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Layered nilla wafer banana pudding steals the show with its light banana flavor and contrasting creamy and crunchy textures!
This classic pudding is perfect any time of the year, like our Banana Pudding Poke Cake. Whether serving nilla wafer banana pudding in a trifle, individual jars, or in a casserole dish – it’s irresistible!
Gorgeous Layered Dessert
I have a soft spot in my heart for banana pudding, it’s one of my very favorite puddings and desserts. It requires simple ingredients, comes together pretty quickly, and the flavor is addicting!
One of the best things about this nilla wafer banana pudding is the way you serve it.
Layer it in a trifle dish with all its delicious ingredients and serve it with a big spoon or serve it in individual small cups or mason jars. You can even serve it in a casserole dish or as a Poke Cake!
No matter how you prepare it, this classic treat is bound to be a favorite with anyone who tries it.
Homemade Banana Pudding
Vanilla wafer banana pudding consists of four layers:
- Nilla Wafer cookies
- Pudding mixture
- Sliced bananas
- Whipped topping
Get started with making the pudding mixture first.
PUDDING. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy- make sure there are no clumps!
Then mix the sweetened condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla. Combine everything until smooth. Fold in 8 oz. (2 cups) of Whipped Cream topping and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
Pudding Tips
Pudding. Be sure to use a box of INSTANT pudding. Do not make the pudding according to the box simply combine the pudding powder as directed in the recipe.
This recipe does well with other pudding flavors such as vanilla, cream cheese, or white chocolate pudding powder.
Pudding texture. Instant pudding is pretty fail-safe and a great shortcut to making it from scratch.
Even so, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the best creamy texture in this best banana pudding recipe.
- Undermixing doesn’t allow enough time for the pudding to become creamy. Beat the pudding with a whisk or with an electric mixer on low speed for about 2 minutes. It should take on a noticeable pudding texture.
- Overmixing can cause the creamy texture to become runny. If using a stand mixer be sure to not walk away and allow it to overmix.
- Using low-fat milk can cause a runny texture.
- Allow time for the pudding mixture to set.
- When adding the Cool Whip be sure to FOLD it in so that it keeps a fluffy texture.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese so that it mixes up smoothly.
LAYERING
- Line the bottom of a trifle dish with vanilla wafers around the edge.
- Add half the pudding mixture and spread across, topped with a layer of sliced bananas.
- Add a layer of whipped topping.
- Repeat layers. Nilla wafers – pudding mixture – bananas – whipped topping.
- Top with more wafers and banana slices if desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Keep it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour or overnight.
Recipe Tips
Bananas. The best bananas to use are ones that are perfectly ripe (with just a few brown freckles on the peel). Overripe bananas tend to be a bit too mushy for this dessert.
Nilla wafers are perfect, but other cookies can be used for a different look, taste, and texture. Some favorite alternatives include Chessman cookies, Golden Oreo Thins, graham crackers (plain or cinnamon), shortbread cookies, animal crackers, and butter cookies.
Milk. The high the fat content the creamer the pudding will be. Stick to whole milk or 2% for the best result.
Garnish. I chose to top this dish with a few extra cookies and banana slices. Use more or less and organize them into different designs or crush the cookies and sprinkle the crumbs on top.
Add chopped nuts, white chocolate shavings, or a dusting of cinnamon to the top as well.
Cake Version
This easy banana pudding recipe is similar to our Banana Pudding Poke Cake! It’s perfect for when you crave the flavors of banana pudding but also want to eat cake.
It’s everything you love about banana pudding in cake form! It’s also one of the easiest dessert recipes EVER. Give both of these recipes a try – I know you will love them.
Store it
Make ahead of time. Nilla wafer banana pudding gets better with time. That’s why I love this dessert. The longer it sits in the fridge, the softer the cookies get by soaking in all the moisture from the pudding.
It tastes amazing on day two or even day three, which is why it’s a great make-ahead dessert. To make it ahead of time, don’t put any bananas on top or they will look brown the next day.
STORE. Store this pudding in the trifle dish, the dish it was served in, or individual airtight storage containers, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
Homemade banana pudding can last 5-6 days covered in the fridge.
Recipe FAQ
To help keep banana slices turning brown, treat them with a spritz of citric juice (lemon juice, lime juice, or pineapple juice). You can also use Ball’s Fresh Fruit powder.
Some favorite alternatives to Nilla Wafers include Chessman cookies, Golden Oreo Thins, graham crackers, shortbread cookies, animal crackers, and butter cookies.
For More Pudding Recipes, Try:
- Bread Pudding
- Oreo Pudding Pie
- Slow Cooker Rice Pudding
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake
- Paradise Parfaits
- Pudding Milkshake
Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (5-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups cold milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 (8-ounce) tubs whipped topping thawed (or 6 cups homemade whipped cream)
- 4 bananas sliced
- ½ (12-ounce) box vanilla wafers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy and with no clumps. Add sweetened condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Fold in 8 ounces of whipped cream and mix until combined. Let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Line the bottom of a trifle dish with vanilla wafers around the edge. Add half the pudding mixture and spread across, topped with a layer of sliced bananas. Add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Nilla wafers – pudding mixture – bananas – whipped topping.
- Top with more wafers and banana slices if desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The only problem with this recipe is I don’t want to share it! 🙂 Just made it for Easter dessert this afternoon. My husband is not a dessert person, he tested it and loves it! It’s going to be a hit. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy your husband approved too! 😉
Ratio for serving size is odd.. I definitely don’t need 12 servings for me and my girlfriend. When you adjust servings it has a really weird calculation of ingredients needed.
You could try just halving the recipe. It may still leave you with a few leftovers if you are making enough for just 2, but it may be easier to figure out measurements just splitting everything in half.
Ratio for serving size is odd.. I definitely don’t need 12 servings for my girlfriend and I and anything less doesn’t even make sense..
This is not homemade. It’s adjusted store bought.
Doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. Just not homemade because you call it that.
This is the best recipe hands down! My sister asked me to make this for her birthday in place of cake. It was a huge hit at the party so much so that my husband and boys are asking for me to make again and my niece wanted it for her birthday party. Who knew cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk would be in this delicious dessert. Don’t make the quick and easy recipe, makes this and you won’t look back…
This is the best banana pudding I’ve ever made. And my family says it’s awesome! Thank you!
You’re welcome! So glad it was a hit with your family!
I followed this recipe perfectly, and the sweetened condensed milk make it too sweet, and ruined the whole recipe. We had to throw the whole thing out. Just a suggestion to omit the sweetened condensed milk.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Wonderful recipe!
Thank you!!
So delicious and easy to make! I used banana pudding instead of vanilla, and whipped cream instead of cool whip. I added vanilla and sugar to the whip cream. I also used almost a whole box of vanilla wafers. Oops. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m glad that you liked the recipe! Sounds like your substitutions turned out great too.
You are so talented in different crafts! Maintaining a blog like this isn’t easy. I once started a blog but due to hectic schedule at work, I left it outdated. Been busy working with some website projects these days and just dropped here for break and saw this yummy recipe.
I hope you enjoy the recipe! Best of luck with your blogging efforts as well. It is very rewarding, but definitely a lot of work too. 🙂