Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from Scratch Recipe

Follow this Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from scratch recipe to whip up a pan full of old-timey deliciousness, just like Grandma used to make! Loaded with Nilla Wafers, banana slices, and homemade vanilla pudding topped with meringue, it's one classic comfort food dessert that's sure to please.

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We have a debate in our home. -- A great banana pudding debate.

The debate revolves around what's better ... "regular" banana pudding, which is the made-with-instant-pudding and topped-with-Cool-Whip stuff we all encounter most of the time ... or "real" banana pudding, which is the old-timey stuff resulting from this old-fashioned banana pudding from scratch recipe.

Can you guess which side of the debate I fall on?

While I certainly won't turn down any  form of banana pudding, when push comes to shove I would go for "regular" banana pudding ... made with instant pudding ... as my first choice.

Serve up a pan full of old-fashioned deliciousness! Just like Grandma used to make.

Surprised? Well I'll say on that front, I stand alone in our house.

Because my husband and Little Miss H. both prefer the "real" scratch-made old-fashioned kind best. -- Complete with creamy homemade-from-scratch vanilla pudding blanketing the sliced bananas, and topped with gently toasted meringue instead of whipped cream.

Oh, it's just like Grandma used to make in the good-old days, before the prevalence of convenience foods like instant pudding and Cool Whip. With its homemade pudding and traditional meringue topping, Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding is one classic comfort food dessert that's sure to please.

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• Old-fashioned classic - Before the days of convenience foods like instant pudding and Cool Whip, this is how banana pudding was done! -- With homemade from-scratch vanilla pudding and meringue on top.
• Fabulous flavor - Bananas and vanilla shine in this Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding, delivering up fabulous flavor in every bite.
• Creamy deliciousness - Loaded with homemade vanilla pudding topped with meringue, Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding is a panful of creamy deliciousness, for sure.
• A crowd pleaser - Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from scratch is one classic comfort food dessert that's always sure to please.

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from Scratch Ingredients:

There's not much better than a pan of homemade banana pudding! And the old-fashioned from-scratch stuff is one version of this comfort food classic that's sure to please. To whip up a pan, you'll need:

• Bananas - The central namesake ingredient, and choosing "good" ones is key. For the best result, select ripe bananas that are very yellow without any green remaining on the peel or stem, are still firm (so they'll slice nicely and cleanly), and that have not yet developed brown spots. A few small specks of brown here and there are probably still fine -- but the bananas shouldn't have many spots, and definitely no big brown areas or streaks.

• Nilla Wafers - Vanilla wafer cookies bring the signature taste and texture we love to banana pudding! We're big proponents of Nabisco-brand Nilla Wafers for their classic flavor, but other brands work in this recipe, as well.

• Homemade vanilla pudding - The custardy-type pudding that delivers up wonderful creaminess and flavor in homemade banana pudding from scratch. It's made with:
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Egg yolks + 1 whole egg
• Whole milk
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

• Meringue topping - The traditional topping of old-fashioned banana pudding. Light and airy with golden markings from its quick bake in the oven, it's made with:
• Egg whites
• Granulated sugar

How to Make Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from Scratch:

Admittedly, making Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from scratch involves a few steps and takes a bit of time, but in our opinion, the result is well worth the effort.

To get a pan going, start by making the homemade vanilla pudding. First combine some granulated sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan, whisking them together until they're well combined. Add in 4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg, again whisking to combine. Then whisk in some whole milk.

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it's thickened. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in some vanilla extract. Then set the pudding aside to cool just slightly while you start the banana pudding layers.

Note that when it comes to making the pudding, low and slow is key.  

The pudding is a simple custard mixture of sugar, milk, and eggs.  Heating these slowly over medium-low heat, stirring the entire time with a whisk, creates a smooth and creamy pudding. 

Turning up the heat to make the process go more quickly can easily lead to lumps or little bits are scrambled eggs unappetizingly floating around in the finished pudding. It may be tempting to try to speed up the process, but keep it low and slow for the best result. Only turn up the heat to medium (and no higher!) if after about 15 minutes your pudding is just not thickening at all.

Once the pudding is cooked, coarsely crumble some Nilla Wafer cookies into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top the crumbles with a layer of sliced bananas.

Spread half the still-warm pudding over the bananas. Then repeat with more bananas and the remaining pudding to make another layer of each.

When layering the pudding and bananas, make sure to get each banana slice coated with at least a thin layer of pudding. This keeps the bananas "protected" from air and helps keep them from turning brown inside the banana pudding.

Whip up the meringue topping by placing 4 egg whites in a bowl and beating them with a stand mixer or electric mixer until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add a ¼ cup granulated sugar to the egg whites, beating until stiff peaks form.

Pile the meringue on top of the banana pudding and spread it to cover the pudding's entire surface.

Finally, when spreading on the meringue topping, be sure to spread it over the entire top of the pudding all the way to and touching the edges of the pan.  Meringue has a tendency to shrink a bit as it bakes, and touching the sides of the pan helps reduce the shrinking.

Pop the pan in the oven and bake the banana pudding at 400℉ for about 5-8 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.

Cover the finished banana pudding loosely and chill until ready to serve. Then get ready to serve up a pan full of old-fashioned deliciousness! -- Just like Grandma used to make.

So which side of the great banana pudding debate are you  on? -- "Regular" or old-fashioned "real?"

Tips for Making the Very Best Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from Scratch:

When it comes to making old-fashioned banana pudding from scratch, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the best result.

• Choose "good" bananas - While you want ripe bananas for banana pudding, you don't want over-ripe ones. -- It's a fine line. For the best banana pudding, choose bananas that are very yellow without any green remaining on the peel or stem, are still firm (so they'll slice nicely and cleanly), and that have not yet developed brown spots. A few small specks of brown here and there are probably still fine -- but the bananas shouldn't have many spots, and definitely no big brown areas or streaks.

• Low & slow for the homemade pudding - When it comes to making the pudding, low and slow is key. Heating the pudding's eggs and milk slowly over medium-low heat, stirring the entire time with a whisk, creates a smooth and creamy pudding. Turning up the heat to make the process go more quickly can easily lead to lumps or little bits are scrambled eggs unappetizingly floating around in the finished pudding. -- It may be tempting to try to speed up the process with more heat, but keep it low and slow for the best result.

• Get the bananas coated - When layering the vanilla pudding and bananas, make sure to get each banana slice coated with at least a thin layer of pudding. This keeps the bananas "protected" from air and helps keep them from turning brown.

• Spread the meringue to the very edge - When spreading on the meringue topping, be sure to spread it over the entire top of the pudding all the way to and touching the edges of the pan.  Meringue has a tendency to shrink as it bakes, and touching the sides of the pan helps reduce the shrinking.

Check out these other tasty banana treats:

• Buttermilk Banana Bread
• Banana Pudding Yum Yum
• Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
• No-Bake Banana Split Cake
• Frozen Banana Split Pie
• Hummingbird Sheet Cake
• Banana Pudding Pie
• Banana Pudding Cake
• More desserts

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

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Dessert

American

Yield: 8-10 servings

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from Scratch

Follow this Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding from scratch recipe to whip up a pan full of old-timey deliciousness, just like Grandma used to make! Loaded with Nilla Wafers, banana slices, and homemade vanilla pudding topped with meringue, it's one classic comfort food dessert that's sure to please.

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 55 Min

Ingredients

• 1 c. granulated sugar, divided
• 4 T. all-purpose flour
• pinch salt
• 1 whole egg
• 4 eggs, separated (place egg whites in refrigerator until needed)
• 3 c. whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• about 40 Nilla wafers
• 4 or 5 bananas

Instructions

Make the vanilla pudding:

1. In a saucepan, combine ¾ cup granulated sugar, flour, and salt; whisk until mixed.
2. Whisk in the 1 whole egg and additional 4 egg yolks.
3. Turn the heat on to medium-low and whisk in milk. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a whisk, until thickened (about 15 to 20 minutes). -- It’s tempting to stop stirring, or to turn up the heat, but this will cook the eggs too quickly and result in lumping pudding. For smooth creamy pudding, keep it low and slow. And keep stirring.
4. Remove pudding from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
5. Set aside to cool slightly while you start the banana pudding layers.

Layer the banana pudding:

1. Crumble Nilla wafers and place in a 9x13” baking dish to cover the bottom. Top with a layer of sliced bananas, using half of the bananas.
2. Pour about half of the still-warm vanilla pudding over the banana slices.
3. Repeat with another layer of bananas and then remaining pudding.

Make the meringue topping:

1. Place the 4 cold egg whites in a bowl and beat with a stand mixer or electric mixer until soft peaks form.
2. With the mixer going, gradually add the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
3. Pile meringue on top of pudding and spread to cover the entire surface. Bake at 400℉ for 5-8 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned.
4. Cover loosely and chill until ready to serve.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. For the best banana pudding, choose ripe bananas that are very yellow without any green remaining on the peel or stem, are still firm (so they'll slice nicely and cleanly), and that have not yet developed brown spots. A few small specks of brown here and there are probably still fine -- but the bananas shouldn't have many spots, and definitely no big brown areas or streaks.
2. When it comes to making the pudding, be patient and keep it low and slow! -- Meaning, keep the heat at medium-low and cook the pudding slowly. Heating the eggs slowly and stirring the entire time with a whisk creates a smooth and creamy pudding. Turning up the heat to quicken the process can easily lead to lumps or little bits are scrambled eggs in the finished pudding. Only turn up the heat to medium (and no higher!) if after about 15 minutes your pudding is just not thickening at all.
3. When layering the pudding and bananas, make sure to get each banana slice coated with at least a thin layer of pudding. This keeps the bananas "protected" from air and helps keep them from turning brown.
4. When spreading on the meringue, be sure to spread it over the entire top of the pudding all the way to and touching the edges of the pan. Meringue tends to shrink a bit as it bakes, and touching the sides of the pan helps reduce this shrinking.

Similar Recipes

No-Bake Banana Pudding Yum Yum

Banana Pudding Cake

Banana Pudding Pie

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