Southern Banana Pudding
This old-fashioned southern banana pudding recipe layers vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, homemade vanilla pudding, and piles of meringue! Eat it warm (the Southern way) or after it’s been chilled; a classic dessert that’s perfect for weeknight dinners, Sunday suppers, or the fanciest of holidays.
Quite a long time ago (nine years, to be exact), I shared a recipe for an easy banana pudding. It had Nilla wafers, sliced bananas, homemade vanilla pudding, and I topped it with homemade whipped cream.
There was a tremendous amount of feedback about how true banana pudding should be made with meringue on top, not whipped cream… And it really should be eaten warm, not cold. I’m not going to lie… I much prefer whipped cream to meringue and I like my pudding cold, not warm, but I put it on the back burner and figured I would give it a go one day.
Seven years later, it finally happened!
Since making the original banana pudding recipe, I’ve dabbled in the world of pavlova (traditional, chocolate, and even layered), and fell in love with lemon meringue pie bars. Which is to say, my taste buds have evolved and I’ve definitely come around to the idea of meringue on top of my banana pudding.
So I went all guns blazing into this totally homemade Southern banana pudding recipe, and I was thrilled with the results.
I mean, LOOK at that massive pile of meringue down there… perfectly glossy, stiff peaks are one of my favorite kitchen accomplishments, and they were plentiful in this recipe!
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The verdict? I loved it!
The meringue gave it an airiness with a subtle toasty flavor that you miss with the whipped cream. I did have a bowlful warm, and was actually surprised by how much I liked it. I really doubted that I would like it at all, but it was delicious. I think I still prefer my pudding chilled, but there was something so satisfying and comfort food-like about digging into a bowl of warm pudding. I totally get it now.
If you’ve never experimented with the real deal Southern pudding, give it a shot! It’s not at all difficult and you’ll probably be surprised by how much you like it!
More Pudding Recipes
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Homemade Chocolate Pudding
- Best Butterscotch Pudding
- Chocolate Pots de Creme
- Rice Pudding with Bourbon-Soaked Raisins
Watch How to Make Southern Banana Pudding:
Two years ago: Boston Cream Cupcakes
Three years ago: Symphony Bars
Six years ago: Toasted Coconut Dark Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Seven years ago: Filled Raisin Cookies
Southern Banana Pudding
Ingredients
For the Pudding
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 3½ cups (854 ml) whole milk, divided
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Assembly
- 11 ounce (311.85 g) box vanilla wafers
- 6 medium bananas, sliced ½-inch thick
For the Meringue
- 8 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1⅓ cups (266.67 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Make the Pudding: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in ½ cup of the milk and the egg yolks. In a large saucepan, place the remaining 3 cups milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add the butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Assemble the Dish: Arrange vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish (you can reserve some to garnish, if you wish), and top with the banana slices. Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve over the bananas and spread into an even layer.
- Make the Meringue: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue over the pudding, spreading it right up to the edges of the pan.
- Bake until the meringue is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with vanilla wafers, if desired. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I don’t recommend using super ripe bananas in this recipe, as they will break down too much when the pudding is in the oven.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in August 2017; it was updated in July 2019 with new photos, a video, and better recipe instructions.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
Too much sugar in the meringue, too many needless steps.. thank goodness I checked the box of ‘Nilla Wafers.. Banana Pudding is layered so didn’t make enough pudding.. fortunately I was able to rescue it by making extra using jello French Vanilla which I was trying to avoid..
It is now 12:20 am Christmas Eve🎄💤
This is such a cool way of making banana pudding and it looks so delicious cant wait to try it out later. Im so excited to try this splendid dish. For that you will be getting a five stars on Yelp from me.
Love this recipe
I would suggest adding another cup of milk to the pudding as it was quite thick once it firmed up. And I should have known better, but meringue tends to separate from the sides of the pan after it cools…I think this recipe would be better with whipped cream instead of meringue.
The pudding can be cooked in the microwave. Put in large glass bowl ( I use 8 cup measuring bowl ) and microwave for about 5 minutes. BUT be sure and stir every minute or so until thickened. Easy peasy.
Great recipe! First time I made it for a “crab boil” dinner we were invited to and the dish was almost licked clean. We were recently invited to a Kentucky Derby party so I decided to kick it up and substituted 1 1/2 cups of bourbon cream for part of the milk (the alcohol cooks out). Once again, everyone loved it and my husband told me to make sure I saved the recipe. He’s already looking forward to the next time I make it. Thanks!
What if the mixture is to thin and don’t come out thick after mixing
A+ DELICIOUS thank you.
Five star.
I made this for a pool party. I have my “go to “ recipe but I thought I would try this one for a change. I think I prefer the custard in this recipe. With 8 egg yokes it’s very rich and it set up nicely. I put the pudding together with the exception of the meringue and refrigerated it overnight ( I like my Banana Pudding cold). The next day I made the meringue about an hour before the party. I did notice the the pudding was a little watery around the edges of the dish. I suspect this is from the cold pudding being in a hot oven for 15 or 20 minutes at 350. I think I will brown my meringue at a higher temperature with less time to see if this fixes the problem. I wouldn’t call it a watery mess as some other reviewers mentioned. I made a double recipe and there was nothing left.
I followed the recipe exactly and the end resulted in a watery mess. It tasted way too sweet as well.
Love this recipe. I made it for Sunday dinner and everyone loved it. This recipe is a keeper!
Just wondering if I could use skim milk? I happen to have an extra gallon and would like to use it up. What are your thoughts on that?
Hi Tracey, You CAN, but the pudding won’t be nearly as creamy, thick or rich as using any other type of milk.
Love this recipe will have to try it
Enjoying trying a lot of the recipes thank you
This is the best thing to cool. Super easy but taste amazing.
I was a little nervous trying this recipe as I saw that some people stated this was watery but I decided to give it a try anyway. I was NOT disappointed!! My boyfriend is super picky with food and he absolutely loved this. It is sweet so I might just adjust some of the sugar next time. I will definitely be making more!
great one.
I followed the instructions exactly and it was a watery mess😡
Mines was exactly the same. Watery and way too much sugar
Hi, just wondering what would be the alternative for Nilla’s vanilla wafers? I live in the UK and I can’t find them.
Thanks
Jen
How do you keep the bananas fro turning dark?
Hi Delaine, I make sure they are completely covered so no air is getting to them.
This is almost identical to my moms recipe. So happy to see true southern banana pudding appreciated and enjoyed by others
This is Outrageously Delicious! I didn’t use the vanilla wafers I’m not a fan. I substituted Pepperidge Farms short bread cookies. I also squeezed some lemon juice on the bananas to help prevent them from turning dark. Super easy to make!
Thanks a Michelle, another home run🤗
So yummy….
Spoke with some friends born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee about Banana Pudding. Both of them say always chilled and meringue not whipped cream.
Hi! Do I have to bake if I don’t do the meringue?
This is the only recipe I use. I have tried to make banana pudding previously homemade from other recipes and it did not turn out good at all. When I found this recipe it was easy to follow and the VERY BEST!! Since finding this receipe, I have made this more than 10x! LOL
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Can you use gluten free flour
Hi Sandy, I haven’t tried gluten-free flour as a thickening agent before. If you have and haven’t had any issues, then I think it would work just fine.
Great recipe but your website is awful…. it kept getting stuck and when I could try to re click on something it would take me to the very top and it took me a while to find my place again..
Just use cornstarch instead!
This looks pretty awesome. How long in advance can you make this? Should I worry about bananas browning once I cut them?
Hi Josh, You can make the pudding up to a day in advance and refrigerate. Once the whole thing is assembled, I would bake it within 12 hours. The bananas shouldn’t brown if they are completely covered by the pudding, but the vanilla wafers will start to soften and break down. Once baked with the meringue, I would serve at room temperature the same day or refrigerate and serve the next day. I hope that helps!
Hi there! I had a fun time cruising around your websdite/blog. Your recipe for Southern Banana Pudding caught my eye. I love, love, love anything with bananas in it. Here in Hawaii we are blessed to have the wonderful
“apple bananas”. They are sweeter, more firm and more moist than a regular banana. They were perfect for this recipe with the vanilla wafers. We had company for dinner and this was a big hit! Thanks for sharing!!
We always had this cold in our family and we usually topped it with sweet whipped cream rather than meringue. We always put an edging of vanilla wafers around the sides that were still crispy. Ive made the pudding and mixed in the bannas then layered it at serving time with cookies and topped it with whipped cream. That way all the wafers stay crisp.
This looks really good but I do prefer a whipped topping and served cold. Just a comment about the bananas we always mix some lemon juice and water and dip the bananas into it to prevent the bananas from turning dark. If it is going to be eaten right away and not sit then it wouldn’t matter but brown bananas are not very appetizing to me.
I have swapped the nilla wafers with Lorna Doone cookies, (thank you Paula Dean),
and I can’t go back.
Looks delicious! this should be something to share with my followers next time. Thanks for sharing!