Not Mama's Southern Banana Pudding
A beloved Southern-style no-bake dessert, this rich banana pudding features layers of smooth vanilla custard, ripe banana slices, and buttery cookies, finished with a cloud of whipped topping. Ideal for gatherings, holidays, or an indulgent treat, this chilled dish is a nostalgic favorite with modern ease.
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Servings: 12
Ingredients
- Approximately 480 milliliters of chilled whole milk
- One standard 5-ounce around 140 grams box of instant vanilla pudding powder
- Six to eight bananas fully ripened and cut into thick rounds
- One can 14 ounces / roughly 400 grams sweetened condensed milk
- One carton 12 ounces / 340 grams frozen whipped topping, thawed (or substitute with about 4 cups of homemade whipped cream)
- About 300 grams 11–12 ounces of vanilla-style cookies (e.g., Nilla Wafers or equivalent)
- One package 8 ounces / 225 grams of softened full-fat cream cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the instant pudding mix with the cold milk for roughly 2 minutes, or until the texture is smooth and the mixture begins to thicken. Set aside to rest.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese using an electric mixer until it reaches a fluffy consistency.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk to the cream cheese, continuing to mix until the two are fully blended and smooth.
- Gently incorporate the previously prepared pudding into the cream mixture, folding until the mixture is uniform.
- Carefully fold in about two-thirds of the whipped topping until the texture is creamy and well-mixed. Set aside the remaining one-third for the final layer.
- Using a 9x13-inch baking dish or a large trifle bowl, begin assembling the dessert. Lay a single, even layer of vanilla cookies across the base.
- Arrange half of the sliced bananas over the cookies in an even spread.
- Spoon half of the creamy pudding mixture over the banana layer and smooth it out with a spatula.
- Repeat the layering process with another set of cookies, banana rounds, and the remaining pudding mixture.
- Finish by spreading the reserved whipped topping smoothly across the top layer.
- Optionally, garnish the top with extra banana slices or crushed vanilla cookies for added texture and presentation.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the cookies to soften into the pudding.