Description
Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding is a creamy, luscious dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and a rich homemade vanilla pudding folded with whipped cream. This no-bake classic is chilled to perfection, making it a refreshing and crowd-pleasing treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pudding Mixture
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Other Ingredients
- 4–5 ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafer cookies (Nilla Wafers)
Instructions
- Combine Sweetened Condensed Milk and Water: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cold water until fully combined, creating the liquid base for the pudding.
- Add Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Stir in the instant vanilla pudding mix and whisk for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken slightly. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to set.
- Whip the Heavy Cream: In a separate chilled bowl, beat the cold heavy cream along with the vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, creating a light and airy texture.
- Fold Whipped Cream into Pudding: Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture, taking care to keep it smooth and fluffy without deflating the cream.
- Layer the Ingredients: In a trifle dish or large bowl, arrange a layer of vanilla wafer cookies at the bottom. This provides the crunchy foundation of the dessert.
- Add Bananas: Layer sliced ripe bananas over the vanilla wafers evenly.
- Spread Pudding Mixture: Generously spoon and spread a layer of the creamy pudding mixture on top of the bananas to bind the layers together.
- Repeat Layers: Continue layering wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture until all ingredients are used, ensuring the top layer is pudding.
- Chill the Pudding: Cover the assembled dessert and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the wafers to soften.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, optionally garnish with extra vanilla wafers or banana slices for decoration and additional texture.
Notes
- For best results, use ripe but firm bananas to prevent them from turning mushy too quickly.
- This pudding improves in flavor and texture when chilled overnight.
- Use cold heavy cream and a chilled bowl to achieve optimal whipped cream volume.
- Feel free to substitute vanilla wafers with other light, crispy cookies if preferred.
- Make sure to handle folding gently to keep the mixture light and fluffy.
