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Southern No-Bake Banana Pudding
I’ve kept this Banana Pudding recipe a secret for far too long. It’s my crew’s favorite Southern dessert, and I know you’ll love it too! It’s also no-bake – SCORE!
Have you ever tried cream cheese Banana Pudding made famous by Paula Deen? If not, you’re in for a treat! This Southern classic is loaded with flavor, thanks to the addition of cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. We’ve amped up the flavors by using banana cream instant pudding.
This recipe is easy to make and can be changed to your liking. For example, you can skip the banana cream pudding and use vanilla or use Nilla wafers. I use these about half of the time.
Ingredients
- Milk – I use whole milk
- Instant pudding mix- I use banana cream. My crew loves the extra banana flavor. If you are against those artificial flavors, you can use instant vanilla pudding mix. I would add a few more banana slices. I have used both brand name and generic brands with great success.
- Whipped topping – homemade whipped cream is always an acceptable substitute for Cool Whip! You’ll need about 6 cups.
- Sweetened condensed milk – This recipe relies on the sweetness and creaminess of sweetened condensed milk. I wouldn’t recommend any substitutions.
- Cream cheese – you can use any unflavored cream cheese, even Neufchâtel cheese!
- Bananas – You can’t have banana pudding without bananas.
- Chessmen cookies – Any kind of shortbread cookies will work; even the more traditional vanilla wafers can be used.
How to Make Banana Pudding
1 – Begin by placing milk into a bowl. Sprinkle the pudding mix over the milk, then stir them together using a whisk. Set this aside.
2 – Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk in a different bowl until they become smooth.
3 – Add the whipped topping and combine everything.
4 – Add the pudding mix to the cream cheese mixture and stir them thoroughly until completely blended.
To Set up the Dessert Cups:
1 – Set 10 dessert cups on a work surface.
2 – Break one cookie (per cup) into pieces and distribute them at the base of each cup.
3 – Spoon around 2 tablespoons of the pudding mixture onto the cookie pieces.
4 – Arrange 3 thin banana slices on the pudding. Make sure the banana slices are covered by pudding to prevent them from turning brown.
5 – Add roughly 2 more tablespoons of pudding over the bananas.
6 – Sprinkle more broken cookie pieces over the pudding.
7 – Layer on more pudding.
8 – Add another layer of banana slices.
9 – Finish with an additional layer of pudding.
10 – Place a complete cookie on the very top of each cup.
11 – Cover the cups with the lids if they came with them, or cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store the cups in the refrigerator until you’re prepared to enjoy the dessert.
Make In a 9 X 13 Baking Dish
To make this banana pudding in a 9×13 dish:
- Layer the bottom of the dish with whole cookies.
- Add half of the pudding mixture, then layer with sliced bananas.
- Top the bananas with the remaining pudding, then with another layer of whole cookies.
- Store in the fridge.
Can I Make This in a Trifle Dish?
You sure can!
You can go with the same 9-layer version I use in my dessert cups, make it as you would in a 9X13 pan, or layer it however you want!
I would probably use more cookies to line the sides of the trifle dish for presentation.
Pro Tips
- When made as individual parfaits, this banana pudding has 9 layers: 3 layers of cookies, 2 layers of bananas, and 4 layers of pudding.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of cookies or bananas to suit your tastes and needs.
- If you used vanilla wafer cookies, you will have gaps on the bottom and the top. It’s fine, there is no need to break up more cookies to fill in the empty space.
- Slice the bananas just before you need to use them.
- If you use an electric mixer, only mix as much as needed at the end to prevent deflating the whipped topping.
Storing Leftover Banana Pudding
Refrigerate leftover banana pudding immediately. This will help to prevent the pudding from spoiling.
Store the pudding in an airtight container. This will help keep your banana pudding fresh and prevent drying out.
This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze the pudding if you want to store it for longer. To do this, place the pudding in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to eat the frozen pudding, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
More Desserts You Don’t Want to Miss
- Banana Brownies – like a frosted 9×13 banana cake but moister
- Dirt Cake
- Sand Cups
- Cherry Delight
- Banana Bread
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The Best Banana Pudding Recipe: Easy and Delicious
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups milk
- 6.8 ounces instant banana cream pudding mix 2 3.4-oz boxes
- 16 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed, or 6 cups of sweetened homemade whipped cream
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 bananas sliced
- 14.5 ounces Chessmen cookies 2 bags
Instructions
- Set 10 12-ounce dessert cups on a workspace.
- Add the milk to a bowl and sprinkle the pudding mixture over the milk and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and beat until smooth.
- Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add the pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture and stir until well combined.
- Crumble 1 cookie into the bottom of each cup.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of pudding mix on top of the cookie crumbs.
- Top the pudding with 3 thin slices of bananas, keep them near the middle so they are covered with pudding to prevent browning.
- Top with another 2 tablespoon of pudding mix.
- Crumble another cookie over each cup.
- Add more pudding to each cup.
- Add another layer of bananas followed by another layer of pudding.
- Top with a whole cookie.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Nilla wafers or any shortbread type cookies can be used as a substitute for Chessmen cookies.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding can be used as a substitute for banana pudding.
- 6 cups of homemade whipped cream can be used in place of the whipped topping.
- 9 ounce Dessert cups and parfaits have 9 layers. Cookie crumbles, pudding, bananas, pudding, cookie crumbles, pudding, bananas, pudding, whole cookie. 3 layers of cookies, 2 layers of bananas with pudding in between them all.
- Smaller dessert cups can be used, reduce banana layer to one, and only use cookies on the bottom and top of smaller cups.
- This can be made in a 9 X 13 dish. Layer the bottom of the dish with whole cookies, add half of the pudding mixture, layer with sliced bananas. Top the bananas with the remaining pudding, then top with another layer of whole cookies. You will need more cookies, about three 7.25-ounce bags of Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may vary based on exact ingredients used. For accuracy, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
This recipe was written and tested by a human.
Editor: Oliver Baysinger
