This banana pudding layers vanilla wafers, fresh banana slices, and a cream cheese custard made rich with sweetened condensed milk, then gets topped with whipped topping and chilled until set. No oven required, the ingredient list is short, and most of it is pantry staples. It feeds eight and holds up well overnight, which makes it genuinely useful for potlucks or any time you need a crowd dessert without much fuss.
Before you start
The one technique that actually matters here is getting the cream cheese completely smooth before it meets the pudding. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps no amount of whisking will fix — pull it from the fridge at least 30 minutes ahead, or cut it into chunks and microwave in 10-second bursts until it gives easily when pressed. The second thing worth knowing: whisk the instant pudding and cold milk together first and let it sit the full 5 minutes before you add anything else. If you rush that step and fold in the cream cheese too early, the pudding never quite firms up the way it should, and the finished dish will be looser than you want.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using underripe bananas. Pale yellow bananas with no spots taste starchy and flat in a cold dessert. You want bananas that are fully yellow with some brown flecking — they slice cleanly and their flavor actually comes through the cream cheese layer.
- Skipping the condensed milk and pudding mix combination step. The recipe has you whisk the condensed milk with vanilla separately, then add the cream cheese to the pudding. If you just dump everything into one bowl at once, the condensed milk can make the pudding seize unevenly. Keep the steps in order.
- Folding the whipped topping too aggressively. Stir it in gently with a spatula using wide, slow strokes. Overworking it deflates the air and you end up with a dense, heavy filling instead of a light one.
- Not pressing the wafers into the pudding layer. If the wafers just sit on top of the pudding rather than making contact with it, they stay crunchy instead of softening into that classic texture. Press them down lightly so the pudding touches them on both sides.
- Serving it too soon. Two hours is the minimum; three to four hours is better. The wafers need time to absorb moisture from the pudding, and the whole thing needs to be fully cold before it slices and scoops cleanly.
Storage and make-ahead
This pudding keeps well in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, for up to three days. The wafers will continue to soften over time — by day two they are very tender, which some people prefer. If you want a little texture contrast left in the wafers, serve it within 24 hours. You can assemble the entire dish the night before serving; it actually improves with an overnight rest. Freezing is not recommended — the whipped topping and cream cheese filling separate when thawed and the bananas turn brown and mushy. If you are making this for a party, skip the garnish of extra wafers on top until just before you serve it — not worth the extra dish, and they go soft sitting in the fridge anyway.
Paula Deen's Banana Pudding
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Saucepan
- 8x8-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix 5-ounce size
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14-ounce can
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract pure
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 12 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 5 medium bananas ripe, sliced
- 1 box vanilla wafers 14-ounce size
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and cold milk until smooth and thickened. This should take about 2 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes to set.
- In a separate bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to the pudding mixture. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, beat until no lumps remain and the mixture is creamy.
- Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- In an 8x8 inch baking dish, layer the bottom with a single layer of vanilla wafers. Arrange the sliced bananas over the wafers evenly.
- Spread half of the pudding mixture over the banana layer, then repeat the layers ending with the pudding mixture on top.
- Finish by topping the pudding with any remaining wafers, creating a decorative finish.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld and to set the pudding firmly.
Notes
- For a more indulgent flavor, consider caramelizing the bananas before layering them into the pudding.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of store-bought whipped topping?
Yes, but whip it to stiff peaks and use it immediately — homemade whipped cream is less stable than whipped topping and may weep or deflate if the pudding sits in the fridge for more than a few hours. If you are making this a day ahead, the store-bought version holds up better.
What can I use if I don’t have a 5-ounce box of instant vanilla pudding?
A standard 3.4-ounce box works fine — it is the most common size on shelves and the difference in volume is small enough that the recipe still sets properly. Avoid cook-and-serve pudding; it needs heat to thicken and will not firm up correctly in this no-bake method.
Can I substitute the vanilla wafers with something else?
Graham crackers are the most practical swap and work very well — they soften at a similar rate and their mild honey flavor pairs naturally with banana. Shortbread cookies also work, though they take longer to soften and stay slightly firmer throughout.
My cream cheese mixture still has small lumps after mixing. Is it ruined?
Not ruined, but worth fixing before you fold in the whipped topping. Run the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, or beat it again with an electric mixer on medium speed for another two minutes. Small lumps are usually just cream cheese that was still too cold when it went in.
Can I make this in individual cups instead of one big dish?
Absolutely — mason jars or any small cups with a lid work well and make serving much easier. Layer the same way you would in the baking dish and cover each cup with plastic wrap before refrigerating. Individual portions also travel better if you are bringing this somewhere.
If you liked this one
- Caramelized Banana Tart
- Soft and Sweet Banana Bread Cookies
- Luxurious Almond Croissant Bread Pudding
- Southern Classic Pecan Pie