You’d be hard pressed to find anyone that doesn’t enjoy Banana Pudding (especially quick & easy Banana Pudding). There are a number of different ways you can make Banana Pudding too. There’s what I would call the “old school way,” where you would stand in front of the stove for an extended period of time and briskly whisk egg yolks, sugar and milk together until it all becomes a custard. But while we all love & respect the old-school method, sometimes we just ain’t got time for that and need to prepare something fast. In this post, I’m going to share my recipe for making quick & easy Banana Pudding that’s every bit as good as the “old school” way!
Key Ingredients for Easy Banana Pudding
This quick & easy Banana Pudding is made from your standard ingredients: Instant Pudding Mix, Whole Bananas, and Cool Whip. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Lorna Doone Cookies.
- Cinnamon: As a self-proclaimed cinnamon fiend, I’m of the opinion that cinnamon makes almost anything taste better. By testing this recipe with the addition of cinnamon, it helps to round out this easy Banana Pudding by enhancing the natural sweetness of the Bananas. In addition, cinnamon offers a nice contrast to the somewhat nutty flavor from the nutmeg. Not to mention, its brownish hue provides a pleasing visual contrast to the white/pale color of the pudding and the subtle warmth / spiciness really helps to balance out the delicate flavor of the instant vanilla pudding mix as well. You have to be very careful with nutmeg though, because too much of it can end up making the dessert overly spicy.
- Nutmeg: It just wouldn’t be one of my recipes if there wasn’t some complexity in the flavor profile, and this easy Banana Pudding recipe is no exception. That being said, what I love about the addition of nutmeg in this recipe is that it gives the pudding a slightly nutty flavor that offers a nice contrast to the somewhat peppery flavor from the Cinnamon. In addition, nutmeg contains a compound known as Eugenol, which is also found in bananas. Thus, it really helps to deepen & intensify both the banana flavor and the banana aroma in the pudding. You have to be very careful with nutmeg though, because too much of it can negatively effect the taste of any dish.
- Lorna Doone Cookies: The traditional recipes call for the addition of Vanilla Wafers to compliment the pudding and bananas. There are even more contemporary recipes that replace the vanilla wafers with Chessman cookies or even Speculoos. For this easy Banana Pudding recipe, I prefer the addition of Lorne Doone cookies, for a few reasons. One, the Lorna Doone cookies gives the pudding a subtle buttery flavor that you won’t find in other recipes. Also, Lorna Doone cookies are less sweet than its counterparts, which helps to balance out the somewhat overwhelming sweetness of the other ingredients. In addition, at least initially, the Lorna Doone cookies offer a crispier texture for those who like their cookies to be too soft.
And that’s all there is to it! While banana pudding is traditionally enjoyed during the Spring and Summer seasons at cookouts, picnics and potlucks, in large part because that’s the time of year when Bananas are at peak production and it’s a “cool” snack that can provide relief from the heat, it’s a treat that really can be enjoyed any time of the year as both a snack and a dessert. By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this easy Banana Pudding yourself and you’ll have your family & friends begging you to make these all the time!
Tips for Making this Recipe
Coat the bananas in lemon juice to prevent browning. This is mainly for aesthetics and an optional step that I often skip myself (especially if you’re moving quickly to layer this easy Banana Pudding). That said, in the event you prefer to slice your bananas in advance, in order to prevent browning once they’re expose to air and start to oxidize, you can either toss or brush the banana slices with lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice helps to delay the oxidation process. If you don’t have lemon juice on hand or the grocery store happens to be out of stock, alternatives that you can use include lime juice and even lemon-lime soda pop such as 7-Up.
Allow cool whip to thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before use. Per the package instructions, cool whip should be kept frozen in order to prevent bacterial growth, which is inhibited when the temperature is below freezing. But also, cool whip can separate if it’s left out above freezing for too long, losing its airy texture. For the best results, I recommend either allowing the cool whip to sit in the refrigerator overnight prior to using it for the easy Banana Pudding (or thaw at room temperature for up to 2 hours). Avoid stirring it to speed up thawing or letting it sit out beyond 2 hours, as you could end up with cool whip that’s a soupy mess.
Avoid using overly-ripe bananas. Traditional banana pudding is made with ripe bananas, or bananas that are a vibrant yellow color with maybe a few brown specks. This is because the bananas at this point are soft & tender enough to put on a fork & chew, but still firm enough to easily slice and hold their shape. That said, you want to avoid bananas that are too ripe for this easy Banana Pudding recipe. While overly-ripe bananas will be even sweeter, they also present a couple of issues that can ruin the dessert. For one, they’ll be a lot harder to slice cleanly. But more importantly, they’ll become discolored much more quickly and will become extremely mushy in the pudding.
Not all sweetened condensed milk is created equal. Believe it or not, there have been many studies and taste tests done on this, and there are many variations that exist between the popular brands you see on the store shelf. Some of them have a higher sugar content than others, some are dairy-free and made with skim or coconut milk, and some may have more or less caramelization. For this easy Banana Pudding recipe, I find Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk strikes the right balance or caramelization, sweetness and thickness compared to the other brands. That said, if you’re unable to find Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk at your local supermarket, any of the other popular brands are also acceptable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze this easy Banana Pudding?
So the answer to this is a bit complicated. When it comes to just the pudding itself, prior to assembling / layering with the other ingredients, it will maintain its freshness in the freezer for at least 1 month. You should then allow it to thaw at room temperature once you’re ready to eat it. That being said, I strongly advise against freezing this easy Banana Pudding after it’s been layered and assembled with the cookies, cool whip and whole bananas. Doing so will negative affect the texture of the entire dessert, as it will make the bananas soft & brown while the whole thing will end up becoming watery. It’s best to assemble / layer after the pudding itself has thawed.
Can I substitute the Whole Milk for Non-Diary Milk?
I don’t recommend it, and this recipe has not bee tested with non-diary milk. But what you should be mindful of is that whole milk and non-dairy milk are not equal. Aside from one not having the lactase enzyme, non-dairy milk tend to have a much thinner consistency as it contains more water and less fat. Thus, if you did attempt to sub it 1-for-1, this easy Banana Pudding may end up soupy.
Can I substitute the Instant Pudding for Cook and Serve pudding?
Absolutely not! For one reason, using cook and serve pudding no longer makes this an easy Banana Pudding recipe, because it requires additional steps and cooking time to prepare, assuming you follow the package instructions. But also, there’s a high risk of user error with the cook & serve pudding. The nice part about instant pudding is that it already contains stabilizers that allows it to firm up quickly with just the addition of a cold dairy liquid. Meanwhile, if you tried to follow the same instructions you see here with cook & serve pudding, your pudding will never firm up and thicken. Instead, you’ll only end up making banana soup, no matter how long you try to chill it.
Can I substitute the whipped cream cheese for block cream cheese?
Technically you can, but in my humble opinion, there’s nothing of value gained from it. All you’re going to end up doing is having a much harder time combining it with the rest of the ingredients, because it hasn’t been softened. For the sake of ease, it’s best to stick with using whipped cream cheese for this easy Banana Pudding recipe.
Can I enjoy this easy Banana Pudding recipe without whole bananas?
Absolutely! Just as a little secret between you and me, I also prefer my banana pudding without bananas. But I understand that’s not exactly a popular opinion and would never serve it that way to others unless they specifically request it. That being said, if you choose to exclude the whole bananas, I recommend replacing them with 2 TSP of Banana Extract to get the same equivalent banana flavor that would you otherwise lose.
Can I use unripe bananas for this recipe?
I don’t recommend it. Ripe bananas tend to be sweeter and have a softer texture, which is exactly what you want in a dessert such as pudding. Ripe bananas tend to be firmer due to their higher starch content and are also more tart in flavor. Ideally, when looking for the right bananas at the supermarket, you want banana that have a bright, vibrant yellow skin color with specs of brown on them. These, in my humble opinion, are the perfect bananas for banana pudding. Â Meanwhile, avoid bananas that are green or have a yellowish-green hue.
How long can I store this easy Banana Pudding in the refrigerator?
As long as the banana pudding is covered, it should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, it may begin to lose its flavor & texture. Once 5 days have passed, I would advise that you dispose of the banana pudding as it may no longer be safe to eat.
Try These Other Dessert Recipes
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Best Chocolate Pudding From Scratch
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Best Vanilla Pudding From Scratch
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Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Easy Banana Pudding Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Cooking Spoon
- 2 Plastic Spatula(s)
- 1 3qt Mixing Bowl
- 1 Trifle Bowl
- 1 Small Storage Bag (optional for crushing cookies)
- 1 Mallet *OR* Rolling Pin (optional for crushing cookies)
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
Ingredients
- 3.4 Oz Instant Vanilla Pudding
- 3.4 Oz Instant Banana Cream Pudding
- 4 Cups Whole Milk
- 14 Oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 8 Oz Whipped Cream Cheese
- 4 Medium Ripe Bananas
- 8 Oz Whipped Topping
- 2 Each Lorna Doone Cookies (10oz boxes)
- 1/4 TSP Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 TSP Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
- To 3qt mixing bowl, add sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream cheese then whisk until well combined.
- Add instant pudding mixes and whole milk then whisk until pudding mixes are fully dissolved and pudding starts to thicken.
- Add cinnamon + nutmeg to pudding then whisk until well-combined.
- Using a sharp knife, cut bananas into round but firm slices.
- To trifle bowl, start with adding a layer of cookies until bottom is covered and there's no room for more cookies.
- For the next layer, add half of the sliced bananas and ensure the cookie layer is completely covered.
- For the next layer, add half of the pudding and spread it around until it forms an even layer and the whole bananas are completely covered.
- Use additional cookies to form a moat around the layer of pudding.
- For the next layer, add half of the whipped topping into the cookies moat and spread it around until it forms an even layer on top of the pudding and the pudding is completely covered.
- Repeat steps until all of the cookies, whole bananas, pudding and whipped topping have been used up.
- Placing remaining cookies in storage bag and crush into crumbs using a mallet or rolling pin.
- Sprinkle crumbs on top of final whipped topping layer until it is well-coated.
- Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator overnight before serving (optional).