How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch
If you ask most Southerners about their favorite comfort dessert, Banana Pudding is going to come up pretty quick. Not the kind from a box of instant mix. That’s a whole different thing, and we don’t talk about it here. This is the recipe y’all have been asking for. It takes patience at the stovetop, but once you’ve made it this way, you’ll never go back. And if you love this custard base, you’ll also want to try our Banana Pudding with Meringue Topping and our Frozen Banana Pudding Cups for two more ways to enjoy it all summer long!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Homemade Banana Pudding
- Ready In: 25 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: sugar, flour, egg yolks, milk, box Nilla wafers, bananas, vanilla, dash salt
- Why You'll Love It: This homemade banana pudding recipe includes making the creamy vanilla pudding from scratch and serving it over Nilla wafers and fresh-cut bananas for the most delicious Southern treat.
If you have ever wanted to know how to make banana pudding from scratch, y’all, you are in exactly the right place. This is the real deal. Homemade vanilla custard poured warm over fresh banana slices and Nilla wafers, just the way Southern grandmothers have been making it for as long as anyone can remember.
The magic is in the custard. Egg yolks, milk, sugar, and flour come together into a rich, silky vanilla pudding that soaks right into those Nilla wafers and turns the whole bowl into something truly special. It takes about 15 minutes of gentle stirring, and I want you to know every single minute is worth it.
☝️ Before You Get Started
Use Nilla brand wafers. I am not usually a brand stickler (well, except for White Lily flour), but if you are going to make banana pudding, you might as well do it right. Generic wafers just are not the same.
No meringue here. I like meringue just fine, but I know plenty of folks who don’t. So this recipe keeps it simple and skips that step. If you do want to add a meringue topping, head over to our Lemon Meringue Pie for step-by-step instructions and photos that will walk you right through it.
Want to serve it cold? Many folks refrigerate their banana pudding and serve it topped with Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream. Both are delicious. Totally your call.
Making it as a trifle? Double the recipe and layer everything into a glass trifle bowl. More layers, more wow factor, more banana pudding for everybody. Our Creamy Dreamy Fruit Trifle shows you just how beautiful a layered dessert in a trifle bowl can look.
No vanilla wafers on hand? Graham crackers make a wonderful substitute and give this a slightly different but equally delicious flavor.
Ingredients you’ll need for the best classic banana pudding:
- 1/2 cup sugar (or swerve)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups milk
- 1 box Nilla wafers
- 5 ripe bananas
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Dash of salt
How to Make Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch
Put a layer of Nilla wafers in the bottom of a medium-sized mixing bowls.
Slice a banana over the top.
Repeat these layers until you’ve used up all your vanilla 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.
Repeat these layers until you’ve used up all your vanilla 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.
Crack your three eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks, and place flour, sugar (or your favorite sweetener), and a dash of salt in a saucepan.
Add milk to the saucepan.
Put this milk mixture on the stovetop on medium-low heat and stir it really well with a whisk or a spoon.
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 15 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 15 minutes straight.
Seriously, be patient, keep stirring, don’t turn the heat up past four. Now, your pudding isn’t going to get super thick, but after about 15 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.
If you end up with a scorched pudding or lumpy pudding mixture, you can still use it (and go a little slower next time!).
Add the vanilla and immediately pour vanilla pudding over your sliced banana and wafers.
💡 Cookin’ Tip:
Let this sit for about five minutes so the pudding has time to soak into the wafers.
IT IS SO GOOD! Eat it warm, then refrigerate leftovers. I prefer to eat the leftovers cold. YUM!
How to Store Banana Pudding
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I don’t recommend freezing this homemade pudding, as the wafers will be too soggy.
Recipe FAQs
How do you keep bananas from turning brown in a banana pudding?
To keep bananas from turning brown, I recommend brushing the banana slices with lemon juice, which slows down any fruit browning process.
How do you serve pudding?
If you are going more casual you can serve this in a ceramic ramekin. If you are serving a crowd and don’t want to worry about dishes I love using disposable cups. If you want to fancy it up a bit it looks really pretty in a glass parfait dish as a trifle.
Can I make this pudding ahead of time?
Absolutely! This banana pudding recipe lasts four days covered in the fridge and it tastes great cold, so you could definitely make it the night before and let the pudding soak into the wafers overnight.
Is one banana dessert not enough? Check out these other delicious banana recipes:
Caramel Banana Pie AKA Easy Banoffee Pie
Banana French Toast with Pecans
Recipe for Banana Brownies (with Quick Peanut Butter Honey Icing)
If you make this homemade banana pudding, I would love to hear how it turned out! Leave a star rating and a comment below. It truly means the world to me and helps other folks find this recipe too!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar or swerve
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups milk
- 1 box Nilla wafers
- 5 bananas
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- dash salt
Instructions
- Place a layer of Nilla Wafers in the bottom of a medium-sized mixing bowl. Slice a banana over the top. Repeat two more times with another layer of wafers and the remaining bananas.1 box Nilla wafers, 5 bananas
- In a saucepot (or double boiler) on medium-low heat, add all ingredients except for the vanilla. Stir well with a wire whisk. Allow to cook, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until thickened – about 15 minutes.1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 3 egg yolks, 2 cups milk, dash salt
- Add in vanilla and stir. Immediately pour over wafers and bananas. Let sit for about five minutes or so before serving, to allow wafers time to absorb pudding. Top with meringue, if desired.1/2 tsp vanilla
Nutrition
Tried this yesterday. Didn’t know it came in a non-box version until I saw this one of yours. I don’t even particularly LIKE nanner puddin, but something about this kept at me. Soon I found myself with Nilla wafers and bananas in my buggy this week. YUM YUM YUM!!! 😀 Only I was afraid of cooking too long, and ended up not cooking enough. Runny last night. Perfect today. I’ll just have to try again… 😉
I am so glad you tried it…and liked it Candice!!!
Candice, I was happy to read the word “buggy” in your post. I’ve always called a grocery cart a buggy, as my mama and grandma called it. I worked with a snotty Ohio Yankee, and she made fun of me, asking if I carried a horse whip with me to the grocery store. I could not stand her and her snide remarks regarding my southern language/words.
Christy, I have ALWAYS made banana pudding like you. The only vanilla wafers is Nilla. But I have never used a double boiler but my boiler was a very thick one and it would not stick to the bottom. It was the best…never put anything on the top of it……
Just made this and it turned out perfect. It took 16 minutes to make the quick turn from thin to thick. My husband will be thrilled when he gets home!
I hope he enjoys it Sonja!!!!
When I make banana pudding. I layer the pudding with the nilla wafers and bananas as I go along. I have everything out ready to use then after making the pudding; I layer and use up the pudding. I also save my egg whites and freeze them if I am not making a meringue. When I get enough whites then I make an Angel food cake. I only eat the banana pudding right after it is made, I like my nilla wafers crunchy. But everyone else loves it after it sits for a while.
Keep up the great job Christy. Love your work.
Ladies, I am late getting to this post but thought I would offer my 70 year old two cents. I have made Banana Pudding using the recipe on the box of Nabisco Nilla Wafers all of my adult life and have a few comments to add to Miss Christy’s. I have never used a double boiler but do stir constantly to keep from sticking. I sift my flour and sugar (I always sift my sugar! Try it and you will be surprised what is left in your sifter.) together right into the saucepan; next add slightly beaten egg yolks and a small portion of your milk and mix thoroughly. Continue to add the rest of your ingredients. Some like their pudding thin and some of us like it thicker. I like to chew the wafers and if to thin, they will mix into the pudding. I also sprinkle my bananas with Fruit Fresh or a little lemon juice as I don’t like brown bananas in the leftovers.
You can cook it thicker if you desire but your pudding will continue to thicken after removing from the heat source. Layer your wafers, bananas & pudding immediately after removing from the heat. Top with your meringue and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes until lightly browned. Nabisco many years ago removed the recipe from the side of the box! The uproar was tremendous! Nabisco returned the recipe to the box and it has been there ever sense.
How thick should the pudding be? Should you pour it while it’s still hot?
Stirring right now. What a dessert!
I’ve made this before, but it’s been a while. I needed a refresher recipe. i’m from South Louisiana, and I moved 2 years ago. You have me missing home!!! Love your website!!! Thanks!!!
I am also very pregnant, and starving all the time, I may just go downstairs and make some of this right now!!!!