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The Best Old-Fashioned Southern Banana Pudding (No-Bake)

A scoop removed from a layered banana pudding trifle, showing vanilla custard, bananas, wafers, and whipped cream topping.
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Make this creamy, classic Southern banana pudding from scratch. This no-bake recipe layers fresh bananas, rich homemade custard, and vanilla wafers for a comforting, family-favorite dessert.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large ripe bananas, sliced
  • 1 box (11 ounces) vanilla wafers
  • 1 cup heavy cream, cold
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Make the custard: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
  2. Cook the custard: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let it boil rapidly.
  3. Temper the egg yolks: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. This prevents the yolks from scrambling.
  4. Return the tempered yolks to the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the custard into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
  5. Prepare the whipped cream: In a separate chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
  6. Assemble the pudding: Choose a large glass trifle dish or individual serving cups. Create the first layer with a thin layer of vanilla wafers. Top with a layer of sliced bananas, followed by a layer of the cooled custard. Repeat the layers: wafers, bananas, custard, until all ingredients are used, ending with a layer of custard.
  7. Chill: Cover the dish loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the vanilla wafers to soften into a cake-like texture.
  8. Serve: Before serving, top the pudding with the prepared whipped cream. Slice and serve cold.

Notes

  • For a Magnolia Bakery style copycat, you can substitute the homemade custard with one box of instant vanilla pudding mixed according to package directions, combined with 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk and 1 1/2 cups of cold water, then folded with 1 cup of whipped topping.
  • Use firm, slightly under-ripe bananas if you plan to chill the pudding for more than 8 hours to prevent them from becoming too mushy.
  • This recipe is excellent for potlucks; prepare it the day before serving for the best texture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/best-old-fashioned-southern-banana-pudding/