No boxed pudding here. Authentic Southern banana pudding from scratch starts with homemade pudding, sliced bananas and real whipped cream. It’s true heaven in a dish.
You’ve heard the old saying, “When in Rome…”
When in Mississippi, it’s not pudding. It’s puddin’.
Banana pudding is the fried chicken of desserts — a Southern classic that shows up at picnics, family reunions and comfort-food gatherings of every sort. It seems made for vanilla wafers: the cookies soak up the creamy custard and become almost cake-like. Layered with real banana slices and finished with whipped cream, it’s a simple dessert that always feels like home.
I remember the night before I had my first child: my best friend invited my husband and me over for banana pudding. We all sat around after dinner, patting full bellies and savoring that sweet comfort, and I found myself sneaking back to the kitchen for another bowl. Pregnancy gave me a free pass for gluttony that night — and I wasn’t the only one reaching for seconds.
When readers suggested recipes for this series, “real” banana pudding came up again and again. That’s an important distinction: a true Southern banana pudding is made with vanilla pudding and fresh banana slices, not banana-flavored instant pudding. The flavor should come from the fruit, with a homemade custard that’s rich and smooth.
To tell an imposter from the real thing, check the ingredients. If the recipe calls for banana-flavored boxed pudding, you’ve wandered off the beaten path. Authentic versions rely on a vanilla custard made from scratch, layered with wafers and bananas and finished with real whipped cream.
Related Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
- Grilled Banana Splits
- Homemade Banana Bread
Banana Pudding
Print
Pin
Save RecipeSaved!
Rate
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar divided
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons water
- 3 egg yolks
- 4 cups heavy cream divided
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 large bananas
- 4 cups vanilla wafers
Instructions
-
Make the custard: in a double boiler, whisk together the flour, 1 cup of the sugar and the salt. Add the water and stir into a smooth paste. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks and three cups of the heavy cream, then whisk that into the flour mixture. Simmer gently, stirring constantly, for 15–20 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and vanilla until the butter melts, and allow the custard to cool.
-
Assemble the pudding: arrange a single layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish. Slice the bananas and layer them over the wafers. Pour the cooled vanilla custard evenly over the bananas and wafers.
-
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6–8 hours to allow the wafers to soften and the flavors to meld.
-
Before serving, whip the remaining cup of heavy cream on high with an electric mixer. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
-
Spread the whipped cream over the chilled pudding and serve. The texture will be creamy, with softened wafers and fresh banana flavor throughout.
Nutrition