Classic Southern Banana Pudding
Creamy, light, and packed full of banana goodness, you can't go wrong with Classic Southern Banana Pudding! This beloved dessert is a must-have for any occasion.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 214kcal
Ingredients
- 4 organic bananas, sliced
- 1 (11 oz.) box Nilla wafer Cookies (Save a small amount for crushing for the topping, if desired)
- 1 (3 oz.) box vanilla instant pudding mix (I like to use the Jell-O brand; If using the small standard 1 oz. box, be sure to purchase 3 of those!; SEE NOTES!)
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 3-4 cups VERY COLD filtered water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz.) container Whipped Cream, store-bought or homemade (You can use Cool Whip or See Notes!)
- Pinch of ground cinnamon, optional
- Pinch of sea salt
TOPPINGS:
- Whipped Cream, store-bought or homemade (You can use Cool Whip or See Notes!)
- Crushed Nilla wafer cookies
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand-mixer (using the whisk attachment), mix together the ice cold water (start with 3 cups and work to 4 cups if needed based on the consistency of pudding), vanilla pudding mix, and sweetened condensed milk until thick, about 10 minutes on medium-high speed. NOTE: The mixture should look like pudding. NOTE: If using a hand-mixer instead, you may need an EXTRA BOX of vanilla pudding to ensure that the consistency is creamy and not too 'watery'.
- Finally, add in vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt and mix for another minute or so.
- Gently fold in the homemade whipped cream (or Cool Whip) into the pudding mixture using a spatula until, well incorporated.
- In a trifle bowl (or your favorite dish), layer cookies, sliced bananas, and pudding mixture; repeat layering until all ingredients have been used.
- Garnish top with a few dollops of whipped cream and vanilla wafers (crushed) and Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Best if chilled overnight.
- Bon Appetit!
Notes
- STORAGE: Store leftover banana pudding in the fridge 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.
- HOMEMADE VANILLA PUDDING: See post for notes and ingredients.
- BOX OF VANILLA PUDDING: I HIGHLY recommend using an electric stand-mixer for making the pudding, however, if you're using a hand-mixer, be sure that the water is EXTREMELY COLD + You may need to add an EXTRA BOX of vanilla pudding so that it forms to a creamy consistency and not 'watery'.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 396mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 0.2mg