This Best Homemade Southern Banana Pudding Recipe (Easy) will be gobbled up in minutes! This super easy Southern Banana Pudding is ready in just minutes and uses all of the ingredients that you love and is seriously the best banana pudding recipe you'll ever put in your mouth!!
Classic Southern Banana Pudding
This classic southern dessert is an easy recipe that made history by being my mother in laws delicious dessert, not the famous magnolia bakery banana pudding recipe like you might have heard about.
Seriously, who wouldn't want a homemade banana pudding recipe instead that's pined for by the whole family?
Southern Banana pudding recipe is a homemade pudding that is NOT a bake dessert and made with some room temperature ingredients but after the final layer of pudding, the whole thing goes in the refrigerator for the best cold pudding recipe you ever tasted!
I'm not joking when I say they'll be busting the doors down for more of their favorite dessert!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Ready and edible in less than 30 minutes
- Easy to make!
- Vanilla wafer cookies, fresh banana slices, creamy pudding, vanilla extract, whole milk, and whipped cream in layers of vanilla wafers…… YUM!
- No fussy ingredients or special equipment that's the way mama's banana pudding is done!
Here’s How It’s Done!
Best Homemade Southern Banana Pudding Recipe (Easy)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
How Long Does It Take to Make This Banana Pudding
- This southern banana pudding recipe will take you 10 minutes to make. Then for best results put it in the fridge to sit.
- You won’t be sorry if you allow a a little bit of extra time in the fridge for the magic to happen, but 20 minutes is enough.
- However, if you need to get a big ol bowl right now, that is fine too, the banana flavor just won’t be as strong.
What is the Difference Between a "No Bake" Banana Pudding and a Baked Banana Pudding
- A “no bake” pudding is a classic dessert recipe that uses instant vanilla pudding mix and a milk mixture to make this famous banana pudding. This Banana Pudding is simply made by mixing the ingredients, assembling and then chilling the final product.
- A baked pudding is one where the pudding is made from scratch (usually with ingredients like cream cheese, heavy cream, fresh bananas and egg yolks) and must be baked (cooked) for it to gel and become a pudding. It often involves egg whites whipped into stiff peaks on top of the pudding. The flavors of the baked and “no bake” puddings are similar but the texture is very different. A baked pudding is often called a "hard pudding".
Can Banana Pudding Be Frozen
This recipe for Banana Pudding will separate if you freeze it. That said, I doubt that you will have any left over to freeze anyway. If you have more than you can eat, share it with a friend. That is how we change the world afterall!
Can Banana Pudding Be Made Ahead
Absolutely! Yes, you can make this pudding up to 24 hours before you plan to use it. In fact, making it ahead helps the bananas to flavor the pudding and gives the cookies time to soften. YUM!
Does Banana Pudding Have to be Refrigerated
This banana pudding has sour cream in it, so I wouldn’t allow it to sit out for more than 2 hours. Besides, this pudding is BEST when it is COLD! Place in an airtight container.
How Can I Keep the Bananas From Turning Brown
- Bananas, once cut, are going to turn brown. That’s just a fact. However, you CAN slow this down as follows:
- Once all of your bananas are sliced and ready for the pudding, put them in a bowl, sprinkle with a mixture of 1 Tbs lemon juice mixed with 3 Tbs water. Sprinkle over the top and use a spoon to gently toss the bananas around.
- This is the only thing I know of that will slow the browning down.
How Long Will Banana Pudding Keep
- This Southern Banana Pudding recipe is good for 5 days if kept refrigerated.
- Don’t let the banana pudding sit out for more than 2 hours.
What Can I Add to My Banana Pudding to Make it Different
There are so many ways you can add to this banana pudding! Try some of these variations the second or third time you make this pudding!
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate shavings on the top
- A layer of cookies like Kingsmen cookies instead of Nilla Wafers
- Sliced Strawberries mixed in or on top
- Graham Crackers instead of Nilla Wafers
- Serve this wonderful recipe with a side of banana bread for fun!
If you make and eat the pudding right away, the cookies will be crunchy but otherwise, they will soften from the wetter ingredients.
Yes, the various flavors of vanilla will work (plain, french, etc.) as will the banana flavored kind but I've had people mention that the banana flavored type gives a distinctly fake flavor.
Things You Might Need For Best Homemade Southern Banana Pudding Recipe (Easy)
Here’s the triffle bowl or trifle dish like I use in case you need one (I am an Amazon affiliate and this is an affiliate link). You can click the trifle bowl to go through to Amazon to compare prices.
Tips and Tricks
The Pudding:
- Use instant vanilla pudding. It is easy to confuse the pudding mixture you must cook with the instant pudding, the boxes are nearly identical.
- Use the size boxes indicated in the recipe only. There are larger boxes, you want three of the small boxes.
Cool Whip:
- C Whip can come in slightly different sizes. Just use a full container in the regular size it comes in if that is all you have.
- You can not mess up this recipe with a little too much or a little less whip.
- It is important to buy the regular original kind or the extra creamy but do not use the lite or low cal or no dairy or whatever other variations there are.
The Sour Cream:
- Check the ounces on your sour cream, sour cream comes in all sorts of sizes.
- You want 8 ounces of the regular sour cream.
- DO NOT get the lite or low fat or whatever other varieties it comes in. Just go with the regular full on sour cream for this recipe.
Bananas:
- Please use yellow ripe bananas and not the old bananas with spots certainly not the green bananas.
- A good firm yellow banana will stay looking nice for all of today and if there is any left after today, people will be so in love with it that they won’t care that the bananas turned brown.
Process Information:
- I’m just going to be honest with you here, it is a pain to mix in the cool whip. Keep mixing, you will eventually win.
- Just in case you need it: What Does Divided Mean in a Recipe?
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap once finished so that it stays fresh.
- This requires a very large bowl to mix it up in.
Watch Me Make This Banana Pudding
YA'LL BE SWEET, OK?
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Best Homemade Southern Banana Pudding Recipe (Easy)
Ingredients
- 3 small boxes of vanilla instant pudding 3.4 oz box
- 6 Cups milk ice cold whole milk is best
- 8 ounces Sour Cream regular sour cream
- 12 oz. cool whip divided regular original cool whip
- 5 bananas Cut into disks. Yellow, no spots, medium sized
- 1 box vanilla wafers
Instructions
- Mix all three boxes of the vanilla instant pudding with the ice cold milk in a very large kitchen bowl. Works best if you use a whisk.
- Add the sour cream and half of the cool whip (just eye ball it) and mix well till blended. This will require quite a bit of effort. Start with a spatula and then switch to a whisk for best effect. The cool whip will want to float and blop around. Just keep going, it will eventually mix in.
- Use ⅓ each of the pudding, vanilla wafers and bananas and layer in that order. Repeat this way until bowl is filled. After all layers are completed, top with the remaining half of the cool whip and sprinkle the crumbs from the bottom of the box onto the top of the pudding.
Notes
- For best taste, use REAL sour cream, WHOLE milk, ORIGINAL cool whip and yellow ripe bananas with NO spots.
- Substitutions can be made for lite sour cream, other flavors of cool whip,etc. but the best banana pudding uses as noted above.
- This makes a LARGE amount of banana pudding, which you will need once everyone tastes it, but you CAN half the recipe. Use three bananas.
- Bananas will turn brown after a day. You can treat the banana slices with a mixture of 1 Tbs of lemon juice and 3 Tbs of water. Sprinkle this over the top of the banana slices and it will help prevent browning.
- It is a REAL effort to mix the cool whip into the pudding, use a whisk, have patience and just keep stirring. You WILL beat it eventually.
- Crunch up 2-3 vanilla wafers and reserve them to sprinkle on the top. Makes a delightful crunch.
- People often ask about using the banana flavored pudding for this recipe. I've tried this and feel that it gives the whole pudding an "off" flavor like fake bananas. It really is best to use the plain vanilla instant pudding.
- Its SUPER important to use the INSTANT pudding. The instant pudding and the pudding that must be cooked are in almost identical packages.
Nutrition
***This post has been rewritten and updated with new photos, video and information from it's original posting which first appeared March 12, 2015. It was updated again October 8, 2020 and has been updated again as of today.***
A VERSE TO SHARE
As I sit here writing this, morning is just dawning. The sun hasn't yet peeked up over the river to my east.
There are cold rain drops falling reminding us that winter hasn't yet finished gathering his coat and going out the door.
Genesis 1: 1-3
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Kelsie says
What brand of sour cream do you use?
Wendi Spraker says
I usually use store brand or daisy.
Lucy says
I am 21 years old and it is my first Thanksgiving away from my family, I was invited to a fellow students Thanksgiving & I am going to make my guacamole and this pudding! I am so excited! Thank you for the recipe and thank you for sharing those Bible verses and the lovely paragraph before that.. I found myself in tears with a heart of joy. I pray over you, your husband, and your fur babies! God bless... I pray for new opportunities, favor, and prosperity! Happy Thanksgiving. Xo -Lucy
Wendi Spraker says
Awwww Lucy, you have made my day!! I hope you and your friends have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Make sure you have a BIG bowl to put it in or divide it between two bowls. :). It makes a lot! :). Enjoy!
J says
Is there a video someplace?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi J. There is a short overhead video that should play near the top of the page. If not then I believe it is also on my YouTube site. I’ll look and get that link for you.
J, sorry, it is not yet on my YouTube Channel. It IS at the top of the post and it will popup and play when an ad is available for it. Just refresh your page and see if that works. It IS just a short "hands and pans" style video though. If you have questions, please just email me at wendi(at sign) loavesanddishes.net
Wendi Spraker says
J, sorry, it is not yet on my YouTube Channel. It IS at the top of the post and it will popup and play when an ad is available for it. Just refresh your page and see if that works. It IS just a short "hands and pans" style video though. If you have questions, please just email me at wendi(at sign) loavesanddishes.net
Stacy S says
In what order should the items be blended together? And does the type of milk matter? Can I use something like Hemp milk or Coconut milk instead of cows milk?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Stacy, blend in this order:pudding, milk, sour cream, and half of the cool whip. Use a whisk if you need to. Just keep at it, it will eventually all mix together. I don't know about using hemp or coconut milk instead of cows milk, as I have never used those. My guess is that they would make it taste quite different.
Heather says
Good Morning,
Planning to make this on Saturday for my sister's housewarming. Just curious, what's the sour cream do? If i substitute the cool whip for fresh whipped cream do you think this will alter the sour creams "purpose". Thanks in advance! Can't wait to try it!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Heather!
The sour cream gives this banana pudding the perfect taste. I know the thought of sour cream seems a little weird in a banana pudding, but trust me, it is tried and true! I have never substituted fresh whipped cream for the cool whip. My guess is that it would be a pretty soupy pudding if you did that because whipped cream is much fluffier and lighter than cool whip. I guess you could try it, but I would make up a batch before the housewarming to make sure that it will work (you could always cut the recipe in half for a sample batch). You don't want to prepare a soupy pudding and carry it to a housewarming. I know people have their reservations about cool whip due to chemical stuff, however, it is part of what makes the substance of the pudding in this recipe. As long as no one has allergies or sensitivities, it IS just a treat and no one will be eating a huge pile of it. I might leave it as is.... but you be the boss and let us know what happens.
Molly says
I’m curious why you use vanilla pudding instead of banana pudding? I made a small dish with what was left and even having made it last night, I tried it today and it doesn’t taste like banana, except the actual bananas! Maybe my bigger, main one will but can’t help wondering why not just use banana flavored pudding to begin with.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Molly! You certainly can use the banana flavor pudding. I have done this before and find it to be too overwhelmingly (and fakey) banana flavored. Make sure to use the ripe bananas. They will put off more banana flavor than the green or just barely yellow ones.
Marcia says
This was a huge hit at family beach week. Highly recommend!!!!
Wendi Spraker says
Awww. Thanks Marcia! I'm so glad everyone loves it!
Moxie says
Make this for every family get together and it is perfect!
Renee says
My husband hates bananas. Can you substitue cherries insead?
Michelle says
I have made this pudding before and it is delicious except it always comes out not very thick how do I make it thick
Wendi Spraker says
Michelle - if you are having a problem with it getting thick enough, 1. Check to make sure you have the instant pudding. If you have the kind you must cook- it will be very very thin. 2. Use whole milk. 3. Use slightly less milk - maybe 1/2 cup less. 4. Make sure you are using the right amount of cool whip. 5. Use slightly more cool whip. One or all of those things should help.
j wilson says
I have never made banana pudding! Can this be made a day before my event? I assumed after making it, it is refrigerated?
Wendi Spraker says
Yes! Of course! It tastes EVEN BETTER on day 2! Just avoid using overly ripe bananas when you make it so that they don't turn brown in the pudding!
Tasha smith says
I will have to try this recipe. I normally used 4 oz. of cream cheese, instant vanilla pudding , milk and cool whip. It comes out really good and it is not as sweet which is what I really love about my recipe.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Tasha! Your recipe sounds delish too! Come back and let me know what you think of this one if you try it! 🙂
Jaclyn says
My grandmother (mawmaw),her banana pudding,used instead of vanilla she used banana(she followed the directions on the pudding box) then she put about 5 bananas sliced up then mixed it in with pudding, and crushed vanilla wafers. Then she put wafers, and slice bananas on bottom the pudding then again with bananas & wafers.she had 3 layers on the top bananas, wafers,crushed wafers on top wit cool whip
Wendi Spraker says
Sounds perfect !! Grandmas know best. :). What was your favorite memory of your maw maw ?
sonya says
Do you have to cook the pudding first? And then mix? Or just use the powder for flavor in the recipe? Thanks
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Sonya! You do not have to cook the pudding at all! Just use the instant pudding. If you use the kind of pudding that must be cooked - the recipe wont work. I have tried that before and the pudding turned out as just soup! So, mix the pudding mix with the milk. Don't use too much milk - only what is called for. Use THREE boxes of the pudding mix. Mix that together. (Essentially, this is the same as making the pudding). Then add your cool whip and your sour cream. Mix well. Then put the whole pudding together layering the bananas the vanilla wafers and the pudding mixture. That's all! Easy Peasy! 🙂
Maureen says
Congratulations for your 100th recipe! Wow! What a heavenly sight! The pudding is so creamy! It's light and perfectly created. Thanks for sharing this! It's mouthwatering and irresistible! 🙂
Wendi Spraker says
Thank you Maureen. I know we love it here at our house. 🙂