper — Slowly whisk hot banana milk into the egg mixture to prevent curdling.
5. Cook — Return the combined mixture to medium-low heat and stir constantly until thickened, about 10–12 minutes.
6. Finish — Remove from heat and stir in the remaining butter, banana liqueur and vanilla until smooth.
7. Assemble — Spoon pudding into individual cups or a large dish.
8. Top — Add whipped cream, crushed vanilla wafers and banana slices.
9. Chill — Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set and develop flavor.

Pudding Toppings

• Whipped cream — Store-bought or freshly whipped for a light finish.
• Chocolate ganache — A drizzle of dark or white chocolate adds richness.
• Frosting — A smear of buttercream or marshmallow frosting for a decadent touch.
• Caramel or dulce de leche — Makes the pudding extra indulgent.
• Fresh fruit — Berries brighten the sweetness and add color.
• Nuts — Toasted pecans, walnuts or pistachios add crunch and depth.
• Coconut — Toasted shredded coconut brings texture and aroma.

Variations

• Trifle or large dish — Layer wafers, pudding and whipped cream in a trifle bowl for an impressive presentation.
• Extra banana layers — Add thinly sliced bananas between layers or along the cup edges for an attractive look.
• Caramelized bananas — Sauté banana slices in butter and brown sugar before layering for a deeper flavor.
• Ladyfingers — Substitute ladyfingers for wafers for a lighter texture.
• Banana pudding cheesecake — Swap one pudding layer for a no-bake banana cheesecake filling for a mash-up dessert.
• Cookie crust — Use a graham cracker, Oreo or crushed wafer crust on the bottom for a pie-style serving.
• Peanut butter twist — Fold in peanut butter or top with peanut butter candies for a sweet-salty variation.
• S’mores version — Replace wafers with graham crackers and add chocolate and marshmallow toppings.
• Chocolate banana — Add cocoa or chocolate chips and top with chocolate biscuits for a richer version.

Tips and Techniques

• Thickening issues — If pudding is loose, chill longer. Ensure ingredients are measured correctly and cook the mixture until it visibly thickens.
• Prevent browning — Lightly brush banana slices with a little lemon or pineapple juice to slow oxidation, if desired.
• Avoid watery pudding — Use whole milk and full-fat ingredients for the creamiest texture and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
• Silky texture — An immersion blender makes the pudding extra smooth; strain again if you prefer a perfectly velvety finish.
• Careful with eggs — Temper hot milk into the eggs slowly while whisking to prevent scrambling.
• Strain banana milk — Straining removes small banana bits and yields a smoother custard.
• Cookware — Non-stick saucepans help prevent sticking and burning during cooking.
• Unsalted butter — Using unsalted butter keeps the balance of sweetness correct.
• Banana liqueur — Adds aroma and a pleasant depth of flavor; it can be skipped, but it enhances the final dessert.

Storage

• Make ahead — Prepare the pudding and refrigerate; add wafers and fresh toppings just before serving to keep them crisp.
• Refrigerate — Store in a sealed container or cover individual cups for up to 3 days.
• Freeze — Freezing is not recommended for the assembled pudding, as texture can suffer. Consider turning the mixture into frozen pudding pops instead.

More Banana Desserts

• Easy Banana Crumble (Banana Crisp)
• Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas
• Banana Almond Biscotti
• Banana Muffins
• Chocolate Banana Bread (with Cake Mix)
• Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
• Chocolate Banana Popsicles
• Chocolate Banana Ice Cream (2 ingredients)
• Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe