How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding
I LOVE and adore banana pudding, real banana pudding. By real I mean the kind where you make the pudding from scratch and pour it warm over a bowl of yummy Nilla wafers and fresh cut bananas. That stuff with boxed pudding mix cannot even come close to how this tastes. If you think you’ve had banana pudding before and it involved a boxed pudding mix…THAT was not banana pudding! THIS is Banana Pudding!
The complete recipe is listed at the bottom of this page. I always insist on Nilla brand wafers. I am not a big brand person (alright, I do have a thing about White Lily flour), but if you’re going to make banana pudding, might as well do it right. For my Banana pudding, we won’t be doing a meringue. I like meringue but know far too many people who don’t. Plus that adds an extra step, which may be a wee bit complicated for someone who has never made it before.
I just want you to make the pudding, I don’t want you to feel you have to sit through an entire culinary class. That having been said, if you put Cool whip or any type of refrigerated dairy topping on this divine concoction after we are done making it, I will personally hunt you down and haunt you for the rest of your life. ~sweet smile~ We’re going to do this right
Put a layer of Nilla wafers in the bottom of a medium sized mixing bowl. Slice a banana over the top. Repeat these layers until you’ve used up all your Nilla wafers and bananas. It really is important that you put Nilla wafers first, by the way. These are going to soak up all the yummy pudding that settles at the bottom of your bowl.
I use a mixing bowl because that is what my mother always used. She had this Corning green glass mixing bowl, it was enormous. She must have made at least two recipes of banana pudding each time she made it. Seeing that bowl on the counter was always a welcome sight!
Crack your three eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Since we aren’t making a meringue, we won’t be using the whites. You can save them for another use or throw them away (which I did because….I just care about my banana pudding right now.)
Place 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda), and a dash of salt in a saucepan. You can use a double broiler for this and not have to fret over it so much, but I just like living on the edge. Muhahaha! My trick for substituting Splenda for sugar in this is to always use just a wee bit less than the recipe calls for. If it calls for a cup of sugar, I might do a cup minus two tablespoons of Splenda. To me, that keeps it from tasting artificial.
Add milk to saucepan.
When you are done stirring it u
p well, it will look something like this.
Now settle in and BE PATIENT. You need to stir the pot constantly, scraping the bottom so none of it gets a chance to stick and scorch. This will take about fifteen minutes so I usually get something to read while I stand there and stir because I don’t think I’ve ever “just” done one thing for fifteen minutes straight.
Today I read a few articles from the new issue of PopSci. I love that magazine. This one shows you how you can turn your iPod or even iPhone into a projector that will project movies onto your wall up to 5′ x 7′! All you need are a small cosmetic mirror, a cardboard box, some tape, and a lense from an old slide projector. I actually want to do this. Anyone have an old slide projector? ~grins~
Seriously, be patient, keep stirring, don’t turn the heat up past four. This is going to take a long time and do nothing, but then ALL OF A SUDDEN it will be thicker.
Yes, I need to clean my stove. I started to photoshop that out but then decided…..”eh”.
Now, your pudding isn’t going to get super thick, but after about fifteen minutes of stirring, it will suddenly get thicker. The consistency will be about what that boxed pudding is right after you mix it before it sets well. TAKE IT OFF THE EYE! Quick! we don’t want it to scorch or keep getting thicker. Now if you end up with scorched pudding or lumpy pudding, just use it anyway and pay attention to me when I tell you to slow down next time!
Add a teaspoon of vanilla and stir.
Immediately pour over your bananas and wafers.
Let this sit for about five minutes so the pudding has time to soak into the wafers. THIS IS SO GOOD! Eat it warm, then refrigerate leftovers. I prefer to eat the leftovers cold. YUMM!
Homemade Banana Pudding
1/2 C Sugar (or splenda)
1/3 C Flour
3 egg yolks
2 C milk
1 box Nilla Wafers
5 bananas
1/2 tsp Vanilla
dash salt
Enjoy!
Hello - I was just blog hopping from England and would like to say how wonderfully clear your instructions for making banana pudding. I have never heard of it before.
Happy blogging.
Oh my! Never heard of banana pudding? I just have to start saving up and buy a ticket so I can come over and personally see to it that you have some! It’s pure heaven!
This makes me wonder what wondrous treats you may consider everyday that I have never had!! What am I missing out on???
Oh! I forgot to thank you for your kind comments, Kathryn! Thank you!! You visited on the first night my blog was up and running, too!
I really like you blog. The banana pudding looks great. I’m adding you to my favorites list.
I am a Southerner myself from Texas. Nothing is better than homemade banana pudding its a staple in the south. I love your blog very clear instructions. I am adding yours to my must see blog list on my sidebar.
Julia Ann:
Thank you so much for stopping by! I visited your blog and you are AMAZING!! I love your tutorials and whats more, I love the fact that I have never seen these recipes but it all looks so delicious! I am definitely expanding our family menu now thanks to you!! I’m adding you as well!!
Tina: I’ve added you too!!! I’m so glad you found me because now I’ve found your site! The first thing I thought when I looked at it was “oh hey, my kids would eat that!”.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!!!
i really want to make this. for some reason it did not occur to me til just now that i could make pudding from scratch. but now i’m glad i realized it! haha
Oh Lizz!!! I am so excited for you, tasting homemade pudding for the first time!! The store stuff is good but its just an entirely different animal!! I hope you get to try this and let me know how it turns out!!!
I honestly don’t think there is anything better than homemade banana pudding.
Howdy, I’m a Southern boy who moved up north before finding a real love of cooking. Now I’m trying to get back to the roots of the food I loved so much growing up. I found your blog from the banana pudding post….and boy do I think I’m going to love it here.
Wait, Wait!! the Egg Whites!
You make a meringue, then slip the pudding in the oven for 5 min to lightly brown it. I’ve had it this way and it’s scrumptious.
Corey: I love having you here!! Thank you so much for stopping by. If you have ANY questions or tutorial requests please be sure to let me know!! I’m glad to help in any way, especially when it comes to propagating southern food!
Anonymouse: hehe! My mother puts meringue on her pudding and I prefer it with meringue, but my kids and husband do not so I have gotten used to leaving that part out (I think I mentioned why in my recipe). It is delicious that way though!
By the way, thank the gods for spellchecker. Meringue is not an easy word to spell!
I maded this banana pudding. My good old southern husdand ( from louisiana) loved it! Banana pudding trully is a must have in the south. thank you for sharing.
Right Here:
YAY!!! I’m so glad he liked it!!! I cannot thank you enough for posting and letting me know you tried it!!!!
I really appreciate it!!
I LOVE FEEDBACK!!!
thank you thank you thank you!
HI! This is my first visit to your site… and I LOVE it. I love your down to earth instructions! I can’t wait to try some of these recipes! You are now on my favorite list! Thanks for being there!
Terri
Hi! Terri (above) is my sister and I turned her onto your site! You have so many wonderful recipes here and I will be trying this one as well! My husband LOVES banana pudding but has not had any HOMEMADE southern banana pudding. He is from UpState NY so I am going to make this and rock his world! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipes and I have added you to my bookmarks!
Treva
Terri and Treva:
THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR VISITING!! You put a grin on my face today…..well except for the loud gasp of horror at poor Treva’s husband spending his whole life thus far having never had homemade banana pudding!
It thrills me each and every time someone reads and enjoys my site! If you have any special recipe requests or questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!!
Thank you!
Christy
I made this banana pudding for my dh for his lunch today. I'll let you know how he likes it (he may have some for breakfast :D).
I used your 15m guideline, but found that it really only took about 10m to thicken up. My burner was set to 3.5.
NE-way, this was a very easy recipe & I hope my dh loves it!
Oh great Carole! I sure do hope y’all enjoy it as much as we do! I find I can never really focus on my pudding like I should ( and tell everyone else to! ) so I usually end up cooking it slower to avoid scorching. Mama’s original recipe was more in line with your time!:)
On the road now, we just turned into downtown Chattanooga! I look forward to hearing from you again!
~Christy
The nanner puddin is great stuff. I make it from scratch too. When someone makes it with cool whip I wanna get in their kitchen and show them the right way. I’m gonna tackle the Chocolate cobbler soon. I take care of my 82 year old dad and he has grown quite a sweet tooth as he has gotten older.
Oh Bill, I know just what you mean about the cool whip! You know, honestly, whenever I introduce someone to “real” banana pudding who has not had it before, I feel as if I’m showing electricity to cave men for the very first time! ~grins~
If you have any questions at all about the cobbler, you give me a holler. Also (I know I say this on here a lot..) If you have any special requests just let me know!
~Christy
Oh my, this looks SO GOOD! I’m going to have to go buy bananas now.
Hey - I’m new to your site. Just stumbled on it. But I’m adding you to my Blogroll because your recipes are right up my alley.
I’m originally from Mississippi and I grew up on this banana pudding. I remember the first time I made it. My mama didn’t tell me how long it took for the custard to thicken and I was stirring and stirring and stirring. You’re not lying about being patient. I called her up while I was stirring and she just laughed at me and told me to keep stirring. I got a chair and propped my feet up and kept stirring. What a pain! But what a yummy and delightful result.
Nothing like homemade.
I’ll be back as a regular visitor cuz I can’t wait to see what you cook up next.
Donna! WHAT A GREAT BLOG you HAVE!!!!
I just darted over there real quick (because my son is standing over me right now wanting to know if his new red shirt is clean for the first day of third grade tomorrow) but I can’t wait to have more time to read through it!! I got a big grin out of seeing your baby, then and now, and reading over your story. I love your writing style already! I am adding you to my blogroll too and want to thank you for adding me to yours!
I am so glad you can relate to the patience involved in good banana pudding! LOL!
I have only been posting every other day lately but hope to pick up the pace a bit once I get these younguns back in school! This Alabama Girl will do her best to keep the Mississippi Girl happy!!
I look forward to seeing you around!!
Christy
First of all let me say your recipes are great and I have used your recipes several times in the last couple weeks. These recipes are making this transition from cooking a couple times a week to cooking every meal go alot smoother.
I don’t think I am cut out for this house wife stuff at all. I had to shut down my photography business recently. I have to stay home ALOT more now because the cost of working was out weighing the benefits with gas and eat out getting sooo much more expensive.
I have had to start cooking more homecooked meals and you have helped me with that. If you have time and want to check out my website it is southsidemallportraitstudio.com
My children (15, 8, and 3 )also started school this week and my third grader is switching schools to one that she can ride a bus to. My 3 year old is not coping well with them being gone all day while he has to stay home and not get happy meals for lunch.
Chocolate cake and banana pudding has helped.
Christie: I feel your pain, believe me I do! I am so sorry about your portrait studio. I went to the site and you are clearly very talented.
I have a third grader and three year old as well. My poor daughter just pined away last Thursday when her brother was gone all day to school on his first day. He rides the bus home from school and loves it, she starts three day half day preschool next week.
Where we live, we are lucky. The town is large in terms of businesses and everything you need, but does not take up too much space. I can go anywhere I need to go be it Wal Mart, the court house, or doctor’s office and back home again and it not be more than a ten mile round trip.
DH works half an hour away though, so we still feel it there!
My mother cooked full breakfasts every day and supper every evening for us the entire time we lived at home. If we were home at lunch, she cooked that as well. This day and age we just don’t have the time/energy/will to do that like like the old days but as you said, with rising costs of living most are having to wean themselves off of the convenience of fast food and go back to fully prepared at home.
If you have any questions or need any particular recipes or even meal ideas, please don’t hesitate to email me or leave a comment such as this one and I will be glad to help you!
Oh, have you looked at the peanut butter ball recipe? Those are great replacements for candy and they are actually nutritious and filling! Even my three year old (Princess Picky Pants) loves them!
And Christie, I don’t think any of us are cut out for this house wife stuff. Hang in there, sis!
~Christy
I was so excited to run across your blog….I’m a wanna be cook who still needs help in the kitchen, but with your step by step pics and clear instructions, I’ve been able to make 2 of your recipes without any trouble! I decided to try out your banana pudding (without scorching my first home made pudding!!) for my dh’s bday and it was a huge hit. I’m anxious to try more of your wonderful recipes. Thanks for making cooking fun again!!
DoublyBlessed, I want to sincerely thank you with all of my heart for making all of this worth every moment of work.
You have made me feel so good. This comment just means the world. I am printing it out to keep on my desk.
Thank you so very much.
It is wonderful to have you at Southern Plate.
This is the same recipe I use for Banana Pudding. I do make the meringue though. I figure if you don’t like it you take it off when you get your serving. I have found the secret to a good pudding is the bananas. You have to buy them ripe not green and not too ripe. That changes the taste completely. I do use a double boiler too, I don’t live dangerously!! My mother used a big yellow pyrex bowl that I got when she died. I always remembered the puddings she did in that.
I love this recipe. I havent had home made banana pudding since I was a little girl. My grandmother used to make a banana pudding that’s alot like this one.
This brought back a memory. My grandmother used to make another pudding for my mother when she was pregnant with my brother and sister and probably with me too. It seemed like that was the only time we got this one because mom craved it so much. I am hoping you have heard of it and can help me make it. It has chocolate and vanilla cookies in it and also pineapples and of course bananas. Oh my gosh it was so good. I’ve tried to put in all the ingredients I think were in it and it just doesn’t go together right. Please let me know if you have heard of it and if you know how to make it.
Thanks for the memory.
Hey we live in Alabama, that is the deep south. Our mother’s made banana pudding with the meringue. We thought that was the only way it could be made. But, we don’t have a recipe for the meringue do you? If so can you please post it. Anyway we thought we were eating real southern plates. HA HA
Thanks and have a Good Day!!!!
I sure do have the recipe for the meringue. Actually, my sister in law has requested that I do a tutorial on that so I will try to get it up next week. In the meantime, I’ll post the recipe here soon as I get a chance! You can email me also if you’d like me to just email it to ya!
Thanks!
Christy
P.S. I’m in Alabama, too!
I just made this and it is SOOOO SOOOO GOOD!!! I made it with meringue and homemade vanilla wafers! It is absolutely the best!!!! I have NEVER been able to make my own pudding but with your recipe step by step who could mess up! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! My husband is going to love it!!!!
This recipe was very good!! i am always looking for a different way to make things. i like my banana pudding warm so i always used to get the cook and serve box kind but this definately beats it!! however, i have learned that if i add my yolks, flour and sugar first and let it get soft before i add the milk, it turns out with no clumps at all!!
Found this site yesterday and had to make this last night. It was soooo good! My 3 year old loved it, she licked her bowl clean.
I haven’t had this since I was a little girl. Thanks for reminding me of a pleasant memory. I will be making this this next weekend for a special dessert.
I am the dessert queen in my family. I make the yummiest “scratched” cakes and bread, but to my surprise my most requested dessert is banana pudding! Not even the yummy homemade one but the instant jello kind!! I always feel asamed when I’m told my pudding is good. I will start making this one so that I’m not so ashamed. I just have to get the timing down, but I am determined to get it right! Thank you so much for posting this!
Another one here from England that hasn’t heard of banana pudding. It looks so scrummy that I have to have it! Now to find the british equivalent of Nilla wafers. LOVE your blog!
BANANA PUDDING IS ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE FROM SCRATCH OR ITS JUST NOT THE SAME…YOU HAVE THE BEST WEBSITE I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE RECIPES ARE THINGS I HAVE IN MY CUPBOARD AND DONT FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO TAKE OUT A LOAN TO BAKE…KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK…GOD HAS BLESSED YOU WITH A VERY GOOD TALENT
This is the best banana pudding ever! I have never made a homemade banana pudding and I really didn’t think I could do it. With your simple directions and pictures, my very first banana pudding was awesome. I even made made meringue from the egg whites. I think your website is awesome. I am about to order your cookbook!
God Bless!
I came across your recipe today while searching for “Old Fashioned Banana Pudding.” This is the 2nd one I made today; the first used cornstarch. Your recipe is *so* much better! I can’t believe I made it 48 years without having/making from scratch, homemade, old fashioned banana puddin’! Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh my Word…now this brings back memories! I can recall my Mom making banana pudding on Sundays especially in the summer. I also remember the bananas turning brown after about the 2nd day…not sure what the difference is, but my bananas didn’t turn brown using this recipe! My son’s girlfriend commented on this too. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! I got rave reviews!!!
I love naner puddin’ well almost banana pudding-is it unSouthern of me to eat around the bananas? I adore the Nilla wafers, custard and meringue but I just don’t like bananas any way but straight up.
Just like Momma! It’s the only way to cook your pudding from scratch. And you are SO right about eating it warm the minute it’s ready and then cold out of the fridge. (Except you forgot to mention it’s usually in your pajamas in the middle of the night.) Momma would never touch anything that came from a box, especially not pudding!
Hello, I am so anxious to make this and will let you know how it turns out, as i was growing up my mom always made homemade everything, when I became an adult I tried it and it did not work for me so I went to box making, but so miss the homemade thing, thanks so much…
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Southern Plate recipes and stories by Christy Jordan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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