I would be very disappointed if I arrived at a family party and nobody brought a big dish of banana pudding. It’s only happened one time, and from that day forward I vowed to learn how to make this iconic dessert myself so that I wouldn’t need to experience that again. Banana Pudding is super easy to make and requires no baking. This is the famous banana pudding recipe by Paula Deen, and it calls for crunchy, buttery Chessman cookies instead of the usual vanilla wafers. The texture and flavor are elevated in this banana pudding, and as Paula says, this is “not yo’ mama’s” Banana Pudding. It’s actually better. I alternate between making this Banana Pudding recipe and this similar recipe for Banana Pudding Lasagna. Banana Pudding Poke Cake is another banana dessert that is easy to make and delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies: You’ll need two packages of these sweet and simple butter cookies to make this recipe. You shouldn’t have trouble finding Chessmen cookies, they are available year round in most grocery stores. If you don’t have them or can’t find them for some reason, try using any simple butter cookie, vanilla wafers, or shortbread cookies. Bananas: Ripe bananas are sliced and layered into this creamy dessert, adding their delicious texture and flavor to the mix. This recipe fills a 9×13 inch pan, so we’ll use six to eight bananas.French Vanilla Instant Pudding: Some people like to use banana cream pudding in their banana pudding recipes, but I like the creamy and rich flavor of French vanilla just a bit better.Milk: Milk is added to the instant pudding to make it creamy and rich. Use whole milk or 2 percent for best results.Cream Cheese and Sweetened Condensed Milk: These two ingredients are the ones that make this recipe better than all the other banana pudding recipes out there that just call for Cool whip. Pudding plus cream cheese and sweetened milk make a thick, rich banana pudding that is more decadent than you might expect. The texture is in between a pudding and a no-bake cheesecake.Cool Whip: Of course, we still need to add whipped topping to our banana pudding! It adds a certain flavor and lightness.
How to Make Banana Pudding
Recipe Tips
Use Ripe Bananas: You know how bananas are, they start out green, then they have just a couple of days where they are perfect before they turn into a Banana Bread Ingredient. You want to use the perfect bananas that are yellow and have just started to turn brown. They should be sweet, but still firm when you slice them. If the pudding seems runny: Don’t worry. It will finish setting up in the refrigerator. You don’t need to let the instant pudding set all the way before adding in the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, but it’s ok if it does. Refrigerating banana pudding before serving it is key to getting a perfectly set no-bake dessert. Have broken cookies? It’s possible that some of your Chessman cookies will be broken in the bag. Open both bags in the beginning, and pull out the broken ones to use as the bottom layer. Nobody will notice them there, and you want the top layer to be nice straight lines of full rectangular cookies. Make a smaller portion: This recipe serves a group and is best eaten within a day or two, so if you’re cooking for less than 5 people, you may want to halve the recipe. You can do this by halving the ingredients and assembling them in an 8×8 pan. To Store: Banana pudding should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. This dessert is best eaten within two days of making it. The bananas will start to get brown after that.
What to Serve with Banana Pudding
This dessert is welcome at any type of meal, but since banana pudding is a traditional Southern dessert, you may want to enjoy it with other Southern-style favorites. For dinner enjoy a spicy and savory Shrimp Boil, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, or Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders. Add some yummy side dishes like Southern Cornbread Salad, Velveeta Mac and Cheese, and classic Baked Beans. Want more southern-style desserts? Make Sweet Potato Pie or a fresh Peach Pie. Some of the very best desserts come from the South. I think that must be why I love Paula Deen’s Banana Pudding so much. I can’t wait to hear about how much you and your family love this banana pudding recipe! It truly is the best, so be sure to pin it so you can find it again. © Little Sunny Kitchen
