I wish I had more opportunities to make banana pudding, but only one out of of three of us in this house likes bananas. Given the situation, I'll take any opportunity to make it, so when company comes over this Vanilla Bean Banana Pudding is on the table. It's so good! This recipe can be made as regular vanilla flavored banana pudding, but using vanilla bean or vanilla paste makes it a little more special.
Vanilla Bean Banana Pudding -- Whipped Cream
The recipe is from the Southern food writer, James Villas. It’s very similar to the one on the box of Nilla wafers, but it calls for whipped cream instead of the traditional meringue topping. I usually assemble it in a casserole dish, but I've also been known to build it in jars or repurposed glass yogurt containers and serve it as individual desserts.
Steps For Making Banana Pudding
I finally put this recipe in recipe card form to make it printable, but here's a quick rundown of the steps.
- Heat the milk and add vanilla bean scrapings. I do this in the microwave, but it can also be done over the stove. If using vanilla bean paste or extract, you can skip this step entirely. It's just a way to infuse the milk with some vanilla flavor.
- Put the eggs in a bowl and have them ready to go.
- Mix the flour, sugar and salt directly in the saucepan, then whisk in the vanilla flavored milk. Set it over medium heat and whisk until it thickens.
- Once thickened you can whisk it a little more to get rid of any flour-y taste. That's usually not a problem.
- Remove from heat, let cool slightly and add extra vanilla (if needed) or add the vanilla bean or vanilla extract if you did not use the bean. Let cool.
- Whip 1 cup of cream. You'll probably end up with a little over 2 cups. You can use Cool Whip, but the pudding will be a little sweeter. Not a bad thing! Fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled pudding mixture to lighten it.
- Layer with the cookies and bananas in a casserole dish or jars.
- Sweeten the remaining cream with powdered sugar to taste, then spread or pipe over the top.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Recipe
Vanilla Bean Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 whole vanilla bean or omit and use vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream or 1 tub Cool Whip
- 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
- 12 oz package Nilla Wafers
- 5 large bananas
Instructions
- Scrape out inside of vanilla bean and put scrapings in a large (2 cup) glass measuring cup. Add the milk and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes to scald – keep an eye on it. You don’t want it to boil over. If using the paste, you can skip the step of scalding the milk.
- Put the egg yolks in a bowl and set next to the stove.
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in vanilla milk and set over medium heat; continue whisking over medium heat until mixture is very hot. Whisk about ¼ cup milk mixture into egg yolks, then gradually add egg yolk mixture to saucepan, whisking all the while. Continue whisking until mixture is thick and coats spoon – this should only take a minute or two.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks. Fold half of whipped cream into vanilla mixture. If you used Cool Whip, just fold half of the tub into the cooled pudding mixture.
- Assemble pudding. Line a dish with Nilla wafers. If using jars, put a wafer or two at the bottom of each little jar. Slice bananas and cover Nilla wafers with banana slices. Spoon half of the pudding mixture over bananas. Repeat, layering Nilla wafers, banana slices and remaining pudding.
- Sweeten remaining whipped cream with as much powdered sugar as you like, then spoon over top. Break some Nilla Wafers in half and arrange them around the perimeter to make a little border.
- Chill for a few hours or until ready to serve.
Kim says
How long will this last? I would like to try it for Christmas dinner. Thanks!
Average Jane Crafter says
Glad to hear it turned out so great! It looks amazing! I'm a *huge* fan of banana pudding, so this looks like one even I'll try to make! 😉 YUM!
Karen says
I'm guessing you got those vanilla beans you ordered from ebay a little while ago! I might have to get some.
Carolyn Jung says
Wow, a gourmet version of a beloved diner staple. The vanilla bean sounds like an inspired addition, too. And personally, I'll take whipped cream over meringue any day.
Stephanie says
This looks horribly good...you know I think the thing people forget about banana creme pudding is how amazing NILLA wafers are. They're so simple that everyone forgets how delicious they are. Yum!
Lisa says
Yummy! I would much rather have the whipped cream than the meringue topping.
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says
OK now that is my kind of pudding - this looks so damn yummy!!!
Tina says
Oh my, I need to do some baking ASAP! YUM!
Sara says
This looks really delicious. My go-to banana pudding recipe has been one from cooking light with a meringue topping, but it has its flaws.
Mary says
Anna, this looks really, really good and seems easy to put together. Thanks for sharing.
Joanna says
My mouth just dropped when I saw that picture. How good does that look??!?!?! Bananas are my favorite fruit ever. EVER.
VeggieGirl says
Banana pudding is such a comfort food classic dessert - yum!!
I can't go ONE DAY without bananas, so I can't imagine hating them, haha.
Katrina says
I can't imagine not liking bananas. They are in my everyday! I had a roommate that loathed them. We would tease her with them a lot. This looks darn yummy to me. Kevin doesn't care for them all that much, never just eats a banana, but if I make a dessert with them, he'll eat it.
Maris says
This looks delicious! I recently started liking bananas a lot - Stonyfield Farm even has a low-fat banana vanilla yogurt. The flavor is called "Banilla." Hehe!