I’ll be honest, I never even tried banana pudding until my 30’s. I had always envisioned that it would taste like baby food… yuck!
But after trying banana pudding at a Chinese restaurant, I immediately became addicted to this sweet-tasting dessert that is soooooo easy to make.
The texture of this homemade banana pudding recipe is perfect — with just the right amount of crunch (from the Vanilla Wafers) and just the right amount of sweetness (from the Cool Whip and the Bananas).
Maybe you’ve heard there was a Nilla wafer banana pudding recipe and always wanted to try it. Well, you’ve come to the right place!
And here’s a small tip that makes a big difference: Use the mini-sized Nilla wafers instead of the regular-sized ones. (The smaller ones don’t get soggy like the larger ones do.)
This is my favorite recipe for banana pudding with vanilla wafers…
Easiest Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe
This is my all-time favorite way to make a large batch of homemade banana pudding.
It’s often my go-to when I’m taking a dessert to potlucks and parties — because it’s so easy.
Potluck – noun, a social gathering where each guest contributes a different (often homemade) dish of food to be shared with everyone at the party.
Yep, this Nilla wafer banana pudding recipe is super simple AND super quick to make!
(Just 10 minutes to make, and 1 hour to let it firm up in the refrigerator)
Banana Pudding With Vanilla Wafers
Equipment
- 1 9×13 Glass Serving Dish
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix I use sugar free
- 2 cups Milk very cold
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 16 oz Frozen Whipped Topping – thawed I use LITE Cool Whip, or any store brand
- 16 oz Vanilla Wafers I like the mini’s, but you can use the regular-sized ones
- 4 bananas – sliced
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, mix the Pudding Mix and the cold Milk for 2 minutes (using an electric mixer).
- Blend in the Condensed Milk until smooth.
- Stir in Vanilla Extract.
- Fold in the Whipped Topping. (TIP: If you forgot to thaw it, you can put it in the microwave on the lowest power level for almost 1 minute.)
- In a 9×13 glass serving dish, layer bananas.
- Add the pudding mixture on top.
- Add some finely crushed wafers (or whole ones, your choice) on top.
- Chill until serving time – at least 1 hour.
TIP: I used to start this recipe with a layer of wafers on the very bottom of the pan, but they got soggy too quickly — especially when using the large size Nilla wafers. So now I just crush some up and put the wafers on top instead. I really like the separation of the fresh banana layer, followed by the sweet pudding layer, topped with the dry crunchy layer!
A Fun Variation: Banana Pudding Cups!
We normally keep the big deep dish pan of banana pudding in the fridge. Hubby and I just scoop out as much as we want, whenever we want.
But I promised my friend — who happens to like Cinnamon on his banana pudding — that I’d make little individual banana pudding cups someday soon and invite him to try it.
Basically, I just divvy up my same banana pudding recipe into lots of small plastic containers and glass cups (instead of keeping it in the deep dish pan). The banana pudding in individual cups takes up more space in the fridge — but it’s a great way to serve banana pudding at a party or whenever guests are visiting!
Wondering how to make banana pudding in a cup?
I’ve got a couple of banana pudding cup ideas for you…
You can make homemade banana pudding cups 2 different ways:
- Mix up the Pudding & Condensed Milk separately from the Frozen Whipped Cream. Start by dishing out each of those as 2 separate “layers” inside the cups. Top that with a layer of finely crushed Vanilla Wafers. Follow that with 2 more layers of the Pudding & Condensed Milk and the Frozen Whipped Cream. Finally, top that with a handful of Banana slices and sprinkles of Cinnamon.
-OR- - Mix up the normal banana pudding recipe (above) first. Then, starting the layering process inside small dessert cups with a bunch of finely crushed Vanilla Wafers on the bottom, followed by a thick layer of the Banana Pudding mixture, a couple of Banana slices, and some Cinnamon on top.
Either way, I really like the individual dessert cups idea for presentation purposes. And, when stored in the refrigerator, the individual layers stay fresher longer. (That means: no soggy wafers.)
Whichever variation you choose, these Nilla banana pudding cups are sure to be a hit!
Fun Facts About Bananas You Might Not Know
Finally, just for fun, here are some interesting things I’ve learned about storing bananas, slicing bananas, eating bananas, and some recipes that specifically call for over-ripe bananas:
- My Favorite Overripe Banana Recipes (from smoothies to banana bread)
- Fun Ways To Slice & Peel Bananas (…I bet you’ve been eating bananas all wrong!)
- My Favorite Way To Store Bananas (without using a banana stand)
- Slice Bananas Into Bite-Sized Pieces Without Turning Brown (use those peels!)
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I love my kitchen… and I like to cook. But my #1 requirement is that recipes have fewer than 7 ingredients (or arrive on my doorstep via a food delivery service). My absolute favorite thing about being in the kitchen is trying out new gadgets, cookware, and storage containers! I'm SUPER organized in the kitchen (and everywhere else) and I have every gadget I could possibly need neatly and compactly tucked away until I need it. I share only the simplest recipes (which is great for people who don't like to cook), along with time-saving food tips and cooking tricks (that will save you time and money). When I'm not cooking, cleaning, or organizing my kitchen… you can find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
