Homemade Southern Banana Pudding Recipe
Homemade southern banana pudding is on the menu of many home grown eateries here in Tennessee. And with good reason. This dessert is a reflection of a simpler time. Banana pudding uses few ingredients. Pure ingredients. Bananas, vanilla wafers, milk and eggs. All layered together. Plus just a bit of time. A real comfort food. Homemade banana pudding is a treat.
This easy homemade banana pudding recipe is the best dessert to take to any family gathering or potluck. It is always one of the first desserts that people grab.
My daughter requested it at her wedding reception. That’s how good this is.
It disappears in my house in a matter of minutes. I make it from scratch, no boxed pudding mix here. Pudding itself is really easy to make and doesn’t take that much longer than the instant pudding mix. But you can taste the difference.
A box of vanilla wafers means one thing in my house. My family is about to enjoy a much requested treat. Homemade banana pudding is eagerly awaited. Everyone anticipating that moment when they can dip spoonfuls of custard, bananas and vanilla wafers into their bowls.
Then the comments of who got more than their fair share begin. I just shake my head while watching them devour the comforting bowls of truly southern banana pudding.
As they finish their bowls, I can see the satisfaction across their faces.
What is banana pudding?
Banana pudding is a cooked vanilla custard that is layered with bananas and vanilla wafer cookies. Traditionally it is topped with meringue but whipped cream could be used instead.
How To Make Banana Pudding From Scratch
This is the reason this recipe works. Delicious vanilla custard.
I make real custard. I mean, don’t opt for that instant pudding mix. That just isn’t the real thing. Cooked custard is the real deal and once you taste a spoonful, you will never and I mean never go back to instant pudding in a box.
Making custard from scratch is not particularly difficult. It just requires a bit of time. Adding flour, milk and sugar and cooking till boiling. That’s about all it takes to make the pudding part.
- Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a 3 quart saucepan.
- Add the milk and the egg yolks to the pan. Whisk those together with the flour mixture.
- On medium heat, continually whisk the mixture till it comes to a low boil.
- There should only be a few bubbles beginning to rise to the top. The custard will be thick at this point.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Ready for the next step.
Using a whisk certainly speeds up the cooking part. It ensures an even stirring and mixing of the ingredients. I like using a whisk much better than a spoon.
The best part of making the pudding? You get to scrape any remaining bits and eat them all by yourself!! That is of course after you assemble the banana pudding layers.
Slicing The Bananas
Slicing the bananas with a dinner knife is a good way to get some help in the kitchen. It’s kind of fun to slice those bananas and watch them fall into place in your dish. Good clean fun. Recruit some willing volunteers.
Scoop some banana pudding into dessert cups. Top with a few slices of banana. Crumble more crushed wafers on top.
Or top with whipped cream instead for an absolutely decadent dessert.
Related: Do you have more bananas to use? Try this yummy chocolate chip banana muffin recipe.
Homemade Southern Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- 4 – 6 ripe bananas
Instructions
- In a 3 quart saucepan or medium size, add the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk together. Next add the egg yolks and milk. Whisk all together. On medium heat, constantly whisk the mixture until it comes to a low boil, just until it starts to bubble. You want it thick. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla.
- In a 2 quart bowl or casserole dish, layer the vanilla wafers on the bottom till covered, then add a layer of sliced bananas followed by a layer of pudding. Continue for two more layers or until you run out of pudding. Crush some vanilla wafers and sprinkle on top of the pudding.
- Chill for a minimum of two hours before serving.
- Keep covered and stored in the refrigerator, up to 3-4 days.