Who doesn't love a creamy, delicious banana pudding? Today, we're spilling the beans on three different ways to whip up this classic dessert, just like Grandma used to make. Whether you prefer a traditional Southern style with tempered eggs, a quick version using a mix, or a luscious, layered treat with cream cheese, we've got a recipe for you. Get ready to master this classic Southern Dish.

1. The Easiest Banana Pudding With Vanilla Pudding Mix

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Pudding MixPhoto byEasy Southern Desserts

Ultra Creamy Banana Pudding

The key to the perfect banana pudding? Perfectly ripe bananas, real whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk and a package of your favorite vanilla pudding mix. Oh, and your favorite brand of vanilla wafers.

That’s really all there is to it. Five ingredients and a little prep time (to make the instant pudding) are all you need to make a classic dessert that’ll wow everyone at the table. Best of all you don’t have to turn on the stove or the oven. Not as rich and custardy as rice pudding, but still a super creamy combination.

The beauty of banana pudding is in the layers, so I recommend using a trifle dish or other beautiful glass bowl to showcase the layers of vanilla pudding, bananas, and cookies. You can also serve these in individual glass dishes for a more personalized approach. This banana dessert is perfect for family dinners, barbecues, cook-outs, and any day you feel like making it!

When you think of a truly Southern dessert, banana pudding is always at the top of the list. You can’t go to any gathering, church dinner, shrimp boil, or potluck without it being in the line up. My theory is it became so popular in the South because it goes so well with Southern barbeque.

Banana PuddingPhoto byEasy Southern Desserts

Why You’ll Be Adding This Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe to Your Go-To Desserts

• No Bake Dessert – Just pop this homemade pudding in the fridge until it’s fully chilled and set, add whipped cream and enjoy! No need to even turn on the oven.
• Creamy Pudding – Heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and instant pudding mix make each spoonful ultra decadent.
• Big Hit – This recipe has been around for over 100 years and is a must on every Southern dessert table.

Ingredients

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 ½ cups cold water
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix 3.4 ounces
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 box vanilla wafers
• 4 cups sliced bananas

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sweetened condensed milk and cold water and mix well for about a minute. Add the pudding mix and beat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the pudding mixture and combine.
• To assemble, place ⅓ of the vanilla wafers on the bottom of a clear glass bowl that will hold 4 quarts or layer in a 9 x 13 baking dish. The wafers can overlap. Add ⅓ of the sliced bananas and ⅓ of the pudding. Repeat with two more layers, ending with pudding. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but up to 8. Longer than 8 hours and the bananas will start to brown. Garnish with a couple of crushed vanilla wafers

Notes

• Make sure that you use INSTANT pudding.
• It is important that the pudding refrigerate for at least 4 hours to thicken before adding the whipped cream.
• Don’t use over ripe bananas. Save those for banana bread.

2. Traditional Southern Banana Pudding

This classic recipe features layers of extra creamy homemade vanilla pudding,
crunchy vanilla wafers, and freshly sliced bananas. It is a no-bake recipe
that is perfect for bringing to your next potluck, cookout, or dinner party.

Traditional Banana PuddingPhoto byButter & Baggage

There’s Nothing Like Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers

No bake banana pudding is a staple here in the South where it can be found at any potluck, cook-out or gathering. While the pudding takes a couple of steps, you can make it in advance and then just assemble with vanilla wafers and bananas at the last minute.

This Nila wafer banana pudding recipe is incredibly tasty and requires you to make a from-scratch vanilla pudding. It only takes 15 minutes, but it will be worth it! There’s nothing like the creamy sweetness of fresh pudding; you absolutely cannot get this flavor from a box.

Homemade Vanilla PuddingPhoto byButter & Baggage

Ingredients1x2x3x

• ▢4 egg yolks
• ▢¼ cup cornstarch
• ▢2 cups whole milk
• ▢1 cup heavy cream
• ▢¾ cup sugar
• ▢¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢2 tbsp butter
• ▢2 teaspoons vanilla
• ▢4 medium bananas just ripe cut into ½ inch slices
• ▢2 cups vanilla wafers crushed

Instructions

• Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch in a small glass bowl.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk, cream, sugar, and salt and cook for about 5 minutes, whisking often. Do not let it boil.
• With a spoon, slowly drizzle a little of the warm milk into the egg mixture, slowly add about a cup of the milk to the egg. Next, slowly add the egg mixture to the rest of the hot milk in the saucepan, whisking until it is combined. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until it has thickened.
• Remove from the heat and add vanilla and butter, whisking until combined. Transfer to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a layer of skin form forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• To assemble, add about 3 tablespoons of crushed vanilla wafers to the bottom of a glass or bowl. Top with 1/3 of a banana and 1/4 cup of pudding, Chill for 1 hour before serving.

3. Banana Pudding Recipe with Cream Cheese

A Southern banana pudding is a good old-fashioned classic dessert, and for good reason! The combination of sweet bananas, creamy pudding, and sweet and crispy vanilla wafer cookies is comfort food at it’s best. However, make this Southern staple even better by adding cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk for an over-the-top dessert.

Banana Pudding with Condensed Milk and Cream Cheese is heavenly!

Banana pudding with cream cheese is a fresh take on the old standby recipe, using cream cheese to add a richness to the pudding. A homemade vanilla pudding has bananas blended into it, infusing bananas throughout the entire dish.

Banana Pudding with Cream CheesePhoto byButter & Baggage

With traditional banana pudding, it is actually just vanilla pudding with a layer of bananas, delicious, but not much banana flavor. Here you actually have a banana pudding.

This dessert begins by cooking the homemade pudding on the stove. It only takes a few minutes and is miles better than anything you could get out of a box. As it cools, you’ll add bananas and create the cream cheese mixture.

Everything chills in the refrigerator before folding in homemade whipped cream and layering the luscious pudding mixture with sliced bananas and vanilla wafer cookies. Once it’s all put together, it goes back into the refrigerator to chill before serving.

Banana Pudding with Cream CheesePhoto byButter & Baggage

This heavenly dessert is rich and creamy. It makes a great centerpiece for your next cookout or family gathering and makes an elegant and delicious treat to finish off a fancy brunch. Whether it’s for a casual get-together or a dinner party, banana pudding with cream cheese is always a crowd favorite.

Ingredients1x2x3x

• ▢2 tablespoons sugar
• ▢1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢1 egg
• ▢¾ cup whole milk
• ▢1 tablespoon butter
• ▢1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢5 bananas medium
• ▢¾ cup sweetened condensed milk not an entire 14 oz can
• ▢4 ounces cream cheese (or mascarpone) room temp
• ▢1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• ▢1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢3 cups Nilla Wafers about 1/2 box

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, add sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and salt. Whisk in milk and egg. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes. It should be pretty thick. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, whisk until combined and place in a large bowl. Refrigerate while making the banana mixture.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese or mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add 1 banana chopped into small pieces. Fold this into the warm (but not hot) pudding mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Once the pudding has cooled, in a separate bowl, beat heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until very stiff peaks form. You do not want it to be watery.
• Slice remaining bananas into thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Gently fold 2/3’s of the whipped cream into the pudding. Reserve the rest of the whipped cream for the top.
• Spread 1/3 of the pudding into the bottom of an 8 x 8 casserole dish. Top with a layer of vanilla wafers, with a little space between them. Add a layer of 1/2 of the sliced bananas. Top with 1/3 of the pudding, another layer of vanilla wafers, a layer of bananas, and end with a layer of pudding. Cover with the reserved whipped cream.
• Crumble about 1/2 cup of vanilla wafers by placing them in a ziplock bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Sprinkle them over the top of the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

It's hard to choose, go with the first one if you're not comfortable with making a homemade pudding. The second one has rich vanilla flavor and the last is the richest with more banana flavor. You'll love them all whichever you choose to make.

Here in the South, we're going to serve this with BBQ, Mac & Cheese, and Buttermilk Biscuits.

For more recipes, head over to Butter & Baggage.