Banana Pudding from Scratch

Try this no-bake Banana Pudding made from scratch using condensed milk, instant vanilla pudding mix, and whipped topping. This is very refreshing to eat on a warm day and great to bring for potluck. 

I enjoy making desserts like this because it’s a hit whenever I bring it to church potlucks or parties.  This Banana Pudding only requires 7 ingredients and it can be made in under 15 minutes.

Tips and Tricks for Making This Banana Pudding Recipe: 

• For any banana dessert that you are making, it is best to use bananas that are on the over-ripe stage as it is much sweeter and gives out that delicious aroma. You can tell when a banana is very sweet and perfect to use for desserts like this banana pudding recipe when the banana peel or skin already has brown spots or specks.
• Brownish and dark bananas in a no-bake dessert don’t look pretty when served. To avoid this, dip them in lemon juice or calamansi juice (if you are in a tropical country like the Philippines), before using it or mixing it with other ingredients. The high level of ascorbic acid or Vitamin C in lemons and calamansi prevent any fruit from browning, plus it also has a low level of acidity which helps in maintaining the natural color of fruits when dipped into the juice.
• Do you love super-creamy desserts? Add in some cream cheese for added flavor. I am sure it would taste so good and extra creamy.

How to Make this Banana Pudding Recipe:

Gather the ingredients first before starting. In this way, you can save so much time and energy by not walking to and fro from your kitchen counter to your pantry or fridge 🙂

In a large mixing bowl, add the cold milk and the instant vanilla pudding:

Beat the vanilla pudding and milk for about 2 minutes:

Add the condensed milk, vanilla extract, and continue mixing until combined:

We are almost done with the pudding mixture! I am so excited!

The last ingredient you are going to add is the whipped topping. Fold it in until it is well combined:

Do you see the visible whipped topping lumps in my mixture? I love biting into them each time I eat desserts like this. That is why I left a few of the lumps but if you like it extra smooth, you can continue folding it gently until you achieve the consistency that you like. Set the bowl aside:

Slice the bananas thinly. I like using the bananas with the brown specks on the banana skin or peel because it is way sweeter than those which have a perfect yellow peel. Are you wondering why I dip the banana slices in lemon juice? I do that so that the bananas even after chilling it do not turn brown. The discoloration isn’t too pretty for a dessert 🙂

Then layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a 9×13 inch pan. There isn’t a “rule” in layering the wafers and bananas so you can just dump them in however you like:

Add the pudding mixture to the banana-wafer layer you have made. Make sure to cover everything so that everyone who takes a slice of this delicious banana pudding will get a share of the pudding mixture:

Add the last half whipped topping to the top layer and decorate with wafers or bananas:

I decorated mine by simply placing the left-over sliced bananas alternately with the vanilla wafers. Then on top, I kind of draw squares and then placed a vanilla wafer on each square, just to make it a look a bit fancy.

Chill until serving:

That’s it, Simply Bakers! A very easy and quick banana dessert you can make from scratch! Perfect if you are craving for something sweet and don’t want to do the grocery shopping! Enjoy it with family and friends! I am sure they will love this!

Frequently Asked Questions for Banana Pudding Recipe:

Q: I love mangoes in my desserts. Can I add in ripe mangoes with the bananas?

A: For sure, it would work perfectly fine. That would make it a real tropical easy to make dessert!

Q: How can I prevent the bananas from turning brown?

A: Like how I do it each time I use bananas for dessert, I dip the bananas first in lemon juice, or if you have a lot of calamansi (like in the Philippines, they grow them in backyards), you can use that also. It works just as good.

Q: Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of cool whip?

A: Yes, you can use it as an alternative. Just make sure it is creamed well and has a fluffy texture before folding it in the pudding mixture. It won’t be as creamy if you use runny whipping cream.

Q: Can I use this recipe for making a poke cake?

A: For sure, it would be so delicious! This recipe is versatile and can be modified into several different delicious desserts.

Looking for more banana recipes? Try these ones:

• No Bake Banana Pie
• Banana Cake
• Mini Banana Muffins
• Vegan Banana Pancakes