The Best Banana Pudding Recipe – A Barbecue Tradition

With national barbecue day just around the corner (May 16th), I thought I would put aside my best smoking and grilling recipes and bring you my favorite barbecue dessert recipe, Banana Pudding.

At nearly every barbecue restaurant across the south you can be sure to find this classic dessert on the menu. Cool and refreshing pudding combined in some form with vanilla wafers and whipped cream.

With just one bite you will have a delicious dessert that compliments the warm and savory flavors of smoked brisket, baby back ribs and pulled pork. It has become the dessert of choice whenever anything hot is being served as the main dish.

In fact, even at Hot Chicken restaurants across the country you will find this dessert on the menu. The taste of the pudding is said to help balance the heat of the chicken and cool your mouth down after eating the spicy chicken.

However no matter the reason that you choose to indulge in the dessert you will love the taste and texture. In fact, you will love it so much that you are going to want to make it at home so you can enjoy it more often.

Although it would be easy to grab a box of store-bought pudding mix and throw a few Nilla Wafers on top, it is much more delicious when you make it yourself. With just a few basic ingredients you will have a barbecue quality dessert ready to serve in your kitchen or at your own backyard barbecue.

Why Is This The Best Banana Pudding?

Although we all have different preferences when it comes to taste and texture of food, there is a huge difference when making this recipe from scratch, and not just using box mix.

Using fresh, high-quality ingredients can make a big difference in both the flavor and texture of the pudding. For example, using ripe, sweet bananas and making a semi-homemade pudding will elevate the overall taste profile of the dish.

However not only does the type of bananas that you use in this recipe makes it a little different than all the rest, there are a couple of other reasons that it has been given the term ‘best’. Unlike many other recipes, instead of simply layering the pudding with sliced bananas and vanilla wafer cookies those ingredients are actually included as part of the smooth creamy custard.

In addition, a portion of the whipped cream is also added to the mixture, making the pudding super light and airy. Then more whipped cream and crushed Nilla Wafers are added to the top to create a visually appealing dessert that also holds a variety tastes and textures.

However because the pudding is really the star of the show, achieving the right balance of creaminess is crucial for great results. In this recipe, this is achieved by a variety of factors. It is the combination of heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese, which creates a rich and velvety texture.

After it all comes together, chill it for 1-2 hours for best results. If you plan to serve it at a later time, do yourself a favor and don’t add the whipped topping or the crushed wafers until right before you are ready to serve it.

This will prevent the whipped topping from becoming flat and the crushed wafers from becoming soggy.

How To Store Banana Pudding

As mentioned above, if you are going to store the pudding before eating it is best to leave the whipped topping and crushed wafers off the top until you are ready to serve. However, if you made the entire dish as instructed and have leftovers, you can certainly store it in the refrigerator to enjoy later.

Just be aware that the topping may be softer than when originally enjoyed. To store the banana pudding that hasn’t yet been topped with the whipped cream cover the pudding with plastic wrap.

However instead of simply covering the dish that it is in, you want to actually cover the top of the pudding itself. This will help prevent a skin forming on the surface.

Then place the dish in the coldest part of the fridge. Banana pudding will typically last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. After that time, it will begin to lose its flavor and texture.

The Best Banana Pudding Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
• 4 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 9 oz cream cheese, softened
• 20 oz of whole milk, divided
• 6 oz of instant vanilla pudding mix
• 6 bananas*
• 8 oz Nilla wafers, divided

*The bananas should be just ripe, with the peels being yellow with no brown spots so that they remain firm.

INSTRUCTIONS

Homemade Whipped Topping:

Combine heavy whipping cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then beat until stiff peaks have formed. 

*Stiff peaks are formed when the beaters are removed and pulled upward and only the tip of the peak of whipped topping slouches over. This process could take 2-6 minutes depending on the brand of ingredients that you use.

Set the whipped topping aside while you prepare the banana pudding.

Pudding instructions:

Mix softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and ½  teaspoon of vanilla extract until completely smooth.

Add 10 oz. whole milk and vanilla pudding powder mix and mix until completely smooth. Then add the remaining milk and combine until smooth. Set aside while you prepare the bananas.

Peel and slice the bananas into ¼  inch rounds. Set aside.

Add one third of the whipped cream, all of the banana slices, and 2/3rds of Nilla Wafers into the pudding. Then fold until completely incorporated. 

Assembling Instructions:

Line a large, deep glass dish with the pudding mixture, leaving enough room for the whipped topping. If you are serving it right away proceed with adding the the whipped topping and crushed Nilla wafers.

However, if you are making this ahead of time, it is best to cover the banana pudding with plastic wrap. Do this by placing the wrap directly on the top layer and place it in the refrigerator.

Before Serving: spread the whipped topping evenly over top of the pudding, removing any skin that developed. Then crumble the remaining wafers and sprinkle over top of the whipped cream. 

Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

If you love banana desserts, be sure to check out my favorite Banana Pudding Poke Cake recipe.

Enjoy! Mary

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