Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Chilling Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
8
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Calories
184 kcal
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Cuisine
American
Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding
Description
Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding is prepared by cooking a custard from sugar, flour, milk, eggs, and vanilla until thickened. The pudding base provides a creamy, sweet foundation layered with banana slices that are ripe but firm enough to hold their shape, and Nilla wafers that offer a contrasting crunch. This layering prevents the bananas from turning mushy and the cookies from dissolving too quickly.
The pudding requires gentle cooking over medium heat while whisking to avoid scorching or skin formation and thickening sufficiently before removing from heat. The use of vanilla extract adds a fragrant note to the custard. Serving suggestions include topping with whipped cream and additional crushed wafers to enhance texture and flavor. The dessert is ideal for making ahead and chilling in the refrigerator, allowing flavors to meld.
The pudding keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days, during which the banana slices resist browning and the wafers slowly soften but maintain some texture. This makes it a convenient dessert for preparing in advance or enjoying as leftovers without significant quality loss.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- pinch salt optional and to taste
- 2 cups milk 2%
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large egg
- nilla wafers divided (I prefer the Reduced Fat version; substitute with graham crackers if necessary, about 50
- 3 to 4 large banana sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (use ripe bananas not over-ripe, they’re too mushy
- ¾ cup nilla wafers for sprinkling (about 20-25 wafers, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Make the pudding:
- Get everything you need out and ready before beginning because you’ll be busy whisking and read the recipe over, at least twice, in full.
- In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, flour, optional pinch of salt, and pour the milk over it.
- Heat this together over medium heat until it begins to boil gently, whisking quite frequently so that pudding skin doesn’t form on the bottom of the pan. Keeping the heat at medium is advised because higher heat will likely cause the milky mixture to scorch. It took a good 15 minutes of the pot appearing to do absolutely nothing for my pudding to finally begin to barely boil because I was compulsively whisking.
- After you see the mixture boil, whisk continually for the next 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding has thickened. A transition comes when the pudding gets thicker by the stroke. Use your judgment and when you think the pudding has thickened up sufficiently, take it off the heat.
- Whisk in the vanilla; set aside.
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk together 3 eggs (using the same whisk is fine).
- Add about 1/4 cup of the hot pudding mixture to the eggs, whisking the whole time to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble.
- Slowly pour the contents of the measuring cup into the sauce pan, whisking the entire time so you don’t scramble the eggs.
- Return the pan to the stove, and cook over medium heat for about 2 to 4 minutes, whisking the whole time. This cooks the eggs. You’ll know when the pudding is done and you can take it off the heat. It will be thick, creamy, and will look like pudding. It thickens up as it cools so don’t over-cook it or it can get a little too firm. Take it off the heat; set aside, whisking every few minutes so skin doesn’t form.
Assemble the banana pudding:
- In an 8×8, 10×7, or similar sized pan (9×9 is too big) make one even flat layer of Nilla wafers, covering the entire base of the pan (about 24 wafers).
- Top with banana slices in an even flat layer, covering the wafers.
- Whisk pudding and pour half over the bananas, smoothing lightly with a spatula.
- Repeat the layers, making one flat layer of wafers, another layer of bananas, and top with remaining pudding, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pudding for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Before serving, evenly sprinkle the chopped wafers over the pudding.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm bananas to maintain slices that hold shape and texture without turning mushy.
- Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers are firmer and crunchier, helping them stay crisp longer in the pudding.
- Top the pudding with whipped cream and crushed wafers if desired, to add creaminess and texture variety.
- Store pudding covered airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bananas remain stable and wafers soften gradually.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 184 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 184kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | 12% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 66mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 52mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 271mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 178IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 83mg | 8% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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