Go Back

Homemade Banana Pudding

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Medium pot
  • Whisk
  • Stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer with a large mixing bowl
  • Silicone spatula

Ingredients

For the vanilla pudding
  • 5 cups whole milk divided
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
For the whipped cream topping
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the layers
  • 15 oz (family size) box of vanilla wafers
  • 6-7 medium bananas firm and ripe

Instructions

Make the homemade vanilla pudding
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the milk until completely smooth. Slowly whisk in the remaining milk until fully combined with no lumps remaining.
  • Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the pudding thickens and begins bubbling across the surface, about 5–10 minutes. Continue cooking for another 1–2 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the pudding to cool slightly while preparing the remaining layers.
Whip the cream
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip until stiff peaks form, scraping down the sides as needed.
Assemble the banana pudding
  • Arrange a layer of vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, slightly overlapping them. Top with half of the sliced bananas, followed by half of the vanilla pudding.
  • Repeat the layers with more vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding.
  • Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Notes

This recipe fills a 9x13 pan, but sometimes I make a smaller batch in a 7x10 dish, which serves about 6 people. To make a smaller version, I reduce the ingredients by about two-thirds. For example, I use 2 egg yolks instead of 3 and reduce the milk from 5 cups to 3 cups. For the 7x10 pan, one regular 11-ounce box of vanilla wafers is usually enough.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Cost: $12.85 / $1.28 per serving