This Banana Pudding Recipe is super easy to make! It has layers of creamy pudding, sweet vanilla cookies, and fresh bananas. This recipe is adapted from the famous Magnolia Bakery version.

A glass filled with layers of the delicious banana pudding recipe, alternating between pudding, vanilla cookies, fresh bananas, and topped with vanilla cookie crumbs, creating a delightful dessert.

Table of Contents

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding Recipe

Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding is made with simple ingredients and is easy to make. The recipe, shared online, includes a creamy custard layer similar to what you find in Strawberry Shortcake Trifle and Brownie Trifle.

This popular dessert is no-bake and requires just a few common ingredients. Its rich taste is loved by many around the world, and you can easily recreate it at home.

An array of ingredients used to create this dessert, including sweetened condensed milk, vanilla wafers, cream, vanilla, and more, ready to be combined into a delectable dessert.

Ingredients

  • Sweetened Condensed Milk: Makes the Banana Pudding creamy and sweet.
  • Cold Water: Thins the condensed milk for the right pudding texture.
  • Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Thickens and adds flavor to the pudding.
  • Heavy Whipping Cream: Whipped for a light, fluffy texture.
  • Vanilla Paste/Extract: Boosts flavor (optional).
  • Fine Sea Salt: Balances and enhances taste.
  • Vanilla Wafer Cookies: Add texture and soften to a cake-like consistency in the dessert. Dip extra wafers in Cannoli Dip.
  • Ripe Bananas: Add natural sweetness and banana flavor.
Sweetened condensed milk being added, followed by whisking in water, and then adding the pudding mix and whisking until smooth, the initial steps in preparing this easy banana pudding recipe.

How To Make Banana Pudding Recipe

  1. Mix & Chill: Mix sweetened condensed milk with water, then add pudding mix. Chill.
  2. Whip Cream: Whip cream with vanilla and salt to soft peaks.
  3. Combine Mixtures: Combine chilled pudding with whipped cream.
  4. Layer in Dish: Layer cream-pudding mix, vanilla wafers, and bananas in a dish.
  5. Repeat Layers: Repeat layers, ending with cream-pudding mix. Chill.

Quick Tip

Unlike when we make Banana Cream Pie or Banana Cupcakes where overripe bananas are ideal, we want barely ripe and firm fresh bananas for this Banana Pudding Recipe. 

In a separate bowl, cream, vanilla, and salt being whisked until thickened, followed by gradually adding the thickened pudding and mixing until fully integrated, creating a creamy base for this dessert.

Banana Pudding Recipe FAQs

How Do You Keep Bananas From Browning In Banana Pudding?

Covering bananas in pudding keeps them from turning brown. You can also brush the bananas with club soda to prevent browning.

Why Is My Banana Pudding Soupy?

Pudding becomes soupy if the cream or pudding isn’t fully thickened. Under-whipped heavy cream remains soft, while over-whipped cream turns watery.

Begin layering with adding the pudding, followed by vanilla cookies and sliced bananas, then repeating these steps to create the gorgeous and delicious banana pudding recipes.
A beautiful sundae cup showcasing the finished dessert, highlighting the layers, each packed full of flavor, creating a delightful and complimentary dessert.


Storage

Leftover Banana Pudding?

Banana pudding is best enjoyed fresh within 24 hours. Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge.

This pudding does not freeze well.

More Delicious Desserts:

A glass filled with layers of the delicious banana pudding recipe, alternating between pudding, vanilla cookies, fresh bananas, and topped with vanilla cookie crumbs, creating a delightful dessert.
Pin Print
5 from 1 vote

Banana Pudding Recipe

By Chelsea Lords
This Banana Pudding recipe is a layered with creamy pudding, sweet vanilla cookies, and fresh bananas, a delicious adaptation of the famous Magnolia Bakery recipe.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

  • Mixer

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk see note 1
  • 1-1/2 cups cold water
  • 1 (3.9-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix see note 2
  • 3 cups heavy cream see note 3
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract, optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (11-ounce) box vanilla wafer cookies
  • 6 bananas sliced

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, use a hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat together sweetened condensed milk and cold water until fully combined, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the entire (dry) pudding mix and beat until the mixture is fully smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a separate bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes or until firm.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment add the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed for about 1–3 minutes, until the cream starts to thicken. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over whip or cream will break. Reduce mixer to low.
  • While the mixer is running on low, add in the pudding mixture one large spoonful at a time. Beat until no streaks of pudding remain and mixture is nicely thickened.
  • Reserve 4 cookies for garnishing on top. Spread 1/4 of the pudding on the bottom of the trifle or dish. Add one layer of cookies followed by a layer of bananas. Add another 1/4 of the pudding. Repeat the layers until bananas, cookies, and pudding are all gone. Make sure the top layer is pudding.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3–6 hours or until cookies have softened to cake consistency. Crush up the reserved cookies to garnish on top. This dessert is best served within 12 hours of assembling.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Be sure to use regular sweetened condensed milk, not low-fat or reduced sugar. This is not to be confused with evaporated milk.
Note 2:Use regular instant pudding mix, not sugar-free, low-fat, or cook-and-serve varieties. Make sure to get the small 3.9-ounce (110g) box. Follow the recipe instructions when using the mix, rather than the package directions. For the best flavor, opt for Jell-O brand (not sponsored).
Note 3: Milk won’t work here—it won’t whip and thicken the way that cream does. 
Storage: Place any remaining pudding in an airtight container or cover the dish with plastic wrap to keep it fresh. Store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. The cookies will soften over time, so it’s best to enjoy within this window.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 994IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

Read more

More Recipes You'll Love

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. Christine says:

    This looks really good please send me the website thank you

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks Christine! It’s right here at chelseasmessyapron.com

      Reply
  2. Chavi Gorman says:

    Could I mash the bananas and mix them into the pudding mixture? I don’t like chunky bananas.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I honestly haven’t tried, but I don’t think that would work the best. (I believe it would brown pretty quickly plus get watery unfortunately).

      Reply