The BEST banana pudding filled with layers of pudding, wafers, fresh bananas and homemade whipped cream. An easy, no-bake dessert that’s perfect for a last minute party or get together.
Love no bake desserts? Don’t miss my delicious banana cream pie, chocolate lasagna and banana split dessert.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Banana Pudding
- Easy: It’s so easy to whip up and tastes super creamy and luscious. I am obsessed!
- Magnolia Bakery copycat: Adapted from the Magnolia banana pudding in their cookbook, so you know how delicious it is.
- Crowd pleaser: This recipe is easy to double and feed a crowd.
Layers
- Vanilla wafers. The dish starts with a layer of vanilla wafers. Line your baking dish with about 1/2 box of vanilla wafers, or until the bottom of the dish is covered.
- Bananas. Next comes the sliced bananas. Add them evenly on top of the wafer cookies.
- Pudding. The bananas are then topped with half of the creamy pudding layer. It’s a mixture of softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, instant vanilla pudding, milk and whipped cream. Once you add the pudding, you’ll repeat the 3 layers again.
- Whipped topping. The dessert is finished off with the remaining whipped cream and is topped with more vanilla wafers and banana slices.
Serving Options
You can make this banana pudding in a baking dish, trifle dish or individual cups. I love serving it in these mini trifle dishes below…aren’t they so cute?!
- Baking dish: Use a 9×13″ baking dish and add 2 layers of each.
- Large trifle dish: This is great to use for parties. Simply layer the ingredients until you’ve reached the top of the bowl.
- Mini trifles or individual cups: This is my favorite way to serve banana pudding! You can use mini trifle dishes or even small glass cups. It makes the perfect individual-sized dessert.
TIP: Add crushed vanilla wafer cookies and sliced bananas on top, just before serving to dress up this dessert. You could even caramelize the bananas for a richer flavor.
Make Ahead + Storing
This dish tastes best served within 1 day of making. The bananas will brown the longer that it sits, so I prefer to make it in the morning and serve later that evening. This gives the cookies enough time to soften in the refrigerator.
Love classic dessert recipes? Try this layered pistachio dessert, bread pudding with caramel sauce, banana bread or banana cream pie!
More Easy No-Bake Desserts
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Banana Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounce block cream cheese , softened
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 3.4 ounce box Instant Vanilla Pudding
- 1 cup whole milk
- 11 ounce box of Vanilla Wafers , or shortbread cookies
- 4-5 ripe bananas
- 3-4 cups homemade whipped cream , or thawed cool whip
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Next add in the sweetened condensed milk, dry pudding and milk. Mix well. Then refrigerate until it has firmed up, about 15 minutes.
- Mix half of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Place half of the vanilla wafers into the bottom of a 9×13" dish, trifle dish, or individual cups. Arrange sliced bananas over the wafers. Spread with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat. Then spoon the remaining whipped cream on top. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
- Before serving add crushed vanilla wafers and slices of bananas.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Desserts, Fruit Desserts, No-Bake
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I made this, but I used a different variation. Instead of using vanilla wafers, I used white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Give it a try! I promise you’ll be glad you did🤩 Talk about licking a dish clean😋
Mmmm that sounds SO delicious, Dawn! I’m going to have to try that soon :)
This is one of my favorite recipes for banana pudding I make it and I’ve made it quite often and I’m getting ready to print it off and make it again
I’m so glad to hear you love it! Thanks for leaving a comment and review. :)
You can never go wrong with Banana pudding! It is so easy to make and super delicious, and so quick to make too!
The cream cheese makes these extra yummy. I served them in mini mason jars and they were a bit hit!
this is one of my favorite treats! so delicious!
I made this recipe and it turned out extremely watery. Was I supposed to cook it at all?
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Did you use Instant Vanilla Pudding?
I’ve never seen cream cheese used. I can’t wait to try, this could be a game changer for me ! THANK YOU
Hope you enjoy! :)
HowDo you keep the bananas from turning brown.?
Hi Cathy! I add the vanilla wafers and bananas right before serving. The bananas in the filling should be fine, but will definitely be best the day of.
Oh my goodness, my mom used to make something similar when I was little, and I’d forgotten all about it. Love it!
I love this recipe, and so do my girls! It’s super easy to make and delicious too!
There’s nothing better than homemade banana pudding. My kids absolutely loved this.
I’m so happy to hear your kids love it!
This recipe is a keeper!
Can’t get enough of this dessert!
YUM! This looks delicious!!!
This pudding looks incredible!
Oh my gosh this looks so yum!! Such a great recipe!! Think I will give it a try – thanx!