Banana Pudding
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Bring the magic of New York’s iconic Magnolia Bakery right into your own kitchen! Easily whip up their world-famous banana pudding, a heavenly mix of creamy vanilla pudding, ripe bananas, and good ol’ Nilla wafers.
Served at Magnolia Bakery, the iconic NYC bakeshop known for its old-fashioned desserts and charming decor, this is arguably the world’s most famous banana pudding recipe. I was fortunate that my sister lived around the corner from the original Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street for over a decade. No trip to see her was complete without standing in the seemingly endless line that extended outside the door, all for our banana pudding fix.
Given how famous this pudding is (it’s the bakery’s second-most popular dessert, after cupcakes), you may be surprised that the recipe calls for just a few ingredients, one of which is Jell-O instant vanilla pudding. I’ve made banana pudding entirely from scratch, demanding more ingredients and effort, and I can attest this simpler version rivals, if not surpasses, that. This classic Southern recipe is adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Alyssa Torrey and Jennifer Appel.
Table of Contents
“This is unbelievably delicious! I’m not a huge banana fan but I could eat this all day.”
What You’ll Need To Make Banana Pudding
- Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and a rich, creamy texture to the pudding base.
- Ice-cold water: Helps form the base of the pudding mix.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: Provides vanilla flavor and sets the pudding quickly. I recommend using Jell-O brand for best results.
- Heavy cream: Whipped and folded in to add lightness and an airy texture. For best results, stick with real whipped cream—skip the Cool Whip!
- Vanilla wafers: Provide a buttery flavor and crunch, creating layers that soften slightly. Nabisco Nilla wafers are traditional, but if you’re unable to find them, you can substitute with shortbread cookies, ladyfingers (also known as Savoiardi cookies), or animal crackers.
- Bananas: Sliced and layered to add fresh, fruity flavor and natural sweetness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk and water until evenly combined.
Add the pudding mix.
Whisk until there are no lumps and the mixture is completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours or overnight. (Be sure the pudding is completely solidified before continuing, otherwise the dessert will not hold up.)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream on medium speed until the cream starts to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form. (Be careful not to over-whip; if the cream looks grainy, you’ve gone too far.)
Whisk the pudding to loosen it up. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the pudding mixture a spoonful at a time.
Mix until just evenly blended and no streaks of pudding remain.
To assemble the dessert, use a 4-quart trifle bowl or wide glass bowl. (Alternatively, you can make individual portions in clear glasses or mason jars). Set aside 5 cookies to use as a garnish. Spread one-quarter of the pudding over the bottom.
Layer with one-third of the vanilla wafers.
Then add one-third of the sliced bananas (enough to cover the layer).
Repeat the layering twice more, ending with a final layer of pudding. Garnish the top with the reserved vanilla wafer crumbs (or a combination of the two).
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours (no longer).
Make-Ahead Instructions
The bakery recommends making banana pudding no more than 8 hours in advance. That said, I find it’s still pretty fresh the next day. And surprisingly, the bananas won’t brown as long as they’re fully covered with pudding and the dish is covered and refrigerated. Note: Banana pudding cannot be frozen.
Video Tutorial
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Banana Pudding
Bring the magic of New York’s iconic Magnolia Bakery right into your own kitchen! Easily whip up their world-famous banana pudding, a heavenly mix of creamy vanilla pudding, ripe bananas, and good ol’ Nilla wafers.
Ingredients
- One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ cups ice-cold water
- One 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)
- 3 cups heavy cream
- One 11-ounce box Nilla wafers
- 5 ripe medium bananas, sliced (see note)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk and water until evenly combined. Add the pudding mix and whisk until there are no lumps and the mixture is completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours or overnight. (Be sure the pudding is completely solidified before continuing, otherwise the dessert will not hold up.)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream on medium speed until the cream starts to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form. (Be careful not to over-whip; if the cream looks grainy, you've gone too far.)
- Whisk the pudding to loosen it up. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the pudding mixture a spoonful at a time. Mix until just evenly blended and no streaks of pudding remain.
- To assemble the dessert, use a 4-quart trifle dish or wide glass bowl, and set aside 5 cookies to use as a garnish. Spread one-quarter of the pudding over the bottom and layer with one-third of the cookies then one-third of the sliced bananas (enough to cover the layer). Repeat the layering twice more, ending with a final layer of pudding. Garnish the top with the reserved cookies or cookie crumbs (or a combination of the two). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours (preferably no longer as the cookies start to get too soft).
- Note: Peel and slice the bananas at the last minute (as you layer the pudding) to prevent them from turning brown.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Calories: 518
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Sugar: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 274 mg
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Is this an appropriate dessert to bring for Thanksgiving dinner. I usually make this in the summer but my son is hosting and my husband feels this is not a dessert for this holiday. I always make your desserts like brownies and blondies and someone else is bringing a pie. My daughter in law does not eat nuts and I am not familiar with some of the other guests so I thought this might be a good alternative. Any input/suggestions would be helpful. Thank you
Hi Michele, I wouldn’t say this is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with bringing it! If you’d like to browse through some other dessert options, there’s a big collection here. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Hi, I don’t have a stand mixer and have been cut off from making anymore kitchen gadget purchases since my husband busted me for ordering the cherry pitter to make your Clafoutis. Would a hand held mixer
LOL – yes a hand-held mixer will work well!
What would you suggest instead of bananas ?
We don’t much like in desert.
Love them in banana, peanut butter , cinnamon,toasted wholewheat bread sandwiches.
Hi Jen, You could try berries.
Hi Jenn, Nilla wafers and the thin chocolate wafers for your choc peanut butter ice box cake have become hard to come by. Any substitutes?
PS I am a regular follower and enjoy many of your wonderful recipes.
Hi Elisa, I know the chocolate wafers have been discontinued — so frustrating! These Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies are a good substitute. I haven’t had a problem Finding Nilla Wafers, but if you can’t, I’d go with shortbread cookies instead. Hope you enjoy the pudding!
I love all of Jenn’s recipes, but I must agree that using condensed milk and vanilla pudding is heresy! This recipe may be a delicious trifle, but would never be considered a real banana pudding in the South! Make your own sweet custard! The “original” Nilla Wafer banana pudding recipe was printed in the box for many decades. Google it, and you will not be disappointed!
Hi Brenda. Please don’t yell at us. You may be from the South, and you may be a true devotee to some southern recipes (ie : biscuits, cornbread, grits, beans and rice, etc), but I really think that banana pudding is pushing it a bit too far. Come on girl, don’t you realize that other people have different tastes than you? I’ll let you have your tastes if you’ll let me have mine. PS – I made this recipe for a crowd and they loved it!
Hi Jenn!
Love your recipes but I already make this one & I call it The Best Banana Pudding Ever! All my family, friend’s & previous co-workers will agree! ( I’m retired now). Keep up the good work!
Deliciously insane
My family loves banana pudding. I have always hated it. Until I decided to make this recipe for Father’s Day. It is delicious. Everyone (me included) loves it.
I have loved every single recipe you’ve put out. Until now. I’m
Sure it’s an excellent recipe. I just grew up on banana pudding from scratch, and without condensed milk.
Southern Banana pudding with meringue
(from my mother to me and from my grandmother to my mother)
Pudding:
4 cups whole milk (I don’t advise skim, the taste won’t be nearly so good)
2 cups white granulated sugar
4 heaping tablespoons self-rising flour
4 heaping tablespoons corn starch
4 egg yolks from large eggs.
Save the Egg whites for meringue and make sure NO water gets in them!)
1 tablespoon (more to taste!) high quality vanilla extract
About 6 ripe bananas
One box Nillla vanilla wafers
In large, heavy-bottomed pan, mix dry ingredients (I sift them together). You need a heavy bottomed pan to keep from sticking or burning the pudding.
In a large bowl, beat eggs into milk. Gradually add egg/milk mixture to dry ingredients. Make sure no lumps.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, til pudding mixture comes to a full boil.
Boil 2 more minutes, then remove pudding mixture from heat and add the vanilla extract.
Cool the pudding before adding bananas or you risk cooking the bananas! Cooked bananas are NOT good in banana pudding!
I remove the pudding from the hot pan to help it cool faster. I usually put pudding in a large bowl and then in the fridge. If I’m in a huge hurry, I may put my pudding bowl in an ice water bath, or even in the freezer for an hour or so. Just watch out for it and don’t freeze it!
Once the pudding has cooled, layer an oven-safe bowl with a layer of vanilla wafers, then a layer of bananas, then a layer of pudding and repeat til used up. End with a layer of pudding on top. Refrigerate one day. The meringue will eventually go on that the next day.
Meringue
4 egg whites from large eggs, room temp (about thirty minutes out of fridge is usually good)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon high quality vanilla extract
You can also use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for stability of meringue. I recommend it, but it’s not mandatory. Helps meringue not “weep.”
On medium speed, beat the room
Temp egg whites, the vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar til soft peaks form. The soft peaks will curl over if you remove the mixer blades.
Slowly add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while beating at high speed. If you add the sugar too fast, it knocks the air out of the whites and they won’t be as fluffy and high. Beat on high til stiff, glossy peaks form. Put on top of the pudding/wafers, banana/pudding mix.
Bake 350° for about 10 minutes til meringue tips are lightly golden.
Refrigerate for storage.
If you don’t beat til sugar dissolves, you’ll have “beads” left on top after baking. I like the beads but some people don’t. Whatever works for you.
Suggest eggs several days old. Too fresh and they won’t give as high a peak of meringue.
You can easily halve this recipe as it makes a lot of banana pudding!
For best results, cook the pudding and put it all together one day before eating, but don’t make the meringue til the day you eat it.
The pudding, vanilla, vanilla wafers and banana flavors will meld together better if it’s made one day before eating. The meringue quality goes down from day one to following days, so make it “day of serving.”
It will still be fine several days on fridge; if it lasts that long! It just won’t look as pretty if it sits a few days!
Thank you for sharing your family recipe, Charese. I have saved it and will add to my “must try” list as my husband adores banana pudding. I love Jenn’s recipes but also much prefer homemade custard to boxed pudding (especially because I don’t like desserts to be too too sweet). Once Upon a Chef is still my go-to recipe site, though! ❤️
I’m with you Charese! I’m a meringue lover too. The self rising flour was a surprise! (It’s also how you know it’s Southern…that flower makes good biscuits easy.)
Another caveat, besides not getting water in the egg whites, make sure there’s no yolk in the whites. Even a little will prevent the whites from reaching the stratosphere! And Southern banana puddin’ needs high meringue!
This is much too complicated for lazy me!
I have made the Magnolia Bakery recipe and found it way too sweet. I wish there was a way to cut the sweetness back a bit.