My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding

Get ready for a true dessert classic—My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding! Layers of homemade vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, and crispy vanilla wafers topped with whipped cream make this an irresistible treat. Perfect for any occasion, it's even better after a day in the fridge! Banana-free, No-Bake, + Vegan options.

My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding recipe always brings back such warm memories. Its luscious, rich + creamy texture instantly takes me back to our Saturday movie nights when she’d whip it up in minutes—layer by layer with cookies, bananas + homemade whipped cream. It was "our thing," and it’s one of the Southern staples I truly miss since moving from Florida.

You can make this recipe with whipped cream or go for a more traditional meringue. My whole family loves it—it’s perfectly sweet without being over the top. My grandma definitely knew what was up! For my fellow banana pudding lovers, I highly recommend trying my Classic Southern Banana Pudding or Strawberry Banana Pudding next.

And if you’re craving a little twist, give my Delicious Peanut Butter Banana Pudding or Caramelized "Crunch" Banana Pudding a try. They’re perfect for all the peanut butter fans out there!

Jump to:

• What is Baked Banana Pudding?
• Ingredients For My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding
• Baked Banana Pudding vs. No-Bake Banana Pudding
• How to Assemble the Banana Pudding:
• Tips To Make THE BEST Banana Pudding
• How to Ripen Bananas for Banana Pudding
• What Keeps Bananas from Turning Brown in Banana Pudding?
• What is a Substitute for Nilla Wafers?
• Can I Use Meringue Instead Of Whipped Cream?
• Baked Southern Banana Pudding Q + A's
• More Delicious Comforting Banana Recipes
• MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
• My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding

What is Baked Banana Pudding?

Basically, banana pudding is an old-fashioned Southern dessert that comes layered like a trifle. The layering includes: vanilla custard, vanilla cookies, and slices of bananas---sometimes topped with meringue or whipped cream. Then it's baked until the top is lightly browned. The baking process warms the pudding and melds the flavors together.

Ingredients For My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding

Here’s what you need to throw together this easy delicious Baked Southern Banana Pudding dessert:

• Bananas. Make sure they’re soft and ripe for the sweetest flavor. 
• Almond milk. I like to use unsweetened almond milk, however, you can use regular whole milk as well.
• Sweetened condensed milk. I use low-fat for the vanilla pudding. It adds plenty of richness and sweetness with a wonderfully thick texture. But full-fat condensed milk is fine! You can also substitute with cane sugar in the pudding instead as well.
• Egg yolks. You'll need 4 egg yolks for the homemade vanilla pudding. If using meringue, save the egg whites!
• Cornstarch. I love using arrowroot starch, all-purpose flour, or regular cornstarch as the thickening agent. Be sure to mix it together with warm water until it becomes a smooth "milky-like" consistency.
• Spices. I always add spices to everything. A bit of cinnamon and nutmeg changes things!
• Whipped cream. I love whipped cream more than meringue, however, either toppings will do! See my homemade whipped cream recipe!
• Vanilla wafers. My favorite cookies to use, but Gingersnap or Chessmen cookies are a great Southern twist also.
• Vanilla extract.  Use pure vanilla extract for the best vanilla flavor.

SHOP MY FAVORITE BAKEWARE ITEMS AND ACCESSORIES!

Here, I’ve curated a list of bakeware essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baking treats, especially with this Baked Southern Banana Pudding recipe. Everything from my fave baking sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

Baked Banana Pudding vs. No-Bake Banana Pudding

OK, so maybe you didn't know that there are two types of banana pudding recipes. A true classic Southern traditional banana pudding is baked with a beautiful meringue and everything is married together well! And then there's a no-bake EASY version which uses vanilla pudding mix.

For the baked version of banana pudding, you'll make your homemade pudding per usual, layer everything, and then whip together an easy meringue using egg whites which will be fluffy and cloudy and is used as the "topping" of your banana pudding.

Then you bake everything for a few minutes until the meringue is browned and remove it, let it cool, and then serve. If using whipped cream, you'll just bake until the tops (cookies and all) are golden brown and the pudding is bubbling.

How to Assemble the Banana Pudding:

I recommend making the banana pudding in a baking dish or foil pan (traditionally done in the South) which are both oven-safe.

Once baked, for garnish on top, add more cookies and the whipped cream (if not using meringue). Serve warm. For leftovers, chill the fully assembled dessert after it cools completely at room temperature and refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 days. For the best flavor and texture, it's best when eaten the next day!

Tips To Make THE BEST Banana Pudding

• Use ripe bananas for the best flavor and texture.
• Pour the warm homemade vanilla pudding atop everything shortly after whipping it together which helps the flavors to "melt together" prior to baking.
• If you want a crunchier texture, sprinkle additional crumbled Nilla wafer cookies on top of the whipped cream or meringue.
• Bake your banana pudding in a non-stick baking dish or foil pan for best results.
• Get creative and experiment with different flavor variations, such as adding chocolate or caramel sauce, or using different types of cookies AKA try Best Biscoff Banana Pudding with Caramel 
• Use a spatula or wooden spoon to spread the whipped cream or meringue evenly over the top layer of the pudding. You can use homemade whipped cream or store-bought. Cool Whip will work fine, just use it at fridge temperature, not frozen. 

How to Ripen Bananas for Banana Pudding

Have you ever had bananas that weren't fully ripe, but you were dying to make a banana pudding? Well, I totally understand. I've definitely been there. Luckily, I've come across a few hacks to help you ripen your bananas if you're in a pinch and here's what you can do:

• Keep the banana bunches together to avoid the ripening process from stalling. 
• Store your bananas in a warm place like near a heater or atop your refrigerator. This helps them to ripen faster.
• Using a paper bag, add your bananas inside and fold it over to close it. The gases from inside the bag once shut tight will ripen the bananas within 24-36 hours.

If you're looking to ripe your bananas more quickly for making this banana pudding then you can do one of the following:

• Oven Method: Preheat the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and place bananas (with peels on) unto a baking sheet and let them bake for 15-20 minutes or until skins are black. The bananas at this point should be soft and sweet.
• Microwave Method: Poke holes into the peel bananas (all around) and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the bananas are soft enough. 

What Keeps Bananas from Turning Brown in Banana Pudding?

One of the biggest challenges for some people is the idea that the bananas will turn brown in their banana pudding after awhile, which is often the natural process of bananas once removed from their skin and sliced. However, there is a trick that you can do to slow this process down completely----which is adding a bit of lemon juice to your banana slices prior to adding them to your banana pudding. This helps to keep the bananas fresh for at least 3-4 days. Wallah!

What is a Substitute for Nilla Wafers?

OK, so if you aren't into Nilla wafers, don't currently have them on hand, or just want to switch things up-----don't worry! They can easily be substituted with Chessman cookies or Graham crackers, if preferred. In addition, you can use: shortbread cookies, animal crackers, or ladyfingers.

If you'd like to switch things up a bit, I totally recommend Biscoff cookies like within my Best Biscoff Banana Pudding with Caramel recipe.

Can I Use Meringue Instead Of Whipped Cream?

Of course, you can keep things traditional by using meringue instead of whipped cream and you'll only need a few things to achieve this: 4 egg whites, ¼ cup of cane sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar. Simply remove the egg whites (still chilled) and add it to an electric stand-mixer bowl. Whip the egg whites until smooth and glossy and then slowly add the sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) to the mixture, beating until stiff peaks form. Then continue recipe for assembly.

Baked Southern Banana Pudding Q + A's

More Delicious Comforting Banana Recipes

Now that you've fallen in love with the bananas in this Baked Southern Banana Pudding recipe, put them to good use with these other sweet banana recipes:

• Easy Peanut Butter Banana Oats Smoothie
• Banana Chai Oatmeal Porridge
• Crunchy Vegan Banana Bread
• Maple Brown Butter Banana Waffles
• Vegan Banana Cake with Maple Buttercream
• Banana Carrot Cake Scones
• Fluffy Vegan Banana Pancakes
• Fluffy Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you tried My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram  and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!

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