Indulge in this homemade version of Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding anytime you please. This creamy, dreamy banana pudding recipe is just 5 ingredients and tastes exactly the same!

A bowl of homemade Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding.

What is banana pudding?

Banana pudding is a beloved Southern dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and velvety vanilla pudding. The dessert is assembled and chilled, allowing the flavors to meld and the wafers to soften, resulting in a delightful combination of creamy pudding, sweet bananas, and soft vanilla cake.

Magnolia Bakery was established in 1996 in New York City’s West Village by Allysa Torey and Jennifer Appel. Their banana pudding quickly became one of the bakery’s signature and most popular items sought after by locals, tourists, and celebrities. (source: Wikipedia)

A serving spoon of banana pudding being removed from a casserole dish.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • No oven or stovetop required – You simply mix, layer, and chill, like with any icebox cake.
  • Authentic recipe – This is the actual recipe that was published in Magnolia Bakery’s cookbook and shared online. So save the trip to NYC and make it yourself!
  • Feeds a crowd – This recipe makes a heaping 9×13″ casserole dish, enough to feed 16 people.

Ingredients you’ll need:

ingredients needed to make Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding
  • just-ripe bananas
  • Nilla wafers
  • heavy whipping cream
  • instant vanilla pudding mix
  • sweetened condensed milk

How to make banana pudding:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

image collage of how to make banana pudding steps 1-4
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the sweetened condensed milk with some ice-cold water until combined. Add the pudding mix and beat until no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour or until firm.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add the firm pudding to the whipped cream and mix on low until no streaks of pudding remain.
  3. In a 9×13″ casserole dish or large trifle bowl, layer half of the wafers.
  4. Then layer half of the sliced bananas.
  5. Spread half of the pudding mixture on top. Repeat with the remaining wafers, bananas, and pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours until the cookies are soft.
  6. Top with wafer crumbs and more sliced bananas before serving.
image collage of how to make banana pudding process 5-6

FAQ:

Can you freeze banana pudding?

You can but it’s not ideal, as the taste and texture will change after being frozen and thawed.

How long does banana pudding last?

Banana pudding is best consumed within 12 hours but can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

How to keep bananas from turning brown in banana pudding?

Use bananas that are still a little green – they tend to keep better. You can also brush with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.

Is banana pudding healthy?

Banana pudding, like many desserts, is typically not considered a “healthy” food due to its high sugar and calorie content. While bananas themselves are a good source of vitamins and minerals, the addition of sugars and other ingredients in banana pudding can make it a high-calorie and high-sugar treat.

A bowl of banana pudding with a wooden spoon

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Banana Pudding

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Chill Time: 5 hrs
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 16 servings
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no-bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Indulge in this homemade version of Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding anytime you please. This creamy, dreamy banana pudding recipe is just 5 ingredients and tastes exactly the same!

Ingredients

  • 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 & 1/2 cups ice-cold water
  • 1 pkg (3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)
  • 3 cups (25.5oz) heavy cream
  • 1 box (11oz) Nilla wafers (reserve 3 cookies and all the crumbs for topping)
  • 5 just-ripe bananas, sliced (save one banana for topping)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, beat the sweetened condensed milk with the ice-cold water until combined. Add the pudding mix and beat until no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Cover and chill in the fridge until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. With the mixer on low speed, add the pudding mixture a spoonful at a time. Mix until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain. 
  3. In a 9×13″ casserole dish or large trifle bowl, layer half of the wafers followed by half of the sliced bananas.
  4. Spread half of the pudding mixture on top. Repeat with the remaining wafers, bananas, and pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours until the cookies are soft. Best served within 12 hours of assembling. 
  5. Crush the reserved cookies and slice the last banana prior to serving. Sprinkle and top the pudding with the cookie crumbs and sliced bananas.

Notes

This dessert is best consumed within 12 hours of assembling but can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Recipe from the Food Network