Banana Pudding Parfaits

5 from 31 votes

This banana pudding parfait recipe is made with simple fresh ingredients for a decadent, delightful & delicious treat that everyone will love!

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Making banana pudding from scratch is perfect to serve kids a wholesome afterschool snack, to layer in a parfait with wafers for guests or to enjoy as a sweet cool dessert. It’s not as quick as the instant pudding mix, but it’s surprisingly easy with a few ingredients!

Close up of one cup of banana pudding parfait topped with a wafer
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Ingredients & substitutions

  • Cornstarch: To thicken the ingredients to get a nice creamy and thick consistency of pudding.
  • Milk: I like to use dairy milk for this recipe, but you can use a plant based milk like almond or coconut if you prefer.
  • Bananas: Use ripe or overripe bananas. They contain more natural sweetness, as well as containing more antioxidants.
  • Egg yolks: These add a nice creamy texture to your banana pudding.
  • Maple syrup: To naturally sweeten the parfait. Honey will also work.
  • Salt: A little salt helps to bring out the sweetness of the bananas.
Ingredients to make the recipe

How to make banana pudding

  • Add the banana and maple syrup to a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Add in the egg yolks.
  • Blend together. Add in some warm milk and blend again.
4 image collage to show how to make the recipe
  • Simmer the milk in a pot.
  • Pour in the banana mix and add in the cornstarch mix. Let thicken.
2 image collage to show the pudding in a saucepan in the process and when compelted
  • Chill the pudding in a covered bowl.
  • Once chilled, layer the pudding with wafers, bananas and whipped cream.
Banana pudding stored in bowl with plastic wrapper on pudding

Tips for making banana pudding

  1. Test that the pudding thickness is correct by swooshing a spoon through the pudding. The trail drizzled across the top should take a full 5 seconds to disappear.
  2. Make it extra smooth by using a strainer. For a really smooth pudding, you can strain through a fine mesh sieve, stirring to extract any banana clumps.
  3. Enhance the color with natural food dye. Because the color is beigh-ish and we expect it to be a pastel yellow like the packaged kind, you can add some natural food dye or even ⅛ teaspoon of turmeric to brighten up that color!
  4. Cool properly. It’s important to allow the banana pudding to cool before assembling the parfait. That’s because the warm pudding will likely melt any whipped cream added or soften any fresh bananas added.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it keep?

The banana pudding will keep well, covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s a great option for make ahead desserts, you just need to quickly build the parfaits before serving. It’s best not to build the parfaits until a few hours before serving so that the bananas don’t brown and the wafers stay nice and crisp.

Can you freeze it?

It’s best not to freeze this dessert. The texture can change quite considerably, so it’s best to avoid it, though it will still be safe to eat.

How do you stop the banana pudding from browning?

After day two, the banana pudding will start to brown slightly, though it will still be good to eat. If you plan on making this ahead of time, you can add in a squeeze of lemon juice which will slow the browning process.

Two cups of banana pudding parfaits topped with whipped cream and wafer

Feel free to add more toppings, nuts, fresh fruit or whatever you’re feeling to personalize and perfect to your liking! It’s a versatile recipe that you can serve in so many ways – individually or in a large bowl. Regardless how you serve it, everyone will find it sweet and delightful!

For more pudding recipes:

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Banana Pudding Parfait

This banana pudding parfait recipe is made with simple fresh ingredients for a decadent, delightful & delicious treat that everyone will love!
5 from 31 votes
Servings 4 servings
Course Dessert
Calories 222
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Cooling time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
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Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 ½ cups milk divided
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine corn starch with 3 tablespoons of milk until the corn starch dissolves.
  • In a blender, blend the bananas and maple syrup until smooth. Add in the egg yolks and blend on a lower speed until smooth and thick. Set aside.
  • Bring remaining milk to a simmer in a medium, heavy bottomed pot over medium low heat. Then transfer ⅓ cup of the warm milk into the egg and banana mixture in the blender.
  • Pour the warmed egg and banana mixture into the rest of the milk, stirring consistently. Add the corn starch mix.
  • Continue heating on low heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding is thick, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Pour into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap on top touching the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  • When chilled, layer the banana pudding with vanilla wafers, sliced bananas and a dollop of whipped cream on top, if desired

Notes

Storage: The banana pudding will keep well in the ridge for 2 to 3 days.
Freezing: It’s best not to freeze this dessert. The texture can change quite considerably, so it’s best to avoid it, though it will still be safe to eat.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 387mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 316IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 140mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Dessert
5 from 31 votes (26 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Maureen Fletcher says:

    Delicious! Will definitely be making this again.

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that!

  2. Lucine says:

    So delicious and easy to make!! Tastes so much better than boxed pudding mixes.
    I used a food processor to blend my bananas and had to stir the pudding mixture for ~10 minutes on the stove top.
    Will definitely be making it again!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Aww, thank you so much! I’m glad to hear it!

  3. Alyse says:

    I love banana pudding so much! It’s my ultimate favorite and I will be trying this recipe very soon.

  4. Katherine says:

    Omg 😍 I love Banana Pudding! I would love to see a video for this recipe ❤

  5. Emily Kemp says:

    This sounds just perfect, I love banana pudding, Can’t wait to make it!