Description

This Best Banana Pudding Ever recipe is a classic, no-bake Southern dessert featuring layers of creamy vanilla pudding, fresh banana slices, and crunchy vanilla wafer cookies. The homemade whipped cream adds a rich, airy texture, making this pudding irresistibly smooth and flavorful. Perfect for gatherings or a comforting treat, it requires minimal preparation and chills for at least two hours to meld the delicious flavors together.

Ingredients

Scale

Pudding Mixture

1 (5 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

4–5 ripe bananas, sliced
1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafer cookies

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Instructions

Prepare the pudding base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk until it begins to thicken slightly. Set this mixture aside to start setting up.
Make whipped cream: In another bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with the vanilla extract using a hand mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, creating light and fluffy homemade whipped cream.
Combine pudding and whipped cream: Gently fold the whipped cream and the sweetened condensed milk into the thickened pudding mixture until everything is smooth and well incorporated, forming a creamy pudding base.
Layer the pudding: In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread a layer of vanilla wafer cookies covering the bottom. Then add a layer of sliced bananas evenly over the wafers. Spread half of the pudding mixture evenly over the bananas.
Repeat layering: Add another layer of vanilla wafers, followed by the remaining sliced bananas, and then top with the remainder of the pudding mixture, spreading it evenly.
Final touches and chill: Optionally, top the pudding with additional vanilla wafers for decoration. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though overnight refrigeration is best to allow the flavors to meld and the wafers to soften to a perfect texture.

Notes

For best flavor, use ripe but firm bananas to avoid mushiness.
The pudding can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight for deeper flavor.
You can substitute heavy whipping cream with a dairy-free alternative if preferred, though texture may vary.
Make sure to cover the pudding tightly to prevent it from drying out in the refrigerator.