How to Make Banana Pudding From Scratch

ByAinseanlea Bonds Hours Updated on
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Making banana pudding from scratch is so rewarding, nostalgic, and surprisingly easy! This recipe takes less than 30 minutes of active prep and cooking to make a homemade custard without artificial flavor and layer it into a dessert that would make any Southern grandma proud!

homemade banana pudding with whipped cream in a bowl.

This homemade old-fashioned banana pudding is one of the first recipes I learned to make for my husband's family, and after a couple takes I finally got the Nana stamp of approval!

Topped with an optional homemade whipped cream, this recipe is sure to be a winner. For a bright spring twist, try this lemon blueberry banana pudding!

Recipe Overview: How to Make Banana Pudding From Scratch

✅ Recipe Name: How to Make Banana Pudding From Scratch
🕒 Prep time: Only 20 minutes, then forget in the fridge!
👪 Serves: 10
🍽 Calories: 508 calories per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: bananas, Nilla wafers, evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, flour
👌 Difficulty: Easy! Whisk, layer & done!

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Why You'll Love This Dessert!

  • It's an easy homemade banana pudding custard to make! Using evaporated milk and flour in the custard base makes the mixture stable and less likely to scramble.
  • It's a make-ahead dessert! This easy homemade banana pudding tastes even better overnight. It gives the bananas time to push out more flavor, and the cookies soften into cakey bites.
  • It's a nostalgic dessert that everyone loves, plus they'll be impressed that you nailed the custard!
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Key Ingredients

ingredients to make banana pudding from scratch - overripe bananas, egg yolks, evaporated milk, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, Nilla wafers, vanilla extract, dark rum, heavy cream, and confectioner's sugar.

Overripe bananas. Pick bananas with brown spots. Avoid bananas that are completely black since they will be too soft and can have a fermented flavor - those are better suited for this chocolate banana cake recipe or this banana caramel cake.

Egg yolks. They help thicken the homemade custard to a silky texture and give it a rich flavor.

All-purpose flour. Acts as an extra thickening agent for the custard and helps prevent the custard from scrambling.

Evaporated milk. The lower water content stabilizes the emulsion, making the custard easier to make.

Dark rum. Optional, but I highly recommend including it. It boosts the flavor of the custard. My favorite is Appleton Estate rum, but you can use whatever is available to you.

Cookies. My family has only ever used Nilla wafers in old-fashioned homemade banana pudding, but you can use whatever cookies you like! In fact, several of my friends have raved to me about making banana pudding with Chessmen cookies, Golden Oreos, and even Biscoff cookies!

How to Make Banana Pudding From Scratch

pie dish with a layer of Nilla wafers and sliced bananas.
  1. Step 1: Prep for the layers. Slice all the bananas, then arrange a layer of Nilla wafers followed by some bananas in your chosen dish.
evaporated milk whisked with sugar, all-purpose flour, and egg yolks in a saucepan.
  1. Step 2: Whisk the evaporated milk, flour, egg yolks, and sugar together in a saucepan until there are no lumps of flour.
finished custard showing nappe consistency on a spatula.
  1. Step 3: Cook the custard on medium-high heat until it coats a spatula well. Test for the nappe consistency (above) before continuing.
layering banana pudding in a pie dish with Nilla wafers, sliced bananas and from scratch custard
  1. Step 4: Layer everything - Nilla wafers, banana slices, then the banana pudding from-scratch custard. For a 10-inch dish, I do 3-4 layers.
covering banana pudding with plastic wrap before refrigerating
  1. Step 5: Finish with a layer of Nilla wafers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
whipped cream in a stainless steel bowl
  1. Step 6: Make the homemade whipped cream. Whip the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar together on high speed just until firm peaks form.
topping homemade banana pudding with whipped cream.
  1. Step 7: Top the cooled banana pudding with whipped cream before serving.

FAQs

Why is my banana pudding custard grainy?

A grainy custard indicates that your custard split. This happens when the proteins in the egg yolks are heated too much, so you end up with scrambled eggs. The flour in this banana pudding recipe helps to prevent this, but your custard can still separate if your heat is too high.
To avoid this, don't turn the heat up past medium-high (but low-medium or medium is best if you're a beginner). In addition, don't stop stirring; this ensures that the heat is evenly distributedas the custard cooks.

Can you fix a curdled custard?

Not really. Once egg yolks cook to the point of curdling, they actually push out water, changing the texture and consistency of the custard, making it more watery. So while you can blend a curdled custard to break apart the clumps, it is better to start over and make a new custard.

How to prevent bananas from browning in banana pudding?

Cover the banana slices completely with a layer of custard. This will prevent the bananas from being exposed to air, which is what causes browning.
Avoid squeezing lime or lemon juice on the banana slices, as even small amounts of liquid can make the banana pudding soggy

scoop of homemade banana pudding with whipped cream on a spoon.

Top Tips For a Perfect Custard

  • Don't stop whisking! Constant whisking ensures that the heat is evenly distributed, which prevents the custard from curdling.
  • Use your favorite burner and cookware you're used to. Cookware that doesn't distribute heat the way you're used to or a burner on the stove that gets hotter than usual can throw things off quickly, so it's best to stick with ol' reliable.
  • Layer the custard while it's hot. The heat from the custard helps to draw the flavor out of the bananas.
  • Let the banana pudding set in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the custard to set and thicken, and the cookies to soften into cakey bites, but also, time equals flavor! The longer your banana pudding rests in the fridge, the more the natural banana flavor is drawn out.

More Banana Recipes You'll Love!

  • Blueberry-Lemon Banana Pudding
  • Banana Caramel Sheet Cake
  • Baked Banana Pudding Cheesecake
  • Easy Banana Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment with a star rating. I love hearing your feedback and it greatly helps me improve recipes for you!

banana pudding from scratch topped with homemade whipped cream in a bowl.
Ainseanlea Bonds

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding From Scratch

5 from 8 votes
Layers of fluffy Nilla wafers and slices of ripe bananas blanketed with a silky homemade vanilla custard. Whipped cream topping optional. Nana approved!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Refrigeration time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Southern
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 

For the Banana Pudding
Optional Whipped Cream

Equipment

  • 1 medium saucepan
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 trifle bowl or pie/casserole dish with 32 oz capacity
  • plastic wrap

Method
 

  1. Slice bananas (into ¼-3/8" slices) and set aside.
    It's best to layer the banana pudding while the custard is hot so slicing the bananas before starting helps the layering process go much more smoothly
    3 medium ripe bananas
  2. Add the evaporated milk, egg yolks, flour & sugar to a saucepan. Whisk until there are no more lumps of flour.
    680 mL evaporated milk, 4 large egg yolks, 35 grams all-purpose flour, 200 grams white, granulated sugar
  3. Whisk the evaporated milk/egg yolk mixture continuosly over medium to medium-high heat until thickened. Be sure to whisk along the bottom of the pan and to get the corners to avoid scorching or curdling the custard.
    When the custard is ready it will have a consistency similar to a thinner (or boxed mix) cake batter. Don't worry it thickens as it cools.
  4. Remove custard from heat and test for doneness. It should coat the back of a spatula and leave a clear trail with the swipe of a finger (as shown here).
  5. Add the vanilla and dark rum. Give a quick stir to incorporate
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon dark rum
  6. Start layering the banana pudding by covering the bottom of your chosen dish with Nilla wafer cookies followed by a layer of scattered bananas then pouring a layer of the custard.
    one 11 oz box vanilla wafers
  7. Repeat this layering method until all custard is used then finish with a final layer of Nilla wafers.
    As the custard cools & thickens you may have to use a spatula to spread it in an even layer
  8. Crush a couple cookies and sprinkle on top to cover gaps left by whole Nilla wafer cookies.
    If topping with whipped cream you can skip this or do it after adding the whipped cream since this step is purely aesthetic.
  9. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or preferably overnight to allow cookies to soften and for the banana flavor to permeate.
  10. Enjoy within 4-5 days refrigerating any leftovers in an airtight container.
Optional Whipped Cream Topping
  1. Add the cold whipped cream and confectioners' sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with a whisk attachment.
    235 mL cold heavy whipping cream, 170 grams confectioner's (powdered) sugar
  2. Whip on high speed until it forms firm peaks.
  3. Refrigerate the banana pudding for at least an hour before topping with the whipped cream so that it doesn't melt. You may also add the whipped cream right before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 1mg

Notes

  • Use your favorite burner and cookware you're used to. Cookware that doesn't distribute heat the way you're used to or a burner on the stove that gets hotter than usual can throw things off quickly.
  • Add whipped cream after the banana pudding has been in the fridge for at least an hour. If you plan to add more cookies on top, the earlier this is done, the better, since those will need time to soften.
  • To fill a standard trifle dish, multiply this recipe by 1.5. To avoid manually calculating the amount for each ingredient to scale, click on the question mark (?) button (shown below) next to the word "Ingredients" and change the serving size to "15" (x1.5 of the original serving size). The recipe card should recalculate to give you scaled measurements.

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5 from 8 votes

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Rating




9 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    Amazing recipe! I am a banana pudding snob and this one is perfect and super easy to follow! It will definitely be a staple.

    Reply