The Very Best Banana Pudding Ever: A Creamy Southern Dessert

The Very Best Banana Pudding EVER

If you have been searching for the perfect dessert that tastes incredible and comes together without any real fuss, this is your new go to recipe right here.

I have a serious soft spot for banana desserts, and if I am being completely honest, banana pudding might just be my favorite of them all.

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There is something about cool, creamy pudding, sweet bananas, and buttery cookies layered together that feels like a hug in a baking dish.

This pudding is rich, creamy, and surprisingly simple to make. It is also light and fluffy in the best possible way, which means you can enjoy a generous square without feeling weighed down.

Every spoonful brings amazing banana flavor, fresh whipped cream, tender bananas, and crunchy Nilla Wafers. That contrast is the whole magic of this dessert. Soft meets crisp, sweet meets creamy, and every bite tastes like a celebration.

I bring this to family gatherings, potlucks, and Sunday dinners, and it disappears fast. It is the kind of dessert that has people asking for the recipe before they have finished their first serving, and that is exactly the reaction you want from a dessert you spent very little effort on.

The best part is that there is no oven involved. You build everything in a 9×13 baking dish, let the refrigerator do the work, and cut it into tidy squares when it is time to serve. It makes 12 servings, so it works beautifully for a crowd, and it can be made a full day before whatever you have planned.

Whether you are a seasoned baker or someone who just wants a guaranteed hit, this recipe delivers. Let me walk you through how it all comes together.

The Pudding

The pudding comes together in two simple parts, and both are easy. First, you whip the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. This adds richness and helps balance the sweetness of everything else, so the finished dessert tastes luxurious instead of overly sugary.

Skipping this step would leave you with a flatter, sweeter pudding, so take the extra thirty seconds and let the mixer do its thing.

Once the cream cheese is fluffy, you beat in the sweetened condensed milk until the mixture is completely smooth. Then you add the instant banana pudding mix, dry powder only, and mix it in well.

Next, you slowly stream in the milk and mix until everything is fully combined. I use 2% milk because that is what I usually have in the fridge, but whole milk works just as well.

The second part is the fresh whipped cream. Heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract get whipped to stiff peaks, which gives the pudding that airy, cloudlike texture everyone loves. Two thirds of that whipped cream gets folded into the pudding mixture, gently, until no streaks remain. The last third is saved for the top.

Folding is the secret here. Instead of stirring the whipped cream in, you gently lift the mixture from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over, turning the bowl as you go. That keeps all the air you just whipped in, which is exactly what makes this pudding so light.

You can absolutely use thawed Cool Whip instead if that is what you have on hand, and the dessert will still be delicious. I just prefer fresh whipped cream here because the flavor really shines in a simple dessert like this one.

The Layering

Layering is where this dessert becomes something special. Working in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish, you start with an even layer of Nilla Wafers, then an even layer of sliced banana coins, then half of the pudding mixture spread out smoothly.

Then you do it all over again. Another layer of Nilla Wafers, another layer of banana coins, and the rest of the pudding. The finishing touch is the reserved whipped cream spread across the top.

Building it in a rectangular pan means you can cut it into squares, which makes serving at a party so much easier than scooping from a bowl.

One thing I have learned the hard way is to slice the bananas right before they go into the pan. Slicing them early leaves them sitting out and browning before they ever reach the pudding.

Once it is assembled, cover the pan and refrigerate it overnight, or for at least 8 hours. I know, the waiting is the hardest part! That time in the fridge is what softens the cookies into a cake like layer and lets all the flavors mingle into something unforgettable. It is worth every minute.

Right before serving, crush any remaining Nilla Wafers and sprinkle them over the top for a little crunch and a pretty finish.

If you are not a Nilla Wafer fan, or you simply cannot find them, shortbread cookies or Chessman cookies work beautifully as a substitute.

This recipe is adapted from Paula Deen’s banana pudding, and it has been a staple in my kitchen ever since I first tried it.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need for this creamy, dreamy dessert:

• 2½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
• 14 oz (1 small can) sweetened condensed milk
• 5 oz (1 large box) instant banana pudding mix, just the dry powder
• 1 cup 2% or whole milk
• 11 oz (1 box) Nilla Wafers
• About 8 medium bananas, sliced

A quick note on the bananas: use barely ripe ones. Bananas that are too ripe or too soft will brown faster once the dessert is assembled, and they can make the layers look tired by day two.

Instructions

Set out your ingredients before you start so everything is ready to go. Softened cream cheese blends much more smoothly, so let it sit at room temperature for a little while first.

1. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. Using the whisk attachment, whip until stiff peaks form, about five to seven minutes. Move the whipped cream to a separate medium bowl and set it aside.
3. Return to the stand mixer bowl, wiped out, and add the cream cheese. With the same whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth, with no lumps of cream cheese left, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry pudding mix and mix well, then slowly stream in the milk and mix until fully combined.
4. Add two thirds of the whipped cream to the pudding mixture and fold it in gently until fully combined and no whipped cream streaks remain. Set it aside.
5. In the prepared pan, place an even layer of Nilla Wafers and top with an even layer of sliced banana coins. Spread half of the pudding mixture evenly over the top. Repeat with another layer of Nilla Wafers, another layer of banana coins, and the remaining pudding, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining one third of the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
6. Just before serving, crush any remaining Nilla Wafers and sprinkle them over the top. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 days.

That is it. The whole process is mostly measuring, mixing, and layering, and the refrigerator handles the rest.

Notes

This dessert needs at least 8 hours to chill, so plan ahead and make it the day before you want to serve it. That also makes it a fantastic make ahead dessert for holidays, cookouts, and busy weekends.

Because bananas tend to brown, keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator and enjoy them within a maximum of 2 days.

Do not freeze this pudding. It simply does not freeze well, and the texture suffers once it thaws.

If you would like to use Cool Whip instead of fresh whipped cream, omit the heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract, then use one 12 oz tub of thawed Cool Whip and proceed as normal.

If Nilla Wafers are unavailable or not your favorite, shortbread cookies or Chessman cookies can be substituted.

This dessert is wonderful straight from the refrigerator, and it holds up well on a dessert table for a couple of hours. Keep it cool until you are ready to serve, then slice and enjoy.

Tip: chill the dessert overnight and add the crushed cookie topping right before serving so it stays crisp.

Recipe details

Here is a quick look at the timing and yield for this dessert. The long number below mostly reflects the chilling time rather than hands on work.

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The Very Best Banana Pudding EVER If you have been searching for the perfect dessert that tastes incredible and comes together without any real fuss, this is your new go to recipe right here. I have a serious soft spot for banana desserts, and if I am being completely honest, banana pudding might just be my favorite of them all.

• Total Time: 0 min
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

Ingredients

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2½ cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
5 oz instant banana pudding mix, just the dry powder
1 cup 2% or whole milk
11 oz Nilla Wafers
8 medium bananas, sliced, make sure they’re barely ripe – too ripe/soft and they’ll brown faster

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Instructions

1-Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with: Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2-In the bowl of a stand mixer,: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and, using the whisk attachment, whip until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the whipped cream to a separate medium bowl and set aside.
3-To the wiped out stand mixer bowl,: To the wiped out stand mixer bowl, add the cream cheese and, using the same whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth and no lumps of cream cheese remain, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the dry pudding mix and mix well, then slowly stream in the milk and mix until fully combined.
4-Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to: Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to the pudding mixture and fold it in gently until fully combined and no whipped cream streaks remain. Set aside.
5-In your prepared pan, place an even: In your prepared pan, place an even layer of Nilla wafers and top with an even layer of sliced banana coins. Top with half of the pudding mixture and spread evenly. Repeat with another layer of Nilla wafers, followed by another layer of sliced banana coins, and the remaining pudding layer, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
6-Just before serving, crush any remaining Nilla: Just before serving, crush any remaining Nilla wafers and sprinkle over the top. Store leftovers covered in the fridge, maximum 2 days.

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• Prep Time: 0 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: no_cook