Banana Pudding Recipe From Scratch With Nilla Wafers

I grew up with a bowl of banana pudding on every big family day. We stacked cookies, tucked in ripe banana slices, and waited while the pudding set. The first spoon always went quiet. Cream met crumb, and the table went still. Now I make it the same way in my own kitchen. Warm milk. Real eggs. A soft cloud of vanilla. No tricks. No box. We keep the steps simple. We whisk. We temper. We stir until the spoon comes up with a silky coat. Then we chill the pudding and layer it with cookies and fruit. The flavor leans classic and the texture sits light. This banana pudding recipe tastes like something someone loved you enough to teach you. It brings back long weekends and a cool fridge door that opens at midnight. I use this for birthdays and backyard nights. It holds well. It slices neat. It makes people grin. If you want an easy finish, add soft whipped cream on top. If you want a brighter note, slip in a splash of extra vanilla. We keep the focus on real ingredients and calm steps. The result feels cozy and honest every time.

Table of Contents

• 1) Key Takeaways
• 2) Easy Banana Pudding Recipe
• 3) Ingredients for Banana Pudding
• 4) How to Make Banana Pudding
• 5) Tips for Making Banana Pudding
• 6) Making Banana Pudding Ahead of Time
• 7) Storing Leftover Banana Pudding
• 8) Try these desserts next
• 9) Banana Pudding
• 10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This banana pudding recipe stays simple and kind. We layer cookies and ripe fruit with a smooth custard. The first spoon lands soft and sweet.

I test this in a quiet kitchen. I whisk until the spoon lifts with a light coat. I chill the bowl and keep the fruit fresh. The dish holds shape and cuts clean.

We serve friends and family and smile. The flavor reads home. The effort stays calm. From me Kathy at Simply Cooked Recipes to your table.

I share this with a grin. Banana pudding recipe lives in my family book and in my own hands now. Banana pudding recipe speaks to kids and grown ups with the same warm voice. I learned by watching my aunt stir a small pot and by sneaking cookies when no one looked.

We keep the steps easy and the gear basic. A whisk a saucepan a spoon. The scent of vanilla drifts through the room. The first bite feels like a cool sigh after a warm day.

I write as Kathy for Simply Cooked Recipes. I test this often and tweak small things then I taste and adjust. A homemade banana pudding recipe thrives on fresh fruit patient heat and a calm cook.

2) Easy Banana Pudding Recipe

I start with the basics. This banana pudding recipe brings warm milk and real eggs together. Banana pudding recipe shows up in our home on long weekends and late nights. Banana pudding recipe wins hearts with no fuss and no box mix.

We cook a gentle custard. We cool it until spoon ready. We build neat layers with wafers and bananas. The texture feels light and the taste stays mellow and round.

I write this as Kathy for Simply Cooked Recipes. I like jokes in the kitchen. I call this a hug in a bowl. It never calls for fancy gear. It only asks for care and a steady whisk.

3) Ingredients for Banana Pudding

Whole milk The base turns smooth when warm and steady. Milk gives body and a gentle dairy note that supports banana.

Heavy cream A small pour brings a soft finish. The custard sets with a tender feel that melts as you eat.

Eggs and yolks The mix thickens the pudding. I whisk until glossy. The set comes from slow heat and patience.

Granulated sugar Sweetness lifts fruit and cookies. I keep it balanced so the bowl never tastes cloying.

Cornstarch This holds the silk. A spoon of it brings clean slices without a heavy feel.

Butter A few pieces melt in and add shine. The flavor rounds out and feels cozy.

Vanilla extract One small splash gives warm perfume. It ties banana to custard in a friendly way.

Salt A pinch wakes each layer. Sweet notes pop and the bowl tastes alive.

Nilla wafers Short cookies soften into a tender bite. They frame the custard and bring a little crunch on day one.

Ripe bananas Spots mean flavor. I slice right before I layer so the color stays bright and the bite stays clean.

Whipped cream A soft crown on top. It adds lift and a cool finish.

4) How to Make Banana Pudding

Step one Warm milk and cream in a saucepan on medium heat until steam shows. Stir so the bottom stays smooth.

Step two Whisk eggs yolks sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until even and bright. The mix should look glossy.

Step three Ladle a little hot milk into the egg bowl while you whisk. Repeat to temper. Pour the mix back into the pan.

Step four Cook on medium low. Stir without pause until thick. Pull the pan off heat. Stir in butter vanilla and salt. Strain for a silk finish.

Step five Chill with wrap on the surface. Layer wafers and bananas in a dish. Spoon in custard. Repeat. Chill again until set.

5) Tips for Making Banana Pudding

Pick bananas with small spots. The flavor shows up strong and the slices keep shape. Slice right before layering to guard color.

Stir the pot slow and steady. Thickening takes time. When the spoon lifts with a soft coat you are there. From scratch banana pudding recipe rewards patience.

Use a clear dish for clean layers. Cookies at the base keep slices neat. A light sprinkle of crushed wafers on top adds snap on day one.

6) Making Banana Pudding Ahead of Time

I prep the custard a day in advance. I keep wrap on the surface and chill the bowl. The texture stays smooth and spoon ready.

I assemble a few hours before guests arrive. The cookies soften into a gentle bite while the bananas stay bright. Easy banana pudding recipe keeps its charm with this plan.

If you need longer time keep fruit and custard separate. Build the dish in the morning. Add a soft crown of whipped cream right before you serve.

7) Storing Leftover Banana Pudding

Cover the dish and keep it cold. The dessert holds for two days with good texture. Day three still tastes nice though the cookies turn very soft.

Spoon into small jars for lunch treats. The chill keeps the layers tidy. Old fashioned banana pudding turns into a sweet reward after work.

Stir any loose top cream back into the custard. The flavor stays balanced. A few fresh banana slices on top bring back that bright note.

8) Try these desserts next

9) Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding Recipe From Scratch With Nilla Wafers

I grew up with a bowl of banana pudding on every big family day. We stacked cookies, tucked in ripe banana slices, and waited while the pudding set. The first spoon always went quiet. Cream met crumb, and the table went still. Now I make it the same way in my own kitchen. Warm milk. Real eggs. A soft cloud of vanilla. No tricks. No box. We keep the steps simple. We whisk. We temper. We stir until the spoon comes up with a silky coat. Then we chill the pudding and layer it with cookies and fruit. The flavor leans classic and the texture sits light. This banana pudding recipe tastes like something someone loved you enough to teach you. It brings back long weekends and a cool fridge door that opens at midnight. I use this for birthdays and backyard nights. It holds well. It slices neat. It makes people grin. If you want an easy finish, add soft whipped cream on top. If you want a brighter note, slip in a splash of extra vanilla. We keep the focus on real ingredients and calm steps. The result feels cozy and honest every time.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords: banana pudding recipe, banana pudding recipe easy, healthy banana pudding recipe, pudding from scratch, recipe for banana pudding, simple banana pudding recipe, southern banana pudding recipe

Servings: 9 servings

Author: Kathy

Ingredients

• 2 1 2 cups whole milk
• 1 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 2 egg yolks at room temperature
• 3 4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 1 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons butter chopped
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 box Nilla wafers
• 4 large bananas sliced ripe but not overripe
• Fresh whipped cream for topping optional

Instructions

1. Warm milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it starts to steam. Stir often so the bottom stays smooth.
2. Whisk egg, yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until glossy and even.
3. Ladle a little hot milk into the egg mix while you whisk. Repeat a few times so the eggs warm gently.
4. Pour the egg mix into the saucepan. Cook on medium low. Stir without pause until the pudding thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil hard.
5. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt until the pudding shines.
6. Push the pudding through a fine strainer into a clean container for a silky finish.
7. Press plastic wrap on the surface. Chill for at least one hour until cold. Stir again to loosen.
8. Use a nine inch square pan a trifle dish a large bowl or small cups. Line the bottom with wafers. Add banana slices. Spoon on half the pudding.
9. Repeat the layers and finish with a last blanket of wafers whole or lightly crushed.
10. Cover and chill four to eight hours so the flavors settle. Add fresh whipped cream before serving if you like.

Notes

Bananas that show a few freckles give the best flavor and keep a nice bite. If the fruit looks very soft, save it for smoothies. To avoid browning, slice bananas right before you layer the dish. A light brush of lemon juice helps if you need a longer window, but use a very small amount so the tart note stays in the background. If the pudding seems loose, it did not cook to full thickness. Cook until the spoon comes out with a steady coat. If it clumps, a quick pass through a fine strainer fixes the texture. For deeper banana flavor, swap part of the vanilla for a little banana extract. Make ahead works great. Chill the pudding on its own for a day, then assemble a few hours before serving. For a warm southern style version, top the layered dish with meringue and serve soon after you toast it.

10) Nutrition

One square from a nine inch pan gives a friendly serving. It offers about two hundred ninety calories with a balance of carbs fat and protein.

Sugar sits near twenty eight grams. Sodium stays near two hundred ten milligrams. Fat lands around fourteen grams with eight grams from saturated sources.

Carbs reach about thirty eight grams. Fiber brings two grams. Protein sits near five grams. Values shift with brand and portion so treat these as a simple guide for your table.