08/22/2026
The cookies soften into the creamiest banana pudding overnight
Creamy Banana Pudding With Layers of Bananas and Vanilla Cookies
This homemade banana pudding is luxuriously creamy, with sweet banana slices tucked between silky vanilla pudding and soft, milk-soaked cookies. Every spoonful has that dreamy contrast of cool custard, tender fruit, and cookies that practically melt away. šāØ
12 servings
Ingredients
Banana Pudding
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (104g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk
1 1/4 cups sweetened condensed milk (one 14 oz can)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
6-7 medium-sized bananas, sliced 1/3 inch thick
11 ounce box Nilla Wafers
Whipped Cream
3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
1/4 cup (29g) powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to make it
Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Add the milk and whisk until there are no lumps, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk.
Cook the mixture over medium-low to medium heat, whisking constantly, until hot but not boiling, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Slowly whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Add a little more, then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
Return the saucepan to the heat and whisk constantly until the mixture starts boiling, less than 5 minutes. Keep whisking and boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla extract and butter, then whisk until completely smooth.
Transfer the pudding to a bowl and press clear wrap directly against the surface. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 2-3 hours.
Whip the 2 cups heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled pudding in two additions until no streaks remain.
Arrange 1/3 of the Nilla Wafers across the bottom of your serving dish, overlapping them if needed.
Add a layer of sliced bananas, then spread 1/3 of the pudding mixture evenly over the bananas.
Repeat the Nilla Wafer, banana, and pudding layers two more times, creating 3 layers of each.
For the topping, whip the 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Spread the whipped cream over the pudding. Add extra Nilla Wafers and wafer crumbs if desired.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 8 hours, so the cookies soften without allowing the bananas to brown.
This creamy layered banana pudding is best when the cookies have had just enough time to soak up the silky pudding.