This old fashioned banana pudding recipe with condensed milk is sure to make you swoon. It is perfect for summer gatherings and is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it.

Glass trifle bowl filled with layers of bananas, vanilla wafer and creamy pudding mixture after it has chilled is ready to serve.

This old-fashioned dessert has layers of creamy vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, and vanilla wafers. The creamy pudding mixture has sweetened condensed milk stirred in, so you know it is rich and delicious.

Adding homemade whipped cream keeps it fluffy and luscious. It all comes together to make the perfect classic southern banana pudding.

There is just something about the combination of flavors and textures that make this banana pudding the perfect comfort food. Make it for a BBQ, potluck, or family gatherings and watch everyone go crazy for it.

There are so many great ways to make this classic southern dessert, but the recipe in the recipe card is our favorite way. It is quick, easy, and oh so good.

Using sweetened condensed milk and instant pudding gives you that homemade custard taste without the effort. Before we came upon this recipe, I used to make my banana pudding with a rich vanilla egg custard.

Using the egg yolks in the custard meant I would have extra egg whites. So I would make a crisp meringue for the top, kind of like making the base for a pavlova.

Both ways are super delicious, for sure. But as life gets busier, I tend to stick to the quicker instant pudding method now.

Storage

Banana pudding is best about 2-12 hours after it is made. That gives time for the cookies to soften and the banana flavor to penetrate the pudding.

While it still tastes good later, the banana slices will start to oxidize and turn brown over time.

To prevent that for as long as possible, place plastic wrap on the surface of the leftover banana pudding and store it in the refrigerator. You can also brush you banana slices with citrus juice before using them to inhibit the browning.

Lemon juice is the most popular option, but pineapple or orange juice will work as well.

Can you freeze banana pudding?

Banana pudding doesn’t freeze well. The bananas will get mushy, and the pudding will get watery as it defrosts. It is best to eat your banana pudding fresh.

More Great Banana Dessert Recipes

If you like banana pudding, you will love no-bake banana cream pie as well. It has a lot in common with the recipe but has a graham cracker crust rather than Nilla wafers.

If your bananas got a little overripe, try making banana bread or a tasty banana cake instead. If you are feeling fancy, you can even make a southern style layered banana cake with fluffy white frosting.

Or turn your ripe bananas into banana rice pudding. It is another comfort food and is delicious, warm, or cold.

Glass trifle bowl filled with layers of banana pudding with vanilla wafers, sliced bananas and creamy pudding mixture.
4.72 from 35 ratings

Old Fashioned Banana Pudding

Author: Carlee
Servings: 18 Servings
After trying several, we think this is the best banana pudding recipe out there. It comes together quickly and tastes amazing. The condensed milk adds that rich creaminess and the whipped cream makes it fluffy and delicious. Make it a couple of hours before you plan to eat it so the vanilla wafers have a chance to soften and the bananas can flavor the pudding mixture.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 16 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 6.8 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix
  • cups cold milk
  • 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 11 oz. box of vanilla wafers
  • 6 bananas

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and sweetened condensed milk until they are combined. Add the pudding mixes and stir until incorporated. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the whipped cream.
    2½ cups cold milk, 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, 6.8 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix
  • In a cold mixing bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful to not overwhip the cream.
    3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • Fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until combined.
  • Slice ripe bananas about ¼" thick.
    6 bananas
  • Now grab a large glass bowl, trifle bowl, or 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of cookies on the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of bananas and then some of the pudding mixture. Keep alternating layers until all of the ingredients are used. Be sure to seal all of the bananas under a layer of pudding, don't put any on top.
    11 oz. box of vanilla wafers
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to 8 hours. Longer storage may result in oxidized bananas. See the notes below for more tips.
  • If desired top with additional whipped cream or fresh banana slices before serving.

Notes

For the best results, use bananas that are just ripe, not overipe.
Bananas oxidize and turn brown and slimy after a while. To prolong storage, you can brush the banana slices with lemon juice before using them.
Make sure all of the bananas are sealed under a layer of pudding to keep the air from getting to them.
You can use a 16 ounce tub of Cool Whip in place of the heavy whipping cream if you prefer. 

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 722IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 0.2mg
“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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4.72 from 35 votes (34 ratings without comment)

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35 Comments

  1. Isn't it comforting to have a recipe that never let's you down? As a fellow foodie i tend to tinker with the recipes too – sometimes it's goos and sometimes – well….bananna pudding is such a blast from the past. We never made it for some reason. probably because always the featured dessert as my BFF's house. Love your presentation, it's gorgeous!

    1. I guess the wins wouldn't be as exciting if there weren't a few failures along the way! It is funny how certain types of treats become somebody's "thing" and it deters you from making them. My mom is the ice cream maker in the family, so I never make ice cream (which is probably a good thing because I have no self control with the stuff!)

  2. Baking disasters can lead to great alternate choices! Like this tasty pudding!

    1. It's funny how life works sometimes, huh? Pudding is always a good option in my book!

  3. Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies says:

    This sounds so good! I absolutely love the idea of the broken meringue topping!

    1. I thought the meringue was a fun twist too. Thanks you!

    1. Thank you, that is really sweet!

  4. Stacy Rushton says:

    Adding that crunchy meringue is genius, Carlee! Beautiful!

    1. Thank you! It was a lot of fun to do it that way! Normally I would have gone with whipped cream, but everyone enjoyed the texture of the meringue on top.

  5. Nicole @ Crazed Mom says:

    This is a favorite at our house and such a total summer tradition! I love this and now I need to whip up a batch!

    1. Luckily it is easy to do! This batch disappeared fast, I am sure yours will too!

  6. Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake says:

    Oh, my gosh! That IS meringue crumbled up on top—my family would adore this twist! What a fabulous treat!!!

    1. It was fun to have that added texture on top. Of course I love whipped cream too, but we really enjoyed it this way!

  7. The meringue is such a great touch. All those textures are fabulous–smooth creamy pudding, wafer cookies and crispy meringue. Really a beautiful recipe. Looks great.

    1. Thank you! It was the perfect ending to our impromptu BBQ. I love having an excuse to make dessert!

  8. Constance Smith says:

    Banana pudding is the best!

  9. Andrea Nine says:

    Absolutely a classic!! My daddy's favorite! If I was with him today it's what I'd make. Husband requested strawberry shortcake but he'd love those blackberry cobbler bars. Blackberries are his favorite. Hope it wasn't too much trouble cleaning up the oven. I hope you get to enjoy a wonderful day celebrating the awesome men in your life, Heaven knows they're going to be drooling over your meal and I'm wishing I had a bowl of that banana pudding with my coffee this morning, ha ha

    1. Strawberry shortcakes are one of my favorites too! Our blackberry bushes are going crazy right now, so we have been picking daily. Luckily the oven wasn't too bad, but it was enough to set off the smoke detector. My husband came in to me standing on a chair waving a magazine at it to keep it from waking Little Dude up because I couldn't reach it to take it down! So we got to open the windows and turn on the fans so the house wouldn't stink for the party we were hosting the next day! It's a funny memory now but it was past my bedtime when it was all happening, so my sense of humor wasn't so good at the time! 😉

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