Vanilla Wafer Pudding Recipe With Pineapple
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A close cousin to our vanilla wafer homemade banana pudding recipe, our vanilla wafer pudding with pineapple is just as delicious with a light sunshiney sweetness that perfectly complements the custard pudding texture.
Banana pudding is a popular dessert in the South, but today I’m sharing a great substitution for bananas with this pineapple vanilla wafer pudding recipe. Crushed pineapple is the perfect substitution for that fresh banana flavor and the lightly sweet taste perfectly complements the homemade custard. Add that toasted fluffy meringue topping and crunchy Nilla wafers and you have what I call a delectable dessert!
This is great when folks don’t care for bananas or if you don’t have any on hand, since canned pineapple is nice and shelf-stable. Banana pudding aficionados don’t skip a beat when you place this before them either. My kids can attest to that and they usually don’t like pineapple but they love this vanilla pudding!
Keep on scrolling, because this post is full of helpful tips. Today you’ll also learn:
- How easy it is to make a pudding custard from scratch. Now, y’all know one of my favorite baking shortcuts is using instant pudding mix. But today I’m forgoing an instant vanilla pudding mix to show you how easy it is to make a homemade custard.
- How to make a perfect meringue with ingredients you have on hand.
Now let’s make some vanilla wafer pudding with pineapple!
Recipe Ingredients
- Vanilla wafers
- Flour
- Milk
- Sugar
- Crushed pineapple
- Eggs
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Vanilla Wafer Pudding
To begin making your custard, crack and separate your eggs: whites in one bowl and yolks in the other.
Don’t let ANY of those yolks slip into your whites
It is important that you not get any yolks in your whites because we are going to whip those up into a meringue later and if they have yolks in them, it won’t work. However, if you do get yolks in them, you can just go ahead and leave the meringue off and serve it plain or with a whipping cream topping as well.
In a medium saucepot, combine your milk, flour, sugar, and eggs.
Place this over medium heat and stir constantly until it is smooth, creamy, and thickened.
This will probably take 10-15 minutes so you can use this time to call your Mama!
Once that is all thick and creamy and delicious, pour in your vanilla extract.
Yum diddly custard pudding!
Place half of the vanilla wafer cookies in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.
Spread half of the crushed pineapple (undrained) over this.
Pour half of the pudding mixture over.
Add the rest of the wafers.
The rest of the crushed pineapple…
and the rest of the pudding mixture.
How to Make Your Meringue
Place egg whites in a perfectly clean mixing bowl. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
This means that when you pull the beaters out of it, there is a peak of meringue sticking up where the beaters were and it collapses down a little after you remove the beaters.
Add sugar and beat until still peaks form.
This means that when you pull the beaters out of it, there is a peak of meringue sticking up where the beaters were and it stays sticking up.
You can see photos of making meringue on this post.
Spread the meringue over the top of your pudding, taking care to make sure it touches the sides of the pan on all sides.
This prevents it from pulling back from the sides while it bakes.
Place in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or just until the meringue is lightly brown. Check it often while cooking.
I prefer to serve this immediately while it is still warm but you can wait a bit or even serve it cold later. But please try warm and fresh first!
Before you dig in, take a moment to close your eyes, bow your head, and give thanks for all of your blessings.
Enjoy 🙂
Storage
Now, custard never freezes well, so I don’t recommend freezing leftovers. But you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge instead for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- Remember these two important meringue tips. First, your mixing bowl has to be totally clean because if there is any greasy residue it will keep the meringue from setting up. Second, remember NO egg yolks or the meringue won’t work.
- If you want to forgo the meringue, simply serve the vanilla wafer pudding with homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip instead.
- Substitute the vanilla wafer cookies for graham crackers or chessmen cookies.
- Swap the pineapple for another fruit, like if you want to make a traditional or canned peaches.
Recipe FAQs
What vanilla wafers should I use?
My mother says you have to buy a name-brand box and I do agree with her, they really are the best. However, if my budget doesn’t allow it, I have no problem with buying generic at 50% of the cost of the name brand. Once you drown them in this yummy pudding, no one will know the difference unless you tell them.
You may also like these delicious dessert recipes:
How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch
Frozen Southern Banana Pudding Cups
Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe With Meringue Topping
Pineapple Upside Down Cake (Super Moist)
Chocolate Vanilla Wafer Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar or Swerve
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash salt
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- 1 can crushed pineapple 20-ounce, undrained
Meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Place the egg yolks, milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, cook until thickened (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 egg yolks, 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, dash salt
- Place half of the wafers in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the crushed pineapple on top, cover with 1/2 of the custard, and repeat.1 box vanilla wafers, 1 can crushed pineapple
- Place egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (see post for more clarification on this). Add sugar and beat again until stiff peaks form. Spread over the top of the pudding and take care to make sure the meringue touches the sides all around. Place in a 350-degree oven until the top is lightly brown (about 15 minutes).3 egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar
- Best if served warm.
Notes
- No yolks in the meringue mix or it won't work.
- Make sure the mixing bowl for the meringue doesn't have any grease in it or the meringue won't set.
- If you don't want the meringue, the vanilla wafer pudding tastes great with whipped cream on top too.
Nutrition
“Integrity is Christlike character in work clothes.”
~Unknown. Submitted by Ashanti Hoskins. Click here to read more or submit your own.
Hi Christy, I really appreciate your message today. I completely understand where you are coming from. This issue cycles with me, hopefully the positive cycles seem to be longer than the negative. My grandmother would say that it’s the devil trying to steal my joy, she was probably very correct.
On a lighter side, try the same pudding with fresh strawberries, it’s amazing!!! It’s good to see that you use the boiled custard recipe rather than pudding mixes.
Thanks for all you do and keep it coming!
Becca
Christy, I just can’t imagine you being negative! You are the most positive person I know (even if it is only virtual)! You have been blessed with a wonderful ability to connect to so many of us through the words you write and uplift us with every post. Thank you for using your gift for the benefit of us all! This recipe is going with me to the next potluck dinner at church! Looks yummy!!!!!
Yummy! Such truth in your message it could be a sermon. So much to be thankful for. Yep, life’s hard; I’ve got problems. But on my worst day, there is grace and mercy if I choose to see it. It’s hard when you’ve been raised by someone who is negative. And to learn to replace that stinkin’ thinkin’ with an attitude of gratitude! But I’m consigning myself to it, and trying hard to raise my children to look for the little joys. And laughter! Find the funny!
I appreciate your comment as I have a little bit of negativity in my life with mostly family members, it is hard to change after years but I am gonna try my best to and about the pineapple pudding, my mother used to make it when I was a child, this brought back memories of how much my daddy loved it,gonna make it soon, I made the banana pudding tonight, just waiting to let it cool to room temperature.
Dear Christy,
First off, what you wrote regarding appreciating your blessings, and how you were able to change your reactions to life, versus changing life itself was so powerful for me. Thank you for this. You single handedly have made this anonymous internet world feel personal and warm.
But now, to the pineapple dessert 🙂
I have 2 questions:
Do you recommend pineapple packed in juice, or the variety that is packed in syrup?
I would like your thoughts about not baking the dessert at all, but popping it into the fridge with whipped cream, instead of meringue
My best wishes and thanks,
Jeff
Um…yes please:-) I love pineapple and I love homemade banana pudding, so I am all about needing to try this!! This might be my new go to over pineapple salad!! Thanks. Keep sending us positivity…we need it.
gonna try this love pineapple u are the best
I’m one of those people who aren’t crazy about bananas any more. A result of my three pregnancies which included morning sickness the entire nine months. But I love pineapple & this dessert sounds delicious. Will certainly try it soon.