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The Ultimate Old-Fashioned Southern Banana Pudding

Close-up of a decadent layered banana pudding dessert topped with piped whipped cream and sliced bananas.
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This is the best homemade banana pudding recipe, made completely from scratch for creamy, comforting layers. It is a classic Southern dessert perfect for any gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large ripe bananas, sliced
  • 1 box (11 ounces) vanilla wafers
  • 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
  2. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth.
  3. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens significantly and begins to bubble. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly. Slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.
  5. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk mixture. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Do not let it boil after adding the yolks.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the pudding into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold.
  7. When ready to assemble, slice the bananas.
  8. In a large glass serving dish or individual cups, create the layers. Start with a layer of vanilla wafers, followed by a layer of sliced bananas, and then a layer of the chilled pudding. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, ending with pudding on top.
  9. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
  10. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the top layer of pudding.
  11. Chill the assembled banana pudding for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, before serving. This allows the vanilla wafers to soften into a cake-like texture.

Notes

  • For a quicker, semi-homemade version similar to Magnolia Bakery style, you can substitute the scratch pudding with two boxes of instant vanilla pudding prepared according to package directions, ensuring it is fully chilled before layering.
  • Use slightly under-ripe bananas if you plan to assemble the dessert a day ahead, as very ripe bananas can become mushy after extended chilling.
  • If you prefer a meringue topping, skip the whipped cream and top the pudding with a baked meringue layer instead.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerycourier.com/banana-pudding-ultimate-old-fashioned-southern-recipe/