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This homemade banana pudding recipe with vanilla custard is a classic Southern dessert made completely from scratch. Featuring layers of creamy vanilla bean pudding, fresh bananas, and vanilla wafers, it’s topped with homemade whipped cream for a rich and authentic flavor.
Homemade Banana Pudding Dessert
It’s National Banana Cream Pie Day so let’s celebrate! Basically, these food holidays are just an excuse to eat pie. Whoever came up with these holidays is absolutely brilliant.
My brother lived in New York City for over 10 years and would rave to me all about the famous Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding. I would seethe with jealousy as I knew he could walk into the bakery every single day and get his banana pudding fix.
Once I finally flew into NYC, we went straight to Magnolia’s to see what all the fuss was about. Maybe you don’t know this about me, but I am super picky about bakeries. Okay, you probably could have gathered that by now! I did wonder if this would pass the test. My husband and I devoured the banana pudding in about 90 seconds, so I would say that was a good sign.
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Why you will love this recipe:
Even though I love their banana pudding dessert, I wanted to create a similar copycat but make the pudding from scratch. It doesn’t take that much longer and there’s just something about handcrafted pudding, stirred with a wooden spoon, that makes it taste that much better.
- Made with real cooked custard (not instant pudding)
- Rich vanilla flavor from extract or vanilla bean
- Smooth, silky texture that thickens naturally
- Classic Southern-style layering with fresh bananas
- Balanced sweetness—not overly sugary
This Homemade Banana Pudding Dessert is made by slowly cooking a mixture of whole milk, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, butter and vanilla bean until nice and thickened. I could eat an entire bowl of this stuff! It is layered with fresh sliced bananas, Nilla wafers, and homemade fluffy whipped cream.
My sister-in-law, Laura, who is a brilliant cook makes this custard every single year at Thanksgiving time. She is the BEST custard maker I know and this is a tried and true recipe. It is a recipe from her Grandma Rappleye that has been passed down through the years.
This homemade banana pudding is all about contrast and balance. The custard is thick, smooth, and velvety, coating each layer with a rich vanilla flavor that is so comforting. The bananas bring a natural sweetness while the wafers transform as they chill, becoming tender and slightly cake-like.
The whipped cream adds a light, airy finish that keeps the dessert from feeling too heavy. Each spoonful delivers a perfect combination of creamy pudding, fresh fruit, and delicate cookie layers, creating a dessert that is so nostalgic and comforting.
How to make Homemade Banana Pudding from scratch:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and milk over medium heat. Bring to a slow rolling boil and let thicken. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- While the milk mixture is cooking, place egg yolks in small bowl. Temper egg yolks by spooning a small amount of hot milk into a bowl. Keep stirring.
- Bring it back to a boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
- Let chill in refrigerator and cool completely.
- Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla.
- Optional — Slice bananas and sprinkle with lemon juice or fruit fresh to prevent browning. I like to use firm bananas and cover the banana pudding tightly to keep the air from getting to the bananas.
- Layer banana pudding dessert with pudding, bananas, nilla wafers, and whipped cream.
- Let chill in refrigerator to set up.
Tips:
Make sure you cook the pudding long enough for it to thicken. It needs to coat the back of a spoon. After cooking, let it chill to give it adequate time to set up.
Chill thoroughly before serving
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):
What is the difference between custard and pudding?
Custard uses egg yolks for richness and structure, while pudding typically relies on starch alone. Custard is smoother, richer, and more traditional in Southern banana pudding.
Why is my custard lumpy?
This usually happens if the heat is too high or the eggs weren’t tempered properly. Whisk constantly and cook over medium heat.
How do I temper eggs for custard?
Slowly add warm milk to the egg yolks while whisking continuously. This prevents scrambling and creates a smooth mixture.
How long does banana pudding last?
Best within 1–2 days Bananas may brown slightly after that
More Banana Recipes:
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Homemade Banana Pudding Dessert
Ingredients
Homemade Vanilla Bean Pudding:
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla or 1 Vanilla Bean scraped
Vanilla Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla or Vanilla Bean scraped
- 4-5 Bananas sliced
- 1/2 Box Nilla Wafers
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and milk over medium heat. Bring to a slow rolling boil and let thicken. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- While the milk mixture is cooking, place egg yolks in small bowl. Temper egg yolks by spooning a small amount of hot milk into a bowl. Keep stirring.
- Bring it back to a boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
- Let chill in refrigerator and cool completely.
- Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla.
- Slice bananas and sprinkle with lemon juice or fruit fresh to prevent browning.
- Layer banana pudding dessert with pudding, bananas, nilla wafers, and whipped cream.
- Let chill in refrigerator to set up.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It’s great! We had it for our Christmas Eve dessert and everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for making this recipe Jenny!
So delicious! This was a fantastic recipe. The family loved it!
I have made this many times. It is the best recipe I have found. It turns out perfect every time and my family loves it. Fantastic!! Thank you for sharing.
After spending about 7 hours researching cold banana pudding recipes that have whipped cream, I decided to make this for my family. It was perfection!!!! Thank you for sharing. The recipe will be kept forever.
Omg this is amazing . I doubled the pudding and it came out amazing .. no leftovers . Thank you so much I know I will be making a lot this .. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️