This homemade, decadent banana pudding features scratch-made vanilla pudding mixed with whipped cream and layered with bananas and classic Nilla Wafers, for a classic summer dessert everyone will love. This makes enough for a good crowd, but you could always cut the recipe in half.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword banana pudding
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Chilling Time 2 hourshours
Total Time 2 hourshours40 minutesminutes
Servings 10-12
Calories 551kcal
Ingredients
1 ½cupswhole milk + 2 Tablespoons
1 ½cupshalf and half
½ cupsugar
5tablespoonscornstarch
½teaspoon of kosher salt, divided
4large egg yolks
3tablespoonsbutter, cut in small cubes
2tablespoonsvanilla extract*, divided
1 14-ouncecan sweetened condensed milk
2 ½cupsheavy cream
4yellow bananas, (a few brown spots are fine, but not too ripe)
211-ounceboxes of Nilla Wafers
Instructions
To make the pudding: Heat the milk and half and half in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, use a hand blender to mix the sugar, cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon of salt, egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons of whole milk together until smooth. Slowly add ½ of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture and quickly mix to prevent the yolks from cooking and gradually add the remaining milk, mixing until smooth. Return the pudding to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the pudding becomes thick and bubbly (and is not runny), about 5 minutes or so.
Use the hand mixer to blend in the cubes of butter until the butter is incorporated and the pudding is smooth. Mix in ½ can of sweetened condensed milk (just eyeball it) and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla. Transfer back to the bowl and cover the surface of the pudding with a layer of plastic wrap, directly touching the pudding (this prevents a skin from forming). Let the pudding come to room temperature then refrigerate until fully chilled and ready to use (at least 4 hours and up to overnight).
In a large bowl of a kitchen mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, remaining ½ can of sweetened condensed milk, remaining 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, and whip on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the banana pudding.
To assemble banana pudding: Slice your bananas. Spread ⅓ of the pudding mixture on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of Nilla Wafer cookies, followed by a layer of banana slices, and ⅓ of the whipped cream, spreading evenly. Repeat this layering process (you'll have 3 layers) ending with the whipped cream. Add a few bananas to the top with some crushed Nilla Wafer cookies. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Banana pudding will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
Notes
Try 1 whole vanilla bean instead of the vanilla extract if you like (scrape the caviar from the pod and add both to the milk as it heats up).
Use a 9x13-inch baking dish, a large bowl, trifle bowl, or individual glasses or small mason jars for assembling.
If you want more bananas, use 6 bananas and overlap the slices.
You will have some Nilla Wafer cookies leftover. You’re welcome. ;)