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Oh Banana pudding. The recipe that has sustained many a Southerner through long journeys away from home just by sheer memory of the taste. The recipe that has had songs written about it, poems penned in honor of it (okay so I haven’t seen one but I’ll write one soon just to cover all bases), and the recipe that launched Southern Plate. I was a stay at home mom with a four year old daughter and a nine year old son. I had a home ec degree hanging on my wall gathering dust and a desire to write. So I started a little blog. It was on one of this free sites that no longer exists today. I’d write about what books I’d read, things we’d done with the kids, and sometimes I’d just go on there and write little stories about my life or the thoughts in my head.
Then, one day I realized that a friend of mine had never had homemade banana pudding. ~shudders~ I know, I know! I had to remedy that situation! The problem was that she didn’t know how to cook and you can’t just hand someone a recipe for homemade banana pudding and expect them to make it with no knowledge of cooking. So I decided to photograph step by step how to make it, and have fun goofing off a bit in the direciotns to boot (I don’t do “serious” very well). I posted that and the free blog host featured it on their homepage.
Now THAT got me excited! So the next day I posted Mama’s mandarin orange cake. They featured THAT on their homepage, too! The third day (I was on a roll) I posted how to make fried green tomatoes and that made the headline, right next to a picture and story about Llamas! I called Mama and said “Mama, I am as famous as the llamas!”. That afternoon I called my husband and said “I bet if I got my own domain I could get four or five hundred readers.” It seemed like a lofty goal but I wanted to try to impress him with my expectations of success :).
That day Mama and I played around with words, making lists of different Southern terms and putting them together and when my husband got home we bought SouthernPlate.com and began setting it up for my blog.
The rest of the story is ….Probably a post for another day. So many twist and turns, filled with divine intervention in the past almost four years that it could easily become a book itself. Eventually though, I’m gonna have to tell you the story about how my Mama and Grandmama got more excited over a free box of Little Debbie cakes than they did over a big time New York book deal. I love their priorities…
ANYWHO, today I’m bringing you a frozen treat for grown ups 🙂 While the kids have their water popsicles and ice cream cones, we can have these little beauties. Homemade Banana Pudding freezes wonderfully in individual serving sizes and lets you have this decadent Southern classic anytime you want. They’re great to keep on hand for last minute guests or the afternoon unwind. This recipe makes about 18, but you can also just make half of them and use the other half to make a small warm banana pudding for two 🙂 .
If you love banana pudding – real, honest to goodness homemade banana pudding – you’ve just got to make these!
Here are our ingredients. I normally take the photos on my kitchen counter or in the diner but it’s summer and ingredients get tired of posing for the same old photograph. Being the considerate photographer that I am, I took them outside and let them play with sidewalk chalk a bit. As you can see, they liked this photograph much better.
You’ll need: Vanilla Wafers, sugar, milk, eggs, flour, vanilla, a little salt, bananas, cupcake papers, and whipped topping.
Some other people had fun, too.
Y’all say hi to Jenny and Katy Rose
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Place all of your ingredients in a medium sauce pot. As always, actual recipe is at the bottom of this post.
This is one of my gorgemous Calphalon pots that I ended up with as a reward for making it through TSA while wielding a skillet in the Charleston Airport. You can read about that by checking out this old giveaway post. The giveaway is closed but the story of how I ended up with this pot still resides there.
Mix that up a bit with a whisk.
There are a few kitchen tools that I like to have multiples of. Whisks and tongs are at the top of my list. I probably have five or six whisks and at least as many pairs of tongs. Big slanted wooden spoons also rank pretty high and I wish I had a bevy of pie servers because I seem to be forever cursed with taking pie places and losing a server somewhere in the deal – so I’m always looking to buy more of those. As many as I’ve bought throughout the years, I still have the hardest time finding one when I need it – but lots of places I’ve been have found pie servers in my wake!
That’s me. I’m a giver 🙂
Cook your pudding over medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly, until it is thickened, about fifteen minutes.
I know this takes commitment but hang in there because if anything is worth the time, Homemade Banana Pudding is!
I let mine cook all the way through and remove it once just thick. You can cook yours longer to get it thicker if you like but I like a thinner pudding to soak down into my wafers really good. It also continues to thicken after you remove it from the heat.
Once it’s done cooking, stir in your vanilla. I usually forget this step so just do as I say, not do as I do.
It would be best if you stirred your vanilla in good before taking a photograph so that folks looking at said photograph don’t cock their heads and squint trying to figure out what those dark circles are….but roll with what ya got.
Pour banana pudding into a bowl or batter bowl (which is a bowl with a spout and a handle to make pouring easier) and place in the refrigerator until slightly cooled.
Line a muffin tin with muffin papers and place a few slices of banana in each cup. I do about four slices each.
NOTE: THIS WILL MAKE about 18, but I’m only making twelve here.
I took the rest and layered little banana puddings in cups for the three people skulking about watching me do this post.
Again, I’m a giver – in a family of skulkers no less! ~gasp~
Pour a little bit of pudding into each cup.
Like so 🙂
Place four Nilla Wafers in each one, around the sides so that the banana slices help hold them in place.
Add a dollop of cool whip on top of each ones and spread it touch the nilla wafers.
This is an important step because the top of the banana pudding crystalizes a bit as it freezes so this will help them stay all prettified. 🙂
Freeze in the muffin tin.
Once frozen, stick a butter knife down between the muffin paper and the tin and it should pop right out. Place all frozen puddings into a zipper seal freezer bag and return to freezer until you get a hankering for one.
Enjoy!
(The sooner, the better!)
- ½ Cup Sugar (or splenda)
- ⅓ Cup Flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 Cups milk
- 1 box Nilla Wafers
- 5 bananas
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- dash salt
- Muffin papers
- 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
- In sauce pot (or double boiler) on medium low heat, place sugar, flour, eggs, and milk. Normally we separate our eggs but since we're not making a meringue we're going to just use the entire egg here. Stir well with wire whisk.
- Allow to cook, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until thickened - about fifteen minutes.
- Add in vanilla and stir.
- Pour into heat proof batter bowl or mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge just until cooled, about thirty minutes.
- Place 18 cupcake papers into two - 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Place about four slices of banana in each cup.
- Pour a small amount of pudding over bananas in each cup, just enough to fill it ½ to ¾ full.
- Place four nilla wafers down into the pudding cups on the sides, keeping the banana slices in the center to help hold them up.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream to the center of each one and spread until it touches the wafers.
- Place muffin tins into freezer for a few hours, until completely frozen. Insert a knife into the muffin tin between the tin and the paper to pop it loose.
- Put frozen puddings in freezer bag or airtight container and return to freezer until ready to serve.
I’d LOVE to hear back from you in the comments below!
You must not lose faith in humanity.
Humanity is an ocean;
if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
~Ghandi
Yum 
I love where the journey that you and SP have taken over these past few years. Life is surely the best movie. Banana pudding to unite us all!
One of these days I’m gonna show up in Perth with a big old bowl of it! As long as you’re not near the beach… 😉
I was talking about getting to meet you just the other day! That was one of the highlights of SP for me!
Gratefully,
CJ
Definitely going to try this. I have some bananas I was wondering what to do with.
Wow I just read that back. My first sentence is so poorly written but you get what I mean!
Christy,
Do you have a reply when my daughter/friend tell me you can’t chill or freeze bananas (or they turn black)?
I freeze them all the time! To freeze bananas that are going bad, peel and mash them up with a fork. Place in ziplock baggie and write on it how many mashed bananas are in there. Then freeze! It won’t turn black and you just thaw them for a wee little bit and make delicious banana bread!
If you want to freeze them whole, just peel and put in a ziplock bag, too 🙂
I just ate 1 that has been in my freezer for over 2 weeks and the bananas were just like I had just then sliced them! These are awesome..everyone I have told about them have loved them as well!
Not my daughter/friend–the BANANAS!
Silly question – do you eat them frozen or do you let them thaw before eating? How long would they take to thaw out? Yummmmmmm…banana pudding just might be my favorite dessert!!
We eat them frozen, they’re delicious – like a popsicle for grownups! 🙂
On May 20th, we had our Family Reunion in Chelsea, AL. There was more food than a Show Dog could jump over, but NOBODY made a banana pudding. First family reunion I have ever been to with no banana pudding. Several of the “kin folks” almost cried. Next year, Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise, I’ll make these to take.
Oh my gosh! that made my heart hurt to read it!
Love the idea, but sadly, I dislike banana pudding. I eat around the bananas.
Christy, these individual frozen banana pudding cups are sooooo awesome, they could be served at any gathering, even a reception! And as usual, you’re AWESOME! 😀
Sounds just wonderful! And Christy, I want to go with you when you go to Perth to visit Su. Her comments are always so sweet! Come to think of it, maybe the whole southern plate family could just have a get-together over at Su’s house. Southernplatedownunder.com~~sort of southern/southern, what do you think?
Have a great day!
Mary please give me notice so I can hire some extra chairs for everyone to sit on!
Su, you’re a good sport! You can bet I’ll make sure you’re gonna be at home before we come all that way just to see you. And Christy did say she was bringing the pudding, right?
Have a great week!
My whole family will love these cute little treats but especially my husband. He says there will be banana pudding in heaven. 🙂
LOL, I must have missed the airport skillet story because I went back to read it. Very, very funny. I only have one Calphalon pan but I also have an All-Clad regiment sized soup pan and a set of Berndes pans plus a sizeable investment in Lodge cast iron over the years. I tend to mix n match my pans as I hone my absolute favorites. This recipe sounds like something my honey would love during an afternoon of sweaty yard work.
I love the idea of individual servings and will be making this soon for the family! You are one of the first bloggers that I started following and inspired me to start a blog … thank you.
OH!! NO!! This is going to be so dangerous for me to have nana’ pudding in the freezer, to just get whenever I want.
Tell me do you serve these frozen or do we have to thaw out first. Thank you they sound delicious and easy to make.
Serve frozen, YUM!
So excited to try this recipe! I LOVE banana pudding.
But Christy, you said if we put cool whip on our banana pudding you would hunt us down. 😉
Kathy, I thought the same thing….
Thanks for putting a cooking time, 15 min, to thicken the pudding. When my husband and I were young marrieds, the Air Force sent us to Okinawa. I asked my mother-in-law for her banana pudding recipe. All is said was to cook the pudding til ‘thick’. Thick is a relative term. My pudding was so thick we almost didn’t get it out of the pot or off the spoon. I’ve wondered for over 40 years now just how long I should have cooked the pudding to make it ‘thick’. Thank you for answering this question. I’ve not made a ‘cooked’ pudding since then but will have to try it now!!
Ok, this Boston girl is scared to death of making banana pudding…not sure why, but are there any tips to make sure it comes out right? My grandma used to make a banana pudding many years ago, but sadly when she passed, so did her recipes…love your recipes Christy and your book! Can’t wait for the next one 🙂
Sound wonderful. Couldn’t you use any homemade pudding with the nilla wafers and cool whip?
There’s no reason you couldn’t use any flavor of pudding 🙂
And then add other extra specials like nuts or chocolate chips or crushed cookies (Thinking Oreos).
A friend has made something similar, an Nilla wafer in the bottom of the cupcake paper and then a no bake cheesecake poured in. Delish!
Wish I had knew about this, when I was teaching. Easy to make and serve to my students. This is what I use to do. I’d make two 9 by 13 inch glass pans of Banana Pudding and freeze it for the next day. I’d let it thaw a little and cut each pan into 12 pieces and serve to the kids. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Christy, there’s only one thing I don’t like about this web site. I like it so much I keep getting lost in it and forget where I started. For example, I was on my way to read the banana pudding recipe, then I discovered how you started your website, next thing I know I’m in the Charleston airport with you, then I stopped to google this cookware you love,then I stumbled onto an index of recipes, and then I see blogs going back for years. I was about to sign off when I realized I still had not looked at the banana pudding recipe. All that just to say I love your writing and recipes and pictures. Thank you.
Christy, I love the idea of frozen pudding cups! Gonna make some for my grandsons! But, why not make it easier on yourself and cook that custard in the microwave? It keeps the kitchen cool in this hot weather and is much easier and quicker to do. Just mix all the dry ingredients together, then mix liquids into it and beat well with one of those whisks you love. Cook for 3 min. intervals on high and stir after each one until the custard is the thickness you like! I make all my cream pies this way and have been doing that for 34 years.
Can you cheat and use instant pudding?
I was going to ask about substituting splenda for sugar, and I went back and actually read the recipe. Yay! I was just diagnosed with diabetes last week, and I’m now learning to read labels and trying to figure out a healthy, satisfying diet. This is pretty cool. I love love love homemade banana pudding, but the custard that I’ve made for years, I cannot have anymore. This will be great. Figure one of these with Splenda once in a while will be a great treat.
Love love your stories. My dad is in a nursing home and loves banana pudding, these will be great for my sister to make and then take a few at a time and put in his small fridge. Thanks again Christy.
Thank You Christy for another great recipe!
YUM! I will be making this tonight! Thank you for the inspiration!
Now that sounds like a wonderful summer treat. Have to clear room in freezer first!!! MMMMMMMMMMMM
Thanks Christy!!!
I love banana pudding and these little frozen desserts look delicious! Thanks for another wonderful recipe! Sure am enjoying this S.P. journey!
Bountiful Blessings to you! ~hug~