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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Easy Instant Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers

    By Lily・Published: Mar 24, 2023・Updated: Apr 8, 2023・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Easy instant banana pudding with vanilla wafers is a quick (and unbelievably delicious) banana pudding recipe made with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, bananas, nilla wafers, and vanilla pudding mix.

    banana pudding with pudding mix and nill wafers

    Top this no-bake banana pudding dessert with cool whip or a homemade meringue made with egg whites and sugar!

    Banana pudding is a classic Southern dessert with a lot of variations. This delicious dessert takes just 30 minutes (or less).

    If you like pudding desserts check out this chocolate yummy (or chocolate delight). It's made with chocolate pudding, a pecan shortbread crust, a sweet cream cheese layer, and whipping cream.

    What You Will Love

    This recipe is the result of experimenting with several recipes to find a sweet spot of deliciousness, ease, and not being overly rich. If you are tracking macros, this dessert is easy to fit in.

    This recipe started as Paula Deen's infamous 5-star rated "Not Yo Mama's" Banana Pudding Recipe" but with some tweaks. Vanilla wafer cookies are subbed for Chessman cookies (a bit healthier), whipping cream was removed (lots of added calories without much bang), and a homemade meringue was added for that fluffy topping.

    The end result: the best banana pudding recipe ever that the whole family will love. The proof is in the pudding so to speak.

    Ingredient Notes

    ingredients to make nilla wafer banana pudding
    • Bananas: Use fresh bananas (not frozen). The best bananas are ripe bananas.
    • Vanilla wafers: The exact brand I used was Nabisco's Nilla wafers. You can also use shortbread cookies, Lotus biscoff cookies, or Chessman cookies (sub 2 bags of Chessman for one box of Nilla wafers). Biscoff cookies may be more readily available outside of the U.S.
    • Pudding mix: Use instant vanilla pudding mix, preferably French vanilla or plain vanilla.
    • Milk: Use any kind of cold milk- whole milk, fat-free milk, or non-dairy milk.
    • Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese is preferable.
    • Sweetened condensed milk: Store-bought condensed milk.
    • Pinch of salt
    • If making homemade meringue: whole eggs and white sugar.

    See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

    How To Make Instant Banana Pudding

    mixing the pudding mix and milk together.

    In a large bowl, add the cold milk and instant pudding mix. Whisk for a couple of minutes.

    french vanilla pudding mix

    Set the instant pudding aside to firm up (about 5 minutes).

    adding sweetened condensed milk to cream cheese

    In a second large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.

    mixing the cream cheese and condensed milk together

    Whisk together until smooth.

    adding the french vanilla pudding to the cream cheese mixture.

    Add the pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Drop in a pinch of salt (trust me).

    banana pudding mixture.

    Whisk the banana pudding mixture by hand until smooth.

    adding nilla wafers and sliced bananas to a baking dish.

    Layer the bottom of a 9" x 13" casserole dish with vanilla wafers. Add the fresh banana slices on top.

    adding the rest of the banana pudding mixture onto the bananas and nilla wafers.

    Spread half of the pudding mixture. Add a second layer of vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. Layer the rest of the pudding mixture.

    How To Make Homemade Meringue

    ⭐️ If you want to keep this a no-bake dessert, just top the banana pudding with whipped cream or cool whip and skip this section. ⭐️

    Because meringue is made with raw egg whites, you definitely want to bake it. Homemade meringue is a favorite topping for pie and pudding because it's light and fluffy.

    The banana pudding bakes with the meringue in the oven which caramelizes the bananas a little bit too.

    separating the egg yolks from the egg whites.

    Heat the oven to 350 ℉ (180 ℃). Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.

    adding sugar to the egg whites.

    Add sugar to the egg whites. Pour some vanilla extract (optional).

    whipping the egg whites and sugar to make meringue.

    Using a hand electric mixer, beat the egg whites and sugar on high until stiff peaks form (about 3 or 4 minutes).

    adding the meringue on top of the banana pudding.

    Spread the meringue on top of the pudding.

    baked meringue banana pudding.

    Bake the meringue at 350 ℉ (180 ℃) for about 18 minutes, or until the peaks brown.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Give the dessert at least 2 hours to set, so the vanilla wafers can soften. This dessert tastes better the next day (in my opinion).
    • Whip the egg whites on high until they get really fluffy.
    • The pinch of salt (or two pinches) adds so much!
    southern banana pudding with meringue

    Variations and Substitutions

    • Substitutions for the homemade meringue: use cool whip, store-bought whipped cream, or make homemade whipped cream (using heavy whipping cream). This is a no-bake banana pudding if you skip the meringue and use a substitute.
    • Make a thicker banana pudding mixture. Instead of using 4 cups of milk, use 3 cups of milk.
    • Use vanilla pudding mix instead of French vanilla pudding mix.
    • Make homemade pudding instead of using boxed pudding. Granny Eva used to make a pudding custard with egg yolks.
    • Substitutions for Nilla Wafers: use graham crackers, Lotus biscoff cookies, chessman cookies, or shortbread cookies.
    banana pudding with egg white meringue.

    Equipment

    You will need an electric hand mixer, three large bowls, a 9"x13" casserole dish, and a whisk for this recipe.

    Storage

    Store this creamy banana pudding with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days. The bananas may brown slightly. The meringue may "sweat" a little. This is normal.

    FAQs

    What keeps bananas from turning brown in banana pudding?

    Topping the bananas with pudding mixture, whipped cream, or meringue seal the bananas off from exposed air. This helps the bananas from turning brown.

    Can you substitute graham crackers for vanilla wafers in banana pudding?

    Yes, you can substitute graham crackers for vanilla wafers. Just layer the graham crackers in the same way as vanilla wafers (sandwiched in between bananas and pudding.

    What can I use instead of Nilla Wafers for banana pudding?

    Chessman cookies, shortbread cookies, Lotus biscoff cookies, and graham crackers can be used instead of nilla wafers.

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    📋 Recipe

    homemade nilla wafer banana pudding

    Easy Instant Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers

    Author: Lily
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep: 15 minutes mins
    Cook: 15 minutes mins
    Total: 30 minutes mins
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 12
    This easy instant banana pudding is made with vanilla wafers, cream cheese, condensed milk, banana slices, pudding mix, milk, and homemade meringue. It's the perfect banana pudding dessert!

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    Banana Pudding

    • 1 box vanilla wafers 11 oz box, use ⅔ of box
    • 2 boxes french vanilla pudding mix 3.4 oz boxes
    • 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese
    • 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
    • 7 whole fresh bananas
    • 4 cups cold milk any kind
    • pinch of salt

    Homemade Meringue

    • 8 eggs whites separated
    • ¼ cup white sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

    Instructions

    Make Banana Pudding

    • In a large bowl, mix together the milk and pudding mix. Let the pudding mix set for about 5 minutes.
    • Using a hand mixer in a second bowl, whisk the cream cheese and condensed milk together. Add the pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Add a pinch of salt. Whisk together.
    • In a 9"x13" dish, add a layer of vanilla wafers. Then top with sliced bananas. Add half of the pudding mixture. On top of the pudding, add another layer of vanilla wafers and sliced banana. Top with the remaining pudding mixture.
    • If using cool whip or whipped cream, top the banana pudding. If making homemade meringue, continue to the next step.

    Homemade Meringue

    • Heat the oven to 350 ℉ (180 ℃).
    • In a large bowl, separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Add the sugar and vanilla extract (if using).
    • Whisk the egg whites using a hand mixer on high. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (about 3 to 4 minutes).
    • Spread the meringue on top of the banana pudding. Bake the meringue at 350 ℉ (180 ℃) for about 18 minutes, or until the peaks brown. Let the banana pudding cool down for 30 minutes. Store the pudding in the fridge.

    Equipment

    hand whisk.
    Hand Whisk
    hand blender.
    Electric Hand Mixer
    9" x 13" baking pan.
    Casserole Dish
    mixing bowls.
    Glass Mixing Bowls

    Video

    Notes

    1. For thicker pudding- reduce the milk by 25%. So if the recipe calls for 4 cups, just use 3 cups.
    2. Use any kind of cold milk- whole milk, fat-free, oat milk, almond milk, etc.
    3. Substitute cool whip or homemade whipped cream for homemade meringue.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 465 kcal | Carbohydrates: 63 g | Protein: 13 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 11 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Cholesterol: 60 mg | Sodium: 401 mg | Potassium: 462 mg | Fiber: 0.2 g | Sugar: 60 g | Vitamin A: 711 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 322 mg | Iron: 0.2 mg

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    About Lily

    Howdy! My name is Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks to the fridge, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sabrina

      July 01, 2024 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      Made this will cool whip as the topping for an easy no-bake dessert and everyone just gobbled it up!

      Reply

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    lily at the matbakh

    I'm Lily

    I'm an American Lebanese living in Texas. My kitchen, or matbakh, is a hodgepodge of recipes from the U.S. and Mediterranean region.

    ABOUT ME

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