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Have you ever made Banana Pudding from scratch? This recipe is about to blow you away! It has a rich vanilla custard base, banana infused whipped cream with layers of and chessman cookies for texture. There’s creamy, dreamy banana flavor in every spoonful and that homemade banana whipped cream is straight from heaven and I cannot be convinced otherwise.
For more classic desserts, you’ll love my caramel cake, skillet peach cobbler and lemon icebox pie!
This homemade banana pudding recipe is made completely from scratch! It features a luscious homemade vanilla custard, banana whipped cream, layers of sliced bananas, chessman cookies, and crushed graham crackers for extra crunch and flavor.
It’s old fashioned banana pudding meets chessman banana pudding meets the best banana pudding you’ll ever make. Everything is made completely from scratch and while that may be intimidating, trust me – I walk you through every step so that it turns out perfectly every single time.
It’s classic banana pudding made even better with quality yet simple ingredients – this means no premade cool whip and definitely no vanilla pudding mix (no shade, it has its place).
I also add in some crushed graham crackers which makes the banana pudding taste like a banana cream pie.
Ya’ll, when I tell you this banana pudding is IT, whew! It is out of this world!
Table of contents
Why This is the BEST Banana Pudding EVER
- It’s made completely from scratch, so every bite tastes rich, creamy, and nostalgic, way better than anything out of a box.
- Show-stopping dessert! This banana dessert is IMPRESSIVE! Great recipe for special occasions, birthdays, holidays etc.
- The homemade pudding is ultra-smooth and velvety, with real vanilla flavor that melts on your tongue. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and light, with just the right amount of banana flavor.
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below)
- Egg Yolks add a rich, silky texture to the pudding.When cooked, it helps to thicken the pudding and give it that custard-like consistently.
- Cornstarch is a key thickener that helps the pudding set to the perfect creamy consistency without needing flour. It works alongside the eggs to give structure without a starchy taste.
- Whole Milk is the base for the pudding, contributing creaminess and a neutral flavor that carries the vanilla and banana beautifully. Its fat content helps make the pudding smooth and luscious.
- Heavy Cream boosts the richness and mouthfeel of the pudding, making it extra decadent. It also helps stabilize the texture when folded into whipped cream and cream cheese mixture.
- Vanilla Bean Paste delivers intense vanilla flavor and those beautiful specks of vanilla throughout the pudding. It elevates the recipe from simple to gourmet! You can also use vanilla flavoring here or extract in its place. I use this in my sticky toffee pudding too for extra flavor!
- Cream Cheese adds a slight tang and velvety richness to the whipped cream, giving it structure and making the texture even creamier. It balances the sweetness while adding a subtle banana pudding cheesecake vibe.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk adds sweetness, density, and a smooth, almost caramelized richness to the pudding. It also helps everything blend beautifully and hold together when chilled.
- Bananas the real star of the show! They bring natural sweetness and as they sit, they infuse the pudding with even more banana flavor. Make sure to use just ripe bananas to prevent them from becoming soggy in the pudding.
- Now I use chessman cookies instead of nilla wafer cookies solely because I don’t like them. But if you like them, you can use them instead!
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use all purpose flour to thicken the pudding mixture instead.
- I prefer chessman cookies, however, if you prefer nilla wafers (or something else), you can use that. This recipe is quite forgiving, so you can feel free to get creative.
- If you don’t have a trifle bowl, you can use mason jars instead and make them into mini banana puddings!
- Replace whipped cream with meringue for a classic Southern banana pudding feel.
- Dairy free option: swap whole milk our for your favorite nondairy milk and substitute heavy cream with whole fat coconut milk or nondairy heavy cream. Texture may be slightly different but it’ll be still be delicious!
How To Make Banana Pudding From Scratch
Make the Banana Whipped Cream and Custard
Step 1: Start by making the banana whipped cream. Add heavy cream to a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a low simmer, about 10 minutes, then add in sliced bananas. Remove from heat and allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. For at least 4 hours, until cold throughout (ideally overnight for the best flavor).
Step 2: Begin making the homemade vanilla pudding. Add whole milk to a medium saucepan over low heat, about 5 minutes until just warm. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Begin adding the warm milk to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent cooking the eggs.
Step 3: Once all of the milk is added, pour back into the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Keep whisking until it reaches a thick, pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and add in the butter, vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract), nutmeg, and banana extract (optional) and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. Pour into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate to set for at least 2-4 hours, until cold throughout.
Step 4: Once both the pudding and the banana cream mixture are cold, remove the banana cream bowl from the refrigerator. Strain the bananas from the heavy whipping cream mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, use an electric hand mixer to mix together sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese until smooth, then add to the stand mixer and continue to mix until stiff peaks form, about another 2 minutes.
Assemble the Banana Pudding
- Remove the pudding from the refrigerator – if it appears lumpy, just mix it together for a minute or two with the hand mixer to make it nice and smooth.
- Crush up a sleeve of graham crackers.
Step 5: Now assemble. In a 7 or 8 inch trifle dish (I used this trifle bowl). Add just enough whipped cream to the bottom of the bowl to coat. Add in a layer of chessman cookies,
Step 6: Then add sliced bananas, then cover with half of the pudding. Sprinkle a layer of graham cracker crumbs on top, and then repeat. For the top layer, after adding the graham cracker crumbs, top with bananas, slightly crushed chessman cookies, and the remaining banana whipped cream. Sprinkle any remaining chessman cookies on top and garnish with sliced bananas.
Pro Tips
- Serve cold always! This is not a warm pudding situation. Banana pudding needs to be served chilled for best results!
- Use ripe bananas! When they’re just spotted, they’re perfect. At this stage, they’ll hold their shape a little better and won’t become soggy as quickly. I don’t recommend using black bananas like you’d do for banana bread. They’ll become slimy and are too sweet.
- Temper your eggs carefully! When making the custard, slowly whisk hot milk into the yolks to prevent scrambled eggs. This step is crucial for a smooth, lump-free pudding.
- Let the pudding cool before layering. The pudding needs time to set before layering along with the banana whipped cream. Both should be nice and cold before assembling the banana pudding.
- Layer smart. Start with cream on the bottom, then the whipped cream and cookies. Put the cookies on top to prevent them from getting soggy too fast. Then alternate pudding, bananas, and cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Kind of – this is best served within 4-8 hours. So if you’re having a dinner at 6pm, you can absolutely make it the morning of. But because bananas can brown and become mushy, I don’t recommend making it any more than a few hours in advance. Just be sure to cover it tightly and store it in the fridge.
Banana pudding will stay fresh for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the bananas may start to brown and the texture can get a little watery.
Yes, you can use plant-based milk like almond, oat, or coconut, but the pudding may be slightly thinner. For a creamy texture, try full-fat canned coconut milk or add a little cornstarch to help it thicken.
This usually means it wasn’t cooked long enough to activate the thickening power of the cornstarch or eggs. Make sure the pudding reaches a gentle boil. It should coat the back of a spoon and be slightly thickened, custard-like (not runny) before removing it from the heat.
Freezing banana pudding is not recommended—once thawed, the texture turns watery and the bananas get mushy. It’s best enjoyed fresh or chilled from the fridge.
More Classic Desserts
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Banana Pudding From Scratch
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Trifle Bowl of 9×13 Dish
Ingredients
Homemade Banana Pudding
- 6 Egg Yolks
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 5 tbsp Cornstarch
- 4 cups Whole Milk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- 3 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Banana Flavoring, (optional)
Banana Whipped Cream
- 3 cups Heavy Cream
- 3 Bananas
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, (room temperature)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Pinch Kosher Salt
Assembling
- 2 packs Chessman cookies , (or nilla wafers)
- 1 sleeve Graham Crackers, (crushed, 9 graham crackers)
- 6 large Bananas
Instructions
- Start by making the banana whipped cream. Add heavy cream to a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a low simmer, about 10 minutes, then add in sliced bananas. Remove from heat and allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. For at least 4 hours, until cold throughout (ideally overnight for the best flavor).
- While the whipped cream is resting, begin making the homemade vanilla pudding. Add whole milk to a medium saucepan over low heat, about 5 minutes until just warm (do not boil). In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch.
- Begin adding the warm milk to the egg yolk mixture, slowly, constantly whisking so as to not cook the eggs. Once all of the milk is added, pour everything back into the saucepan and place back onto the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Once you’re able to see ribbons in the pudding, you’re nearly there, keep whisking until it reaches a thick, pudding-like consistency. Remove from the heat and add in the butter, vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract), nutmeg, pinch of salt, and banana extract (optional) and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. Pour into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the refrigerator to set for at least 2-4 hours, once it’s cold throughout.
- Once both the pudding and the banana cream mixture are cold, remove the banana cream bowl from the refrigerator. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, removing the bananas. Gently push the bananas to remove as much cream as possible (it’s ok to get a little bit of banana into the cream, this adds more flavor) Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until soft peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric hand mixer to mix together sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese until smooth. Then add to the stand mixer and continue to mix until stiff peaks form, about another 2-3 minutes, do not overmix.
- Remove the pudding from the refrigerator – if it appears lumpy, just mix it together for a minute or two with the hand mixer to make it nice and smooth. Crush up a sleeve of graham crackers.
- Crush up a sleeve of graham crackers.
- Now assemble. In a 7 or 8 inch trifle dish (I used this trifle bowl). Add just enough whipped cream to the bottom of the bowl to coat. Add in a layer of chessman cookies, then sliced bananas, then cover with half of the pudding. Sprinkle a layer of graham cracker crumbs on top, and then repeat.
- For the top layer, after adding the graham cracker crumbs, top with bananas, slightly crushed chessman cookies, and the remaining banana whipped cream. Allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Before Serving, Sprinkle any remaining chessman cookies on top and garnish with sliced bananas.
Video
Notes
- Serve cold always! This is not a warm pudding situation. Banana pudding needs to be served chilled for best results!
- Use ripe bananas! When they’re just spotted, they’re perfect. At this stage, they’ll hold their shape a little better and won’t become soggy as quickly. I don’t recommend using black bananas like you’d do for banana bread. They’ll become slimy and are too sweet.
- Temper your eggs carefully! When making the custard, slowly whisk hot milk into the yolks to prevent scrambled eggs. This step is crucial for a smooth, lump-free pudding.
- Let the pudding cool before layering. The pudding needs time to set before layering along with the banana whipped cream. Both should be nice and cold before assembling the banana pudding.
- Layer smart. Start with cream on the bottom, then the whipped cream and cookies. Put the cookies on top to prevent them from getting soggy too fast. Then alternate pudding, bananas, and cookies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was really, really delicious. My adult son loves banana pudding and he said this is how he imagines it should taste perfectly. I didn’t add banana extract to the pudding or bananas to the whipped cream, just layered in the fresh bananas. The whipped cream with sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese was phenomenal. Pudding was smooth (I did strain the mixture after tempering the eggs) and yummy.
Thank you, so happy to hear this!
I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone raved about how good it was, the consistency, and flavor were phenomenal. I was never a big fan of banana pudding, and made it for my husband, and family. But wow this had me coming back for seconds it was that good. Can you please make a recipe for chocolate pudding? That’s my fav and would love to make it from scratch too!
I’m so happy to hear that, thanks for your kind words! I’ll certainly work on a chocolate pudding recipe for you!!
The instructions are quite confusing and the layering described does not seem to match the picture. Could you clarify Step 4 please. It says strain the bananas from the banana cream mixture into a stand mixer bowl and the mix until soft peaks form. Do you mean remove the bananas and put the whipping cream in the stand mixer bowl and whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form?
Thank you.
Hi Shani! The photo aligns with the layering, I’m not sure what you mean. It’s banana whipped cream, chessman cookies, sliced bananas, pudding, crushed graham crackers – then repeat. For step 4, I’ve updated it to say: Once both the pudding and the banana cream mixture are cold, remove the banana cream bowl from the refrigerator. Strain the bananas from the heavy whipping cream mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently push the bananas to remove as much cream as possible (it’s ok to get a little bit of banana into the cream, this adds more flavor)
I hope that this helps!