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Home » Blog » Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

Published: May 9, 2017 · Modified: Jan 7, 2023 by Lynda · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Nothing says Southern like a creamy, decadent homemade banana pudding! This classic dessert is sure to delight with meringue topping and velvety, sweet custard. It’s perfect for a summer barbecue or an after-dinner treat. Whether you’re a beginner baker or a seasoned pro, this simple recipe will have everyone reaching for seconds! Serve it warm or cold—either way, the meringue topping will take your banana pudding to the next level.

Homemade Banana Pudding with vanilla wafers and meringue topping
Jump to:
  • 📝 Ingredients
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Banana Pudding
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Bud’s Best Cookies
  • National Banana Pudding Festival

Its creamy custard tastes like a dreamy mash-up of bananas foster and vanilla ice cream when it melts into that sweet whipped topping. But if you’re looking to make your own Southern dessert or whip up something special for an upcoming holiday celebration, consider making banana pudding from scratch instead of opening a box or canister. The results are worth the extra effort!


According to SeriousEats.com, banana pudding has been enjoyed by Americans in some form or another since the 1870s. We can thank Laura Kerley for the idea of using vanilla wafers in the creamy, luscious dessert in the early 1920s.

Banana pudding took on a Southern identity in 1933 thanks to a syndicated column that offered a recipe for “Southern Banana Pudding.”

The best way to top banana pudding is with a layer of lightly sweetened meringue. Once it has been baked, it is ready to be devoured once it has cooled just a bit. Or if you prefer, you can chill it in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold. Better yet – enjoy a bowl while it is still warm and then the next day have a serving of chilled banana pudding.

📝 Ingredients

You probably already have most of the ingredients that are called for in this banana pudding recipe:

  • sugar
  • flour
  • salt
  • milk
  • eggs
  • vanilla
  • vanilla wafers
  • bananas

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Banana Pudding

Combine sugar, flour, and salt in the top of a double boiler*, stir in milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until thickened.

Beat egg yolks and gradually stir into hot mixture. Return to double boiler; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add vanilla.

Line one quart casserole with Bud’s Best Vanilla Wafers and top with sliced bananas. Pour ½ portion of custard over bananas. Repeat, ending with custard on top.

Beat egg whites stiff but not dry. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar and beat until mixture forms stiff peaks. Pile on top of pudding.

Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 5 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

*If you don’t have a double boiler, you can place the sugar, egg yolks, flour, milk and salt in a small pot and then turn the heat to medium. Stir continuously until it starts to thicken. (It took me about 20 minutes to get it to the right stage.)


Don’t feel like cooking but still want banana pudding? Check out my recipe for Easy Banana Pudding.

📖 Recipe

bowl of banana pudding

Southern Banana Pudding

Delight your friends and family with this sweet dessert that you can make from scratch.
4.62 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 264kcal
Author: Lynda

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 eggs separated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla flavor
  • Bud’s Best Vanilla Wafers
  • 6 ripe bananas sliced thin

Instructions

  • Combine sugar, flour and salt in the top of a double boiler, stir in milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until thickened.
  • Beat egg yolks and gradually stir into hot mixture. Return to double boiler; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat, add vanilla.
  • Line one quart casserole with Bud’s Best Vanilla Wafers and top with sliced bananas. Pour ½ portion of custard over bananas. Repeat, ending with custard on top.
  • Beat egg whites stiff but not dry. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar and beat until mixture forms stiff peaks. Pile on top of pudding.
  • Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 5 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

Video

Notes

This recipe comes courteous of Bud’s Best Cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 140mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 32g
Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SouthernKissedBlog or tag #southernkissed!

No matter how you enjoy banana pudding – hot or cold – this recipe is delicious and so much better than those easy banana pudding recipes that are made from a mix.

Bud’s Best Cookies

Bud’s Best Cookies was very kind to allow me to share their recipe with you. If you are not familiar with Bud’s Best Cookies, here’s a little background information: headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the first Bud’s Best cookies were sold in 1993. Bud’s Best are known for their size – bite size. One thing I love about the different varieties is that a 6 oz. bag at my local grocery store is only $1.

Bags of cookies on a shelf.

National Banana Pudding Festival

Did you know that there is a National Banana Pudding Festival? The next fest will be October 6-7, 2018 in Centerville, Tennessee. The annual festival began in 2009 as a nonprofit organization to help raise funds. The two-day event includes fun activities for the whole family, along with arts and crafts booths.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Ginger says

    January 03, 2021 at 1:53 am

    This is the banana pudding recipe my family (both sides) has used as far back as I can remember, (my great- grandmothers). I’m cooking it now. Thanks for publishing it. It is absolutely THE BEST!

    Reply
  2. Wendy says

    April 28, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    OH MY WORD! This is my Grandma’s recipe! I LOVE banana pudding!

    Reply
  3. Theresa says

    September 27, 2013 at 11:52 pm

    This looks so yummy!

    Reply
  4. nicole @nicky_olea says

    May 29, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    That looks soooooo good!

    Reply
  5. Toni says

    May 16, 2013 at 11:33 pm

    I had bread pudding for the first time a few weeks ago and it was so good. I will have to try this.

    Reply
  6. TerriAnn @ Cookies & Clogs says

    May 16, 2013 at 12:24 am

    I had no idea it was so easy to make pudding!

    Reply
  7. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

    May 15, 2013 at 2:54 pm

    I like making my pudding homemade too, but I’ll have to use those vanilla wafers next time!

    Reply
  8. patti says

    May 14, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    that’s the way my mom made it

    Reply
  9. Angela says

    May 14, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    I haven’t made banana pudding in ages. Seriously yummy!

    Reply
  10. Vanessa: the queen of swag ! says

    May 14, 2013 at 9:26 am

    Omg this looks so good. Thanks for sharing the recipe!! A must try.

    Reply
  11. Tammy says

    May 13, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    I always used to buy Bud’s cookies for my daughter’s lunches when she was in elementary school. I think this would make a great dessert for a backyard cookout!

    Reply
  12. Emily @FamilyNLifeLV says

    May 13, 2013 at 1:34 am

    Banana pudding reminds me of being sick as a child. We always got it when we had sore throats!

    Reply
  13. Elaina- @atimeout4mommy says

    May 12, 2013 at 10:35 pm

    this looks and sounds delicious!

    Reply
  14. Lisa says

    May 12, 2013 at 9:26 pm

    I’ll have to try this!

    Reply
  15. Kathleen says

    May 12, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    Yum! This looks great. I don’t think I have ever seen it made with meringue.

    Reply
  16. Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says

    May 12, 2013 at 12:35 am

    Love banana pudding!

    Reply
  17. Theresa says

    May 12, 2013 at 12:31 am

    So yummy.

    Reply
  18. Leilani says

    May 12, 2013 at 12:28 am

    This looks amazing. I’ve never tried banana pudding, but I love bananas so I’ll give this a try!

    Reply
  19. courtney says

    May 11, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    Oooh yummy! I loveeeee anything banana 🙂

    Reply
  20. Stefani says

    May 11, 2013 at 11:20 pm

    My son LOVES bananas and banana flavored foods. I bet he would like this.

    Reply
  21. Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says

    May 11, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    YUM! I’ve never made *real* banana pudding …. I think I need to rectify that!

    Reply
  22. Marcie W. says

    May 11, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Oh goodness, I am drooling just from the photos.

    Reply
  23. Tricia Nightowlmama says

    May 11, 2013 at 12:10 am

    looks delicious perfect party sharing dish

    Reply
  24. Anne - Mommy Has to Work says

    May 10, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    I haven’t this in forever!

    Reply
  25. Mary Beth Elderton says

    May 10, 2013 at 9:32 am

    OMGoodness! This recipe is straight out of my childhood and the best of memories!

    Reply
  26. TerriAnn @ Cookies & Clogs says

    May 10, 2013 at 1:05 am

    Awesome! I love how simple the recipe is and the browned top looks so appetizing!

    Reply
  27. Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says

    May 10, 2013 at 12:06 am

    OMG, that looks amazing.

    Reply
  28. Sheilacakes says

    May 09, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    Looks great. I love pudding.

    Reply
  29. Mellisa says

    May 09, 2013 at 9:17 pm

    This looks so good. I love banana pudding.

    Reply
  30. Colleen says

    May 09, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    Oh yum my husband loves banana pudding.

    Reply
  31. HilLesha @To the Motherhood says

    May 09, 2013 at 6:02 pm

    I love Banana pudding. 🙂

    Reply
  32. Donna says

    May 09, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    I don’t like bananas, but my hubby and son would love this!

    Reply
  33. Katy says

    May 09, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    Yummy! You made the most beautiful meringue. That’s not an easy task.

    Reply
  34. Andy says

    May 09, 2013 at 2:44 pm

    I love me some “nanner” pudding.

    Reply
  35. Jennifer says

    May 09, 2013 at 2:43 pm

    that looks so yummy! I’ve never tried making my own pudding like this before!

    Reply
  36. Maryann says

    May 09, 2013 at 1:53 pm

    yummy, yummy, yummy

    Reply
  37. Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com says

    May 09, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    Yum, yum, yum. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Smoke Ribs says:
    April 27, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    […] Homemade Banana Pudding […]

    Reply

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Lynda and Johnny statue

My name is Lynda and I am a recovering sugar addict and travel junkie. I'm also a mom of two children & 2 dogs, wife of 1....and a messy cook taking life one bite at a time.

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