This Homemade Banana Pudding is full of banana flavor, just like it should be! Come and check out the secret to a fruity, homemade banana pudding recipe that will transcend you back to your childhood!

This Banana pudding serves ten and costs $11.30 to make. That is only $1.13 per serving! 

This Banana pudding is full of banana flavor, just like it should be! Kids and adults love pudding; it is always a hit! A few of my other favorite puddings include my Lime Rice Pudding, Chocolate Avocado Pudding, and my Rocky Road Pudding Pie.

Finished recipe with text overlay for Pinterest.

 

When Banana Pudding is done right, it is SOOOOO good. For me, “done right” means it’s cold, sweet, very creamy, and fruity. Yes, fruity. 

If we call it banana pudding, then I want to taste those fruity and delicious bananas, and not just when I bite into one! This recipe ticks all of the right boxes!

If you are going to call it banana pudding, then I want to taste those fruity and delicious bananas, and not just when I bite into one! This recipe ticks all of the right boxes!

The banana pudding in a clear glass bowl.

The secret to the best banana pudding recipe you’ve ever had lies in the pudding itself. This recipe starts with roasting bananas in their peel. Roasting the bananas does two things:

  1. It intensifies the banana flavor.
  2. It breaks down the banana fibers, so you’re not stuck with fibrous banana pudding!

How to make Banana Pudding:

Picture collage of in-process pictures with text overlay for Pinterest.

  1. First, roast the unpeeled bananas in the oven. Bake until the skins are completely black. Mix sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch together. 
  2. Next, in a large saucepan, bring half-and-half, sugar, and salt to a simmer. Then whisk ½ cup simmering half-and-half mixture into egg yolk mixture. 
  3. After that, slowly whisk tempered yolk mixture into the saucepan. Then cook, continually whisking for about 2-3 minutes
  4. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
  5. Transfer pudding to a food processor. Add warm peeled roasted bananas and lemon juice to process until smooth. 
  6. Assemble and chill the pudding in a 3-quart dish, layering with bananas, pudding, and cookies. End with the pudding and wrap with plastic wrap to refrigerate for at least 8 hours. 
  7. Before serving, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Top the easy banana pudding with whipped cream and additional wafers. 
  8. Finally, serve! 

How long is banana pudding good for?

Pudding will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. 

What keeps bananas from turning brown in the banana pudding?

The secret is the lemon juice. The citrus juice helps the bananas stay fresh while not changing the taste of the pudding. 

How ripe should bananas be for banana pudding?

You want the bananas to be extremely ripe. The riper, the better! Riper bananas have a more intense flavor than non-ripe flavor.  

My 3-year old enjoying some Banana Pudding.
My 3-year old enjoying some Banana Pudding.

Cook’s Note:

Fully assembled puddings (topped with whipped cream) can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours. If you’re going to garnish the top with additional vanilla wafers, I suggest adding those right before serving.

Don’t skip the lemon juice in this recipe! A little squeeze of lemon goes a long way in preventing the banana pudding from turning brown when it’s refrigerated!

If your food processor bowl holds less than 11 cups, you’ll have to puree the mixture in batches.

Make sure your bananas are slightly underripe (their tops should be a little green)! Slightly underripe bananas sweeten when roasted, and they won’t ooze liquid. Overly ripe bananas will ooze too much liquid and could make your pudding loose and liquid.

I like to reserve some of the pudding and make smaller versions of this dessert to keep for later. I just use mason jars to store the pudding.

Banna pudding scooped into a mason jar topped with whipped cream, a slice of banana and a vanilla wafer.

Cook’s Tools:

How much will this Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe Cost to Make?

Overhead picture of all of the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

RECIPE COST: $11.30

PER SERVING COST: $1.13

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. 

  • 7 large bananas – $1.68
  • 1 ½ cups & 1 Tbsp granulated sugar – $0.37
  • 8 large egg yolks – $0.40
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch – $0.18
  • 6 cups half-and-half – $4.50
  • ½ teaspoon salt – $0.12
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter – $0.30
  • 1 Tablespoon & 1 tsp vanilla extract – $1.24
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice – $0.21
  • 1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers – $1.34
  • 1 cup heavy cream – $0.97

More $10 recipes

Overhead picture of the finished banana pudding in a big bowl.
5 from 11 votes

Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

Recipe Cost $ 11.30
Serving Cost $ 1.13
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 9 hours 50 minutes
10 people
This Banana pudding is full of banana flavor, just like it should be! Come and check out the secret to a fruity, homemade banana pudding recipe that will transcend you back to your childhood!

Equipment

  • saucepan
  • mixing bowls
  • whisk
  • food processor
  • Trifle Dish -OR- 3 Quart Bowl -OR- Individual Bowls

Ingredients
 
 

PUDDING:

  • 7 large bananas slightly under-ripe
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 8 large egg yolks
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 6 cups half-and-half
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers

WHIPPED TOPPING:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

ROAST BANANAS:

  • Move oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cover baking sheet with foil and place 3 unpeeled bananas on top. Bake until skins are completely black, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.

MAKE PUDDING

  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together 1⁄2 cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch. 
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat bring half-and-half, remaining sugar, and salt to simmer. Whisk 1⁄2 cup simmering half-and-half mixture into egg yolk mixture. 
  • Slowly whisk tempered yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture is thick and large bubbles appear at the surface, about 2-3 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

PROCESS PUDDING:

  • Transfer pudding to a food processor. Add warm peeled roasted bananas and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and process until smooth. 
  • Scrape pudding into a large bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of pudding. Refrigerate until slightly cool, about 60 minutes.

ASSEMBLE AND CHILL:

  • Cut remaining bananas into 1⁄4-inch slices and toss in a small bowl with remaining lemon juice. Spoon one-quarter of pudding into a 3-quart dish. Top with a layer of cookies, layer of sliced bananas, and another layer of cookies. 
  • Repeat twice, ending with pudding. 
  • Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of pudding and refrigerate until wafers have softened, at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.

TOP AND SERVE:

  • In a bowl of electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. 
  • Top banana pudding with whipped cream, and garnish with vanilla wafers (optional). Serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 330g | Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 1850IU | Vitamin C: 12.4mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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Picture collage with text overlay for Pinterest.

This recipe first appeared on FFF on August 15, 2016. Since I have updated the pictures and some of the content. 

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22 Comments

  1. Judith Baumewerd says:

    Hey Jillian, thank you for all the wonderful recipes – I live in Germany now and I am always so exited when you publish my favourites. The next thing will be the Banana Pudding, which my two kids never had.

    1. Judith, you’re SO welcome! I hope your kids enjoy the recipe, and thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  2. I love banana pudding! It’s such a great dessert for any occasion, so I make it quite a lot! Yours looks so delicious and addictive!

    1. Thank you! And you’re right, it’s SOOOO addicting!

  3. Jayashree says:

    Never made a banana pudding, I do need to try it now. It looks awesome.

    1. It’s really SO good, I hope you enjoy!

  4. Amy | The Cook Report says:

    This looks really delicious!

  5. Your version of banana pudding looks amazing! I also love all the step-by-step instructions with photos! Very helpful! Thanks for sharing!

    1. You’re sure welcome. Thanks for stopping by!

  6. This is a great summertime dessert! I agree, I love cool and creamy FULL of fruit 🙂

  7. YUM! I love this banana pudding recipe!

  8. laure damrose says:

    My most favorite dessert.

  9. Lisa Barger says:

    This looks so good!

  10. I’ve cheated by adding in softened cream cheese while making banana pudding in the past, but this homemade vintage recipe for banana pudding is the real deal. Time with whip out my Nilla wafers for this bad boy!

  11. This looks so much tastier than pudding from a box! This could easily become a family favorite!

  12. Such a classic summer treat! I loved it, the family loved it, a winner in my book. Will definitely be making again soon!

  13. Denay DeGuzman says:

    My friend made this yummy recipe. She shared it with me this evening. She knows how much I love bananas and pudding. I added all the ingredients to my grocery list. We’ll be enjoying this delicious dessert on Sunday.

  14. This pudding tastes amazing! So so good. However, once I blended the thick cooked pudding with the bananas , it became runny and never thickened up in the fridge. Any tips?
    I guess I could just freeze it for ice cream.

    1. Hi Sadie, I am so sorry that happened to you. It’s hard to tell what happened without being there. Perhaps the pudding wasn’t quite thick enough before the roasted bananas when in. Or perhaps too much liquid was released when the bananas were roasting, and this made the pudding runny, I’m not sure.