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
And Christie, I don’t think any of us are cut out for this house wife stuff. Hang in there, sis!
~Christy
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!
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.
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
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.
Oh my, this looks SO GOOD! I’m going to have to go buy bananas now. 🙂
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