Robyn Stone
This Southern Banana Pudding is an heirloom family recipe and classic Southern dessert. Airy meringue atop creamy pudding is a delicious favorite and makes the best banana pudding!
Southern Banana Pudding Recipe
This banana pudding recipe is about as much of a comfort food in the South as it is a dessert. One that everyone always looks forward to digging into to get the perfect ratio of vanilla wafers, pudding, and bananas.
Grandmother always made hers with a towering meringue on top of the pudding that was light as air and the perfect combination with the rich pudding. She would ask my sister and me to help make her recipe for dessert so many times when we were young girls. It was a request I don’t remember ever tiring of hearing. She would ask one of us to carefully line the glass bowl with the vanilla wafers while the other sliced the bananas. We each had an important job and the pudding just wouldn’t work without both of us completing our tasks with care.
Or at least she always made us believe it wouldn’t.
While we were consumed with our duties, Grandmother was busily cooking the pudding on her stovetop. She loved to chat as she cooked, asking us about our day, telling us about when she would help her mother cook, or telling us about a bird she saw when she went to the garden earlier. Her voice was always as sweet and velvety as the pudding she was stirring.
Once we had our vanilla wafers and banana slices layered just as she instructed, she would ask us to step back as she poured the hot pudding over them. Within minutes following, she would have her egg whites beaten to a perfect salute and would be carefully spreading her meringue on top of the pudding. Into the oven it would go for my sister and me to run and stare through the glass door in the oven as the meringue magically browned.
That night for supper, we were anxious for everyone to taste “our” banana pudding because we knew it tasted just as good as Grandmother’s.
And in the morning, we always knew she would have her banana bread waiting on us, too! 🙂
Before we dig into making her iconic recipe, let’s cover a few basics.
What is Banana Pudding?
Banana pudding is a sweet Southern dessert made with layers of vanilla custard, cookies, and slices of fresh bananas. The dish is then topped with whipped cream or, as in my Grandmother’s traditional Southern Banana Pudding recipe, meringue.
How to Make the Best Banana Pudding Recipe
Ready in 30 minutes, you will definitely love this classic, heirloom recipe!
- Preheat the oven to 325º F.
How to Make the Custard for the Pudding:
- Combine your flour, sugar, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Lightly beat your egg yolks and whisk to combine with milk in a large bowl or even use a large liquid measuring cup, such as a 4-cup.
- Whisk your egg yolk mixture into your dry ingredients in the saucepan set over medium to low heat. Stir constantly until the custard is thickened, remove from the heat and stir in your vanilla extract.
How to Assemble Banana Pudding:
- Arrange vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 2-quart dish, such as an oven-safe glass bowl or dish.
- Slice bananas and place on top of the vanilla wafer layer.
- Pour 1/3 of the pudding over the wafers and bananas.
- Repeat layering process, ending with a layer of wafers.
How to Make the Meringue Topping:
- Use very clean beaters and bowl that have been refrigerated for a few moments. Then, whip the egg whites with your electric mixer at very high speed.
- Once the egg whites begin to foam, add the cream of tartar and then gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Continue to whip the egg whites until all of the sugar has dissolved and stiff peaks have formed, then incorporate the vanilla extract.
- Spread the meringue over the top of the pudding, taking care to completely spread to the inner edge of the dish to completely cover the pudding.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the meringue has lightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve.
Source: How to Make Meringue
How Long Will Banana Pudding Keep?
Store your banana pudding wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Here is her Southern Banana Pudding recipe. I know you’ll love it!
Southern Banana Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- pinch salt
- 3 large eggs separated (you’ll need whites later for meringue)
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 box vanilla wafers approximately 45 wafers
- 5-6 bananas
- 3 egg whites reserved from above
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large, heavy saucepan.
- Lightly beat egg yolks and combine with milk in a large bowl or measuring cup. Pour the egg and milk mixture into dry ingredients in heavy saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until ingredients are thickened and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla.
- To layer your banana pudding, begin by placing vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 2 quart oven-safe glass bowl or baking dish.
- Slice bananas and place on top of wafers.
- Pour one-third of custard over wafers and bananas.
- Repeat layering process two more times until all wafers, bananas, and custard have been used, ending with a final layer of wafers.
For the Meringue:
- Whip egg whites with an electric mixer set at high speed.
- Allow egg whites to foam, add cream of tartar and then gradually add sugar one tablespoon at a time.
- Continue whipping until sugar is well-dissolved.
- Add vanilla once stiff peaks have formed and whip until well-combined.
- Spread meringue over banana pudding, making sure to spread to the edges of the dish.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned.
Video
Nutrition Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives, originally published 2011.
I make this all the time and it’s always a hit!
Thanks, Elle!
Hello Robyn,
Please advise how to store leftovers to keep from bananas turning brown and how to keep the Meringue and pudding from running?
Jay, place a generous amount of plastic wrap, such as Saran wrap, all around the whole thing, While I am waiting for my meringue to make, I mush down a piece over the custard and banana mix in the bowl. Remove it before you plop your meringue on top. The whole
wrap-over should come when you are ready to refrigerate. Voila!
I tossed them in a little concentrated lemon juice. We’ll see if that works. I cut two bananas at a time then drizzled a little juice over them while mixing a bit to make sure they were coated a bit.
I’ve made this before and it was incredible! My husband insisted this was his top choice for Father’s day dessert. If I needed to make it early to serve it 2 hours later..is this possible and if so how?
Thank you!
Hi Madison,
You can make it ahead. I would let it cool thoroughly, cover it with an airtight lid or wrap it well, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Hope your husband has a happy Father’s Day and enjoys his banana pudding! Thanks. xo
Thank you so much for answering me back, your help, and your amazing recipe! Thank you and take care!
How long can I store this and how?
Hi Kendra,
I think I may have answered your question in my answer above to Madison. Hope this helps!
Hi there! How ripe should the bananas be for this? Are we talking some brown spots or full on banana bread status?
Hi Mallory,
I like the bananas when they are still firm, just have ripened. You do not want the bananas to be really soft, so no brown spots. Hope this helps and you enjoy the banana pudding!
If we don’t want to have meringue do we still need to cook it?
Hi Jim,
If you are not using the meringue, you do not need to bake it. That baking time is to brown the meringue. Enjoy!
Delicious!
I am crying happy tears reading your wonderful and loving story of your time cooking with your grandmother! My Grandmother Tyler always made banana pudding with cooked custard and meringue. Such happy memories! Going to the store right now to buy the ingredients to make this amazing recipe today!!
I hope this pudding brings more happy memories, Stephanie. I always think of my Grandmother Verdie when I make this.
Hi I have a few questions before I make this because it looks so good! I see that you do not have in your directions to temper the eggs. I want to follow your recipe but i’m nervous the eggs will scramble should I just follow what’s written or temper the eggs? Also does this pudding need to set? If so what temperature do you recommend they set at like at room temp or fridge?
Sofia, if you follow the instructions in #3 in the recipe (mixing the beaten eggs yolks and milk thoroughly and then mixing with the dry ingredients and cooking over low to medium heat until thickened), you will not have a problem with the eggs. It might help you to watch the video to see how it is supposed to look while cooking. You can serve it warm right after you finish making it but you must refrigerate any leftovers. Cover it with an airtight lid or cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve again. It is delicious cold. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much for the quick response. I did watch the video I’m just nervous is all, it’s my first attempt at a pudding like this. I will follow your directions and I hope it comes out just like you said. Thank you for all the help!
Great recipe.
FYI this custard is a classic french Creme Patissiere. The flour in the mixture prevents the eggs from scrambling. Just don’t bring it to a hard boil. Simmer until thickened.
Turned out beautifully. Excellent recipe!!!
Thanks, Chrisie. So glad this turned out so well for you. xo
Wow! This banana pudding is a winner! Easy to make , regular ingredients that you have on hand. The custard is sweet, the meringue compliments it perfectly. My husband is so picky about food, and is not a big dessert guy. He raved about it and came back for seconds! I love this recipe and will use it often. Thanks!
I’m so happy you and your husband loved this banana pudding, Judy. This has been a favorite in my family since my grandmother made it when I was a little girl. Thanks!
May I ask how this dessert tastes cold from the fridge, in comparison to warm? I feel like it’s something that should be served warm? Would love to make it for a family gathering at Easter, but it would have to be prepared prior and therefore, served from the fridge. Can’t wait to whip it up!
Thank you in advance 🙂
I’d suggest if you want it to look the very best, I’d wait until the day of serving to make the meringue topping and bake. You can made the pudding part and refrigerate. I would place plastic wrap just over the top of the pudding and press down so its tight against the top and then cover container tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating. Then just add the meringue topping and bake before serving. Enjoy! xo
I too often find myself in the middle of cooking and reach for milk only to find it left with very little in the carton. Can you substitute canned evaporated milk or powdered milk and have it still taste the same?
Tiernie, you can use canned evaporated milk or powdered milk. Just follow directions on the package to make sure you reconstitute it to the same consistency of regular milk, if needed. There may be a slight difference in the taste but it should not be a problem.
I just made this – I used 2 cups skim milk and 1 cup heavy cream (because that’s what I had). I added a TBS of butter with the vanilla. Also, I sliced the bananas and just stirred them into the warm pudding before pouring it all over the wafers. IT IS PERFECT! My 6 yr old licked the spatula and wants to eat it all now, while its warm. I will forgo the meringue, because I don’t like it, and top with whipped cream. THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe!
When a 6 year old likes something this much it’s quite a compliment, Laurie. Thank you.
Hello- did anyone have issue with the pudding? Mine has thickened a little but still runny
Eilda, as stated in the recipe instructions (step 3) those ingredients should be cooked until thickened. The custard should be thick before you take it off the heat. I’m not sure if this also applies, but also make sure to use whole milk as in the recipe. Since cooktop temps are different, heat may need to be turned up a bit more or you may have to cook longer to achieve the thickened consistency as mentioned in the recipe instructions. Also, look at the video to see how thick the pudding should be. I hope this helps. Thanks!
Can I double this recipe? Large family and they really like banana pudding!
Martha, you can certainly double the recipe if you want. I hope everyone enjoys it. xo
Excellent recipe! I had been trying to find a banana pudding recipe that didn’t ask for instant pudding and based on the reviews, I thought this one would be a winner and it was. I would say I cooked my custard on the stovetop a little too long as it got firm before I layered it with the bananas and wafers but it was still excellent and my husband went back for seconds. I didn’t have enough milk so I used about a cup of cream so that may have contributed to it being thicker. This is definitely a crowd pleaser. So delicious, thank you for this great recipe.
Thanks, Bill. I’m so glad you liked the pudding. The cream could have made this thicken too much. It might help to watch my video that is shown in the recipe to see the consistency the custard should be.
I’m from Australia and we don’t have those Nilla Wafers 🙁 could you suggest a substitution if possible?
Mim, these are a vanilla wafer but I’m not sure what you have available in Australia that would be a substitute. Maybe someone else on here has found a substitute that works.
Can I ask what a vanilla wafer tastes like? Is it similar to a shortbread cookie? Thank you anyway for your reply 🙂
If anyone else has a suggestion, that would be most welcomed also 🙂
Vanilla wafers are a thin sweet cookie.
They are most similar to small shortbread cookies but any small butter or sugar cookie will work
Recipe is awesome! Very easy. Should the pudding cool before pouring over bananas. Im wondering if the hot pudding makes the bananas turn brown faster??
No, the pudding shouldn’t be cool. Pour the warm pudding over the wafers and bananas while it is warm, Sherry.
I can’t wait to try. Could I substitute the wafers for Graham crackers?
I’ve never tried this with graham crackers, Jessica so I can’t tell you how it would work.
Delicious!
Thanks, Catherine!
First time making homemade banana pudding and it turned out great! I didn’t have vanilla wafers so I used graham crackers and it tasted delicious. I also only had 1% milk but it still worked. We also put crushed graham crackers on top of the meringue.
I haven’t used graham crackers in this recipe but I’m so glad this turned out well with the substitutions, Denise. Thanks!
My vanilla wafers keep dissolving. Ideas? thanks
I have no idea why the vanilla wafers would dissolve, Anne. Is your custard thick or still very thin?
I just made this today. I made 2, first for practice second for the neighbor who had surgery this morning. It is wonderful!!
Something I learned on the first one, when cooking the custard, start the stove med-hi until it starts to thicken, then turn it down. Also, save a little of the milk for the end of the thickening.
You probably know this already but in new. So for anybody (like me) making this for the first time
Thanks, Sherry. I’m so glad you had such good success on your first try making this and loved it. I hope your friend has a speedy recovery from surgery.
I made this pudding for the first time last night for the 2 of us and knew immediately after my first bite this was going to be gone soon. Luckily, I stashed a serving for myself in another container in the fridge because this Banana Pudding was a hit. Who knew you can make your own pudding! Thank you for your recipe. I am already planning another bowl for next weekend.
It sounds like you love this banana pudding as much as I do, Karen! Thanks!
Was looking for a recipe close to Rodney Scotts from Charleston. This recipe tastes pretty darn close! We LOVED it! I made it with homemade whipped cream and excellent! Next time I will add a very small amount of very finely chopped pecans on the top or crushed nilla wafers before serving for a crunch. thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Karis. I’m so happy you loved it.
Southern Banana Pudding is a staple in our house of 9. If I have extra really brown and juicy bananas I blend and add them to the pudding. I also add a little more vanilla AND a stick of Kerrygold butter. Because real butter just makes it a little more “southern” in our very southern house.
Thanks, Lori!
This is the best old-fashioned banana pudding recipe, just like my mom and grandmother used to make. I’m so thankful that I found it so I can make it for my own family!
Suzanne, this is just the way my grandmother and mother made this banana pudding. It has always been a favorite of mine, too.
Absolutely love this recipe. Banana Pudding is a favorite of my fiancees. This recipe is easy and gives great results everytime. I am very grateful for the video because it shows exactly how thick your custard should. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Sherry. I’m glad the video helped.
If I could give this a hundred stars I would! This is the absolute best tasting banana pudding ever! Holy cow it’s good! I will tell you my meringue skills need worked on but it was still delicious! It looked great when it came out of the oven but then deflated later, as did I. I put into the fridge and tasted later after it was chilled to make sure it tasted okay. I had difficulty putting the spoon down. I was making this for my husband’s birthday. Poor thing, his dessert had a huge hole of banana pudding missing. 😄
Anyway, I want to make sure to thank you for sharing this absolute keeper of a recipe! This will definitely go into my collection for sure! ❤ – Janera
I’m so glad you liked this pudding, Janera. I hope your husband likes it just as well. I hope he has a very happy birthday! Thank you!