Home » Recipes » Banana Pudding - Fast, Easy, and Super Delicious!
| | |

Banana Pudding – Fast, Easy, and Super Delicious!

This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you using these links. We appreciate your support!

Oh, how I love this banana pudding!  I found this a few years ago on Pinterest and I am so excited to share it with you today!  This recipe is slightly modified from Paula Deen’s Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding recipe.

If you haven’t tried this, pin it for later!  You’ll be so glad you did.  It is fast, easy, no-bake, and  super delicious!

Banana Pudding recipe.

Get more simple recipes here.

Banana Pudding Recipe:

Banana pudding is a perfect recipe to throw together for a family gathering, potluck, or just for your own family. It does make enough banana pudding to fill a 9 x 13 dish, so be prepared for lots of yummy goodness.

(Original recipe from Paula Deen’s ‘Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding’ with a few tweaks of my own!)

This post contains affiliate links which means I might make a commission should you purchase something after clicking through one of my links.  See my full  Disclosure policy for details.

Ingredients for Banana Pudding:

  • 1 box of vanilla wafer cookies (Nilla Wafers)
  • 4 – 6 sliced bananas
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 2- 3.4 ounce boxes of Jell-O instant french vanilla pudding
  • 1 – 8 oz package of cream cheese
  • 1 – 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 – 8 oz container of Cool Whip

Step 1:  Line a 9×13 pan with a layer of Nilla Wafers.

The wafers do not have to be arranged perfectly, but it only takes a moment to spread them out in the base of your dish.

In Paula Deen’s Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding recipe, she uses Chessmen butter cookies. To be honest, they sound delicious, I’ve just never tried them. I KNOW that the vanilla wafers are scrumptious, but feel free to try the Chessmen’s cookies if you’d like!

Vanilla wafers are super easy to find. My favorite are the brand “Nilla Wafers”, but generic work just fine. However, I might just put the butter cookies on my list to try.

Line Nilla Wafers in dish.

Step 2:  Slice four bananas, layering over Nilla Wafers.

I realize it’s banana pudding, but I personally do not love a lot of bananas in my banana pudding. If you prefer more banana flavor, by all means add one, two, or even three more bananas!

After slicing, the bananas can be put directly on top of the wafers. Just be sure to spread them out somewhat evenly.

Add bananas to Nilla Wafers.

Step 3:  Combine instant pudding and milk

Combine 2 boxes (3.4 ounce box size) of Jell-O instant french vanilla pudding mix and 3 cups of milk. Mix pudding mix and milk well with electric mixer or stand mixer.

Be sure to get INSTANT pudding mix, not the cook and serve. There is NO cooking involved in this recipe. Fast and easy!

That is part of why I love this. SO simple!

Jell-O recipes, French Vanilla.

Mix the dry instant vanilla pudding pouch with milk using your mixer just long enough to get them mixed well together.

Set it aside for now.

It will continue to set up as you prepare the remainder of your ingredients.

Modified version of Paula Deen's Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding.

Related: How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Last in the Fridge?

Step 4:  In separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.

I oftentimes will throw the cream cheese out on the counter an hour or so before I’m ready to make this dessert. That allows it to be soft enough to mix well with the sweetened condensed milk.

If you need to, you can always heat the cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up a bit.

cream cheese dessert and sweetened condensed milk to banana pudding recipe..

Mix cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Feel free to use the same mixers you used with the instant pudding above, no need to wash! It’s all going in together in just a bit.

Mixing the ingredients for banana pudding.

RELATED: Free Place Card Printables for Any Dinner Party

Step 5:  Fold in whipped cream (into cream cheese and condensed milk).

Just as I put the cream cheese on the counter about an hour prior to starting this recipe, I do the same with the whipped topping.

I often have this stored in my freezer, so I either make sure it’s been in the refrigerator overnight, or put it directly from the freezer to my counter for an hour or so prior to making the dish.

Cool Whip dessert.
Folding whip cream into pudding mix.

Step 6:  Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture.

Combine well in large mixing bowl using your mixer.

This is so incredibly tasty, you will have trouble waiting to sample it. SO, just give it a quick taste;-)

whipped ingredients for banana pudding recipe.

Step 7:  Pour over bananas, spreading evenly.

Spoon the above mixture directly over your bananas in the 9 x 13 dish.

Banana pudding recipe, Paula Deen.
Fast banana dessert.

Step 8:  Place another even layer of Nilla Wafers over mixture.

Some like to line their vanilla wafers up nice and neat. However, I’ve seen many just crumble vanilla wafers on top.

It’s your dessert, do it however you’d like!

Adding last layer of Nilla Wafers to banana pudding.

You’re done!

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  My preference is to refrigerate approximately 1 – 2 hours prior to serving.

If you don’t have time to let it sit in the fridge prior to serving, it is still a delicious dessert! It’s rare to have leftovers for long with this!

This is truly the best banana pudding recipe I’ve ever had.

I’m a big fan of vanilla, and even without vanilla extract, the instant vanilla pudding gives it just the right amount of vanilla flavor.

Delicious!!!  

It’s a nice spin on classic banana pudding with a little twist with the help of Paula Deen.

Please try this and let me know your thoughts, especially if you try it with the Chessmen’s butter cookies.  It is a fast and easy dessert that will most definitely be a hit with your family.

Frequently asked questions:

How long is banana pudding good for?

Banana pudding lasts for about four days if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It should be noted that the wafers get softer over time. Interestingly, I love it even more this way.

How do you keep bananas from turning dark in banana pudding?

If bananas turning brown is a concern for you, throw the peeled bananas in a few tablespoons of lemon juice prior to making your pudding. You can expect a slight lemon flavoring in your pudding however should you choose to do this.

In all honesty, I have NEVER done this and I have never found the coloration of the bananas to be off-putting. But, I understand it might be an issue for some.

Yield: One 9x13 dish banana pudding

Banana Pudding - Fast, Easy, and Super Delicious!

Fresh banana pudding in 9x13 baking dish.

Delicious and easy banana pudding recipe (possibly the best banana pudding recipe) adapted from the classic banana pudding and Paula Deen's Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding recipes.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box of vanilla wafer cookies (Nilla Wafers are recommended)
  • 4 - 6 sliced bananas
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 2- 3.4 ounce boxes of Jell-O instant french vanilla pudding
  • 1 - 8 oz package of cream cheese
  • 1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 - 8 oz container of Cool Whip

Instructions

  1. Line 9 x 13 baking dish with layer Nilla Wafers. Arrange the vanilla wafers in a single layer.
  2. Slice four bananas, layering over vanilla wafers. If you prefer more banana flavor add more bananas. Four to six bananas is a good number.
  3. Combine instant vanilla pudding and milk. Ensure you get the instant NOT cook and serve. Mix two boxes of instant pudding and three cups of milk until fully combined.
  4. In separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth.
  5. Fold in Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture. The whipped cream is best if sitting on the counter to soften for a bit prior to this step.
  6. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture. Combine in large mixing bowl.
  7. Pour over bananas, spreading evenly.
  8. Place another even layer of Nilla Wafers on top. I prefer to simply line mine in rows, but you could also crumble the vanilla wafers to put over the top.

Notes

  • I typically pull the cream cheese and Cool Whip out of the fridge to soften ~1 hour prior to starting recipe.
  • If time allows, chill banana pudding ~1 hour prior to serving. Note this is not necessary, but my preference.

Let’s connect!  Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook.

Don’t forget to PIN this to your favorite Pinterest board for later!

Best banana pudding recipe

Looking for other quick-to-fix recipes?: 

Banana pudding recipe

Similar Posts

22 Comments

  1. My son in law loves anything banana so I am surprising him with this banana pudding for Thanksgiving. I am sure he will not want to share with the rest of us…. but we shall prevail!

  2. I got all the ingredients to make this. Looks so yummy😋do you think I could make the pudding part a day ahead and then assemble next day?

    1. Bonnie, you are going to love it! The pudding sets up pretty quickly. If it were me I would really try to make it all in one setting. You can certainly try it though, just know the pudding portion might be pretty thick…if you give it a go, let us know how it turns out!

  3. This was amazing! I made it for 4th of July and people ate it up. I plan on making it again tomorrow for our youth group. Thanks so much!

  4. Yum! This takes me back to the banana pudding my grandmother used to make. This looks simply delicious and has given me a serious craving. I may just have to make a run to the store for ingredients!

  5. I love banana pudding! I have made this before, but not with cream cheese. Can’t wait to give it a try.

  6. I love everything about this delicious recipe! Banana pudding is the perfect dessert for holidays, potlucks and backyard BBQs. I love Paula Deens’s recipes so I already know I’m going to absolutely love your unique spin on this wonderful classic. I can’t wait to try it! 🙂

Comments are closed.