My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding
My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding is velvety, comforting, and packed full of banana and vanilla goodness! This beloved dessert is a must-have for any occasion---the Southern way!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 304kcal
Ingredients
- 5 organic bananas, sliced
- 2 (11 oz.) boxes Nilla wafer cookies (Save a handful to crush for the topping)
- 4 cups whipped cream, store-bought or homemade (You can also make meringue; See Post for details)
HOMEMADE VANILLA PUDDING:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups Almond milk, unsweetened (You can also use whole milk, if preferred)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 (8 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (You can sub with ½ cup of cane sugar instead)
- 4 Tbsps arrowroot or cornstarch (Mix with ½ cup of warm water to create a "milky" consistency)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly greasing a standard 9x13 baking dish.
To Make the Homemade Vanilla Pudding:
- In a medium sauce pan over medium high-heat, add the butter until melted. Once fully melted, add in the milk, stirring them together until combined, reducing the heat to medium-low.
- Before adding in the egg yolks, scoop a few spoonsfuls of the warm milk mixture into a bowl with your egg yolks and whisk until smooth. NOTE: This prevents the eggs from getting too hot and "curdling".
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the sauce pan with the milk and whisk to combine. Add in the vanilla, condensed milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg, continuing to whisk to combine. Lastly, whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue to whisk until the pudding begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.
- Once thickened and smooth, remove from heat and set aside.
Assembly:
- In the prepared baking dish, layer cookies and sliced bananas, evenly spreading them out. Carefully pour warm vanilla pudding mixture atop and add a few more cookies and bananas, if desired. NOTE: If making meringue, you'll top everything with meringue before baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the pudding becomes bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly for 5-10 minutes before serving warm. Top with whipped cream and additional crushed cookies, if desired.
- Bon Appetit!
Notes
- STORAGE: Store leftover banana pudding in the fridge (tightly sealed) after cooling completely for 2 to 3 days. The cookies will continue to get soggy, so the texture of the entire dish will change the longer it's left in the fridge past those amount of days.
- HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM: In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the heavy cream (3-4 cups), using the whisk attachment for 4-5 minutes, until fluffy peaks begin to form. **NOTE: When it begins to thicken after the first 2-3 minutes, gradually add in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt.** Once fully fluffy, remove from mixer bowl and continue recipe.
- MERINGUE: If you'd like to make meringue instead of using whipped cream, see post for recipe option!
Nutrition
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 1mg