Banana Pudding Classic Southern (Printable)

Southern-style dessert layering vanilla pudding, banana slices, and wafers topped with whipped cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pudding

01 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
02 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3 cups whole milk
05 - 4 large egg yolks
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Assembly

08 - 1 box vanilla wafers (about 45–50 cookies)
09 - 4 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

→ Topping

10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan.
02 - Gradually whisk in whole milk until smooth.
03 - Place saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 6–8 minutes.
04 - Lightly beat egg yolks in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper.
05 - Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook an additional 2–3 minutes until thick and smooth.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in unsalted butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
07 - Transfer pudding to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, approximately 1 hour.
08 - In a 2 to 2.5 quart serving dish, layer one-third of the vanilla wafers, one-third of the banana slices, and one-third of the pudding. Repeat twice more, ending with pudding on top.
09 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
10 - Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
11 - Spread or pipe whipped cream over the pudding layer before serving. Optionally garnish with additional wafers or banana slices. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pudding sets up silky and thick without any lumps, a texture that feels almost luxurious on your tongue.
  • Those crispy vanilla wafers soften just enough during chilling to meld with the pudding but never turn soggy.
  • It feeds a crowd with minimal effort, and people always seem surprised it came from your own kitchen.
02 -
  • Tempering the egg yolks is not optional—skip this step and you'll end up with flecks of cooked egg throughout your pudding, and no amount of whisking fixes that.
  • Slice your bananas as close to assembly time as possible; they oxidize faster than you'd think and turn an unappetizing brownish-gray.
  • The wafers will soften as they sit, which is exactly what you want—they bridge the gap between crispy cookie and tender cake.
03 -
  • Make the pudding a day ahead if your schedule allows; the flavors deepen and the texture becomes even more velvety.
  • Keep the pudding, wafers, and bananas separate until the last possible moment, then assemble right before the final chilling—this preserves crispness and prevents browning.
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