If you're looking for a great recipe for old fashioned banana banana pudding from scratch, you've come to the right place! This classic banana pudding recipe is simple and delicious. My kitchen always has the ingredients to make this easy homemade pudding from scratch.
If you enjoy this recipe you might also like my homemade banana cream pie recipe
❤️What to Love About This Recipe
- It's a perfect easy weekend banana and graham cracker dessert to have on hand.
- A great to make ahead dessert, and it gets even tastier the next day.
- Say goodbye to powdered pudding mix and hello to easy homemade banana pudding with these eight simple ingredients.
- This classic southern dessert yield is 2 cups, however it can easily be doubled.
Table of Contents
✔ Ingredients Notes
Homemade Banana Pudding Web Story
✔ Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of whole milk, you can use low-fat milk with good results, the pudding won't be as rich but still good.
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract can be substituted for the vanilla paste. You can so use a lemon extract for a lemony pudding. For extra banana flavor add a drop or two of banana extract.
- The basic pudding from scratch is really a base for other flavors. Try adding in mixed berries instead of banana slices.
- You can substitute chocolate wafers, vanilla wafers, nilla wafers, or even go another direction and layer in granola instead of using graham crackers.
- If out of cornstarch you can substitute flour at a 2:1 ratio, 2 parts flour to 1 part cornstarch.
📖How to Make Pudding from Scratch
- Combine your flour, sugar, cornstarch, and milk in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk in the egg yolk.
- Whisk constantly until the pudding begins to thicken, remove from the heat and stir in your vanilla extract and butter.
I use larger pieces of graham crackers for the bottom layer and fine crumbs sprinkled on top of the banana pudding.
- Arrange sliced bananas and graham crackers on the bottom of a small casserole dish and pour in the vanilla pudding.
- Slice the remaining bananas and place them on top of the pudding and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.
- Chill until set.
This pudding is great topped with some homemade whipped cream. if you enjoy this recipe then check out more of my small batch dessert recipes.
✎Recipe Notes
- I like the banana flavor to come from the fresh ripe bananas, a banana-flavored pudding mix overpowers the fresh flavor and the instant vanilla pudding is always a little too sweet for my liking. It's really about personal preference, I love sweets, just not so sweet that it is all you taste. By using a homemade vanilla pudding, the flavor of the wafers and fresh banana mixes nicely. Again it really is about personal taste.
- I love the lighter texture and flavor of the graham crackers. On the bottom layer, the graham crackers are in larger pieces and the top is sprinkled with a finer crumb.
- Do I need to refrigerate the pudding?
🍽️How to Serve
The banana pudding should be chilled before serving. This old-fashioned pudding is a great make-ahead dessert.
For the best banana flavor refrigerate the pudding overnight.
❄️Storage
Refrigerate any unused pudding in a covered container. The bananas may brown but will still taste wonderful!
？Common Questions
Cornstarch is used as a thickener in the pudding. You can substitute flour at a 2:1 ratio, 2 tablespoons of flour for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
Your banana pudding should last for about two days if you leave it covered in the refrigerator. The bananas might start to look brown but they will still taste amazing.
Did you make this recipe? I would love it if you left a comment or review! Be sure to sign up for the email list and follow "A Weekend Cook" on Pinterest and my Facebook page.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana’s sliced
- 2 sheet graham crackers crushed
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla paste
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, milk, cornstarch, salt, and lightly beaten egg yolk
- Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble and starts to thicken about 10-12 minutes. Don't turn up the heat to make it cook faster, you want the pudding to cook slowly to avoid burning the mixture.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla paste.
- Place broken-up pieces of graham crackers sliced bananas on the bottom of a small casserole dish.
- Pour the pudding over the bananas and graham crackers, and top with more slices of banana.
- Sprinkle finely crushed graham crackers on top.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
What's your favorite graham cracker dessert?
Other recipes you might enjoy include:
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think or share a tip.