Easy Vanilla Wafer’s Banana Pudding (A Recipe To Die For)

This is some of the best non-bake instant banana pudding you’ll ever try. Made with bananas, vanilla wafers, and topped with whipped cream. The perfect easy-to-make dessert.

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This banana pudding is as easy and delicious as it gets! You don’t have to heat up the pudding or bake it. All you do is blend the pudding, then layer it using vanilla wafer cookies, chopped bananas, and Cool Whip.

What makes this a good recipe?

• Kid-friendly: This non-banking banana pudding recipe is one of the easiest banana pudding recipes out there, making it the perfect recipe to make as a fun activity with your kids!
  
• It’s unique: It’s super delicious and made with spices not commonly used in banana pudding so if you want to try something new and spice your banana pudding up, this recipe is for you. 
  
• Quick and easy: It’s quick and takes less than 30 minutes to make so if you want to make a quick dessert for the family but don’t feel like working too hard, this dessert may be a good option.
  
• Financially feasible: You only need a handful of ingredients and it’s feasible. This is not a fancy banana pudding recipe. It’s very basic but better than most trust me on that.
  
  So not only are you getting top-tier banana pudding but it only requires a handful of ingredients which means you won’t have to spend too much money to make it.

This is a very unique banana pudding recipe

I’m proud of this recipe because it’s one of my most popular recipes. It has a video that’s received plenty of views and my subscribers always rant and rave about how good it is.

What makes me the proudest about this recipe is the creative effort I put into it. I didn’t modify anyone else’s recipe, or make it the traditional way. This banana pudding is about as unique as a banana pudding is going to get.

It’s so different from most banana puddings you’ve tasted and that’s another reason why my subscribers loved it so much. The first thing people ask after they try it is, “What the heck you put in this, it’s good”!? Lol! So let me tell you….

I wasn’t always a fan of banana pudding

When I created this recipe back in late 2014/early 2015… I remember asking myself how could I create a banana pudding recipe that I’d enjoy because I’m just not a fan of banana pudding nor do I like the way most people make theirs.

They either use wafers and pudding without adding any bananas, or the pudding has too much of an artificial banana flavor. Banana pudding is one of those desserts that can taste so many ways depending on how it’s made.

So when people ask if I want some banana pudding, I just say no because I don’t know what to expect. Lol! So what I did was sat down and did some brainstorming, and a lot of critical thinking. lol!

I pondered on the things I could add to my banana pudding that would not only separate it from everyone else’s and give it its own taste but make me enjoy it.

As I said I was never really a fan of banana pudding to begin with. So the ingredients that came to mine that I thought would go well with banana pudding were cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. 

I also decided to use evaporated milk instead of whole milk. And let me tell you, these ingredients provided a flavor that went so well with bananas and wafers.

It’s because of this that my banana pudding is beige and not bright yellow like everyone else’s. Ok now let me talk about the ingredients you’re going to need for this delicious banana pudding recipe.

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Bananas
• Wafer cookies
• Instant Pudding Mix
• Cool Whip
• Cream Cheese
• Milk
• Butter
• Vanilla
• Powdered Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

About the Banana’s

• Chopping the Banana’s: How you chop the bananas is completely up to you. No one going to see them when you’re done combining everything anyway.
  
  I personally, however, like to chop my bananas into pretty thin circular-shaped pieces. I hate eating banana pudding and biting through big chunks of bananas.
  
  But to each his own… If you like your banana pudding chunky then chop the bananas into big chunks… I can’t stop ya! If you’re making it for a big gathering, I would chop them thin though.
• Mashing the Bananas: So as I just said I don’t like biting into big chunks of bananas while eating my banana pudding because when I think of pudding I think of something smooth.
  
  Pudding is supposed to melt in your mouth, there shouldn’t be a lot of chewy action going on. And remember, some people don’t even add bananas to their banana pudding.
  
  A lot of cooks and chefs blend the bananas and add them to the pudding which is sort of what I did. I do like for there to be some visible bananas in the pudding but just a few spread throughout.
  
  I find that this is how most people prefer their banana pudding and so this is why I only keep 3 whole and chop them up and mash up the rest for a more pudding-like experience.
• The changing of color: Now I don’t really worry about this because my banana pudding is usually gone by day 2 but to prevent the sliced bananas from browning dip them in acid!
  
  Dip them in something like lemon, orange, lime, or apple juice. And if you’re worried about that affecting the taste of the banana pudding you can dip them in soda water instead.
• Fully cover the Banana’s: Another thing, when you layer the banana pudding, try to avoid having the bananas against the sides of the bowl, dish, or whatever you put it in.
  
  Try to fully cover them with the pudding because fully covering them with the pudding might help to slow down the browning process because they aren’t exposed to air.

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Vanilla Wafer’s and alternatives

I love vanilla wafers and their flavor. It’s the most commonly used cookie for banana pudding and probably the first one you think of when you think of banana pudding but chessmen cookies are also delicious.

So if you don’t have any wafer cookies or just don’t really care for them, try cheesmen cookies. If you do however, it’s important to use a square or rectangular dish because chessmen cookies are square and wouldn’t look right in a circular bowl. 

About the Cool Whip and cream cheese

• Cool Whip: I love using Cool Whip because it gives the pudding a lovely consistency and adds an amazing flavor to it, sort of like a marshmallow flavor. That’s what Cool Whip tastes like to me, melted marshmallows.
  
  But the consistency it gives the budding is unmatched. Just look at the pudding when you mix it with the milk, then look at how it transforms into a velvety smooth pudding after adding in the cool whip.
  
  I also love it because I feel it last longer than redi-wip which is also good but loosens up a lot after a few hours. Cool Whip has a longer shelf life and keeps its structure longer which is why I prefer it.
  
  Redi-wip is probably your best alternative if you don’t have Cool Whip outside of whipping up some heavy cream and sugar. Redi-wip has a very fresh amazing flavor but it softens faster to me.

• Cream cheese: The cream cheese not only helps to stiffen the pudding but also adds depth a flavor! It gives the banana pudding a slight cheesecake flavor.

  It’s a great addition and takes the pudding up a notch. Try it with cream cheese and without it, you’ll notice a major difference in flavor. I also love the smooth velvety consistency it gives the pudding.

Evaporated milk and alternatives

Im always trying to be different! Lol! Evaporated milk adds richness to banana pudding which is why I took a chance and decided to use it one time and been using it ever since.

If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can use whole milk. Now let me be clear about something… I use unsweetened evaporated milk not the sweetened kind. So please be mindful of that because folk often make the mistake of buying the sweet kind,

Can I use regular sugar?

The only reason sugar is used is to add additional sweetness to the banana pudding because of the cream cheese that’s added. So it’s solely for the cream cheese.

I use powdered sugar because powder sugar is soft unlike granulated sugar which is like little crystals you may feel or bite into as you’re eating the banana pudding.

But I only use a small amount simply to rid of the tanginess from the cream cheese so if regular graduated sugar is all you have I’m sure it will be fine since only a little is used anyway. 

Why do you add cinnamon and nutmeg?

I like to spice things up and be different as I said earlier. I don’t know what made me think of cinnamon and nutmeg but I thought it’d go great with banana pudding and boy do it.

My YouTube followers will tell you that being different original and unique is my trademark and what I’m most known for and this is just an example of how different I am and my love for switching things up.

So I decided to add just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg because of the hint of graham cracker flavor it gives the pudding which goes well with bananas.

Now don’t be afraid or worry, this will by far still taste like banana pudding and the banana will be the overwhelming flavor and taste here but you will taste hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

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Cookware & utensils you’ll need

• Large serving bowl: Make sure you have a large serving bowl to layer and put the banana pudding in. If you don’t have a serving bowl, a casserole dish would work.
• 2 Large Mixing Bowls: We’ll need two bowls to make and combine the pudding, milk, and cream cheese cool whip mixture. It is vital to combine these ingredients separately first.
• Hand Mixer: A hand mixer is for blending everything in obviously but it ensures the pudding is well blended and it’s the easiest and more effective method to use for blending the ingredients.
  
  A spoon can be used but it takes more work and doesn’t combine everything as well and effectively as the blender does. Use a Whisk too if you decide to use a spoon or only have a spoon on hand.
• Silicone spatula: I use a nice silicone spatula to scrape in the dry pudding mix that seeps down to the bottom corners of the mixing bowl the hand mixer can’t get to. Having this on hand is very important.
  
  You’ll also push the pudding down from the sides of the bowl. This is very important so make sure you stir well to ensure there aren’t any pockets of dry pudding mix at the bottom of the bowl.
  
  The last thing you want is to bite into clunks of dry pudding mix because you didn’t blend it well. Lol! That’s the worst – it’s happened to me more times than I would’ve liked when I first starting cooking.
• Knife: You’re obviously going to need a knife to chop up the bananas into small circular-shaped pieces. The knife doesn’t have to be big just make sure it’s sharp for easy slicing.
• Masher: We’ll be using a masher, aka crusher, or potato masher to mash some of the bananas up. If you don’t have one a fork will work just fine, you’ll just have to work your arms a little more. Lol!
• Big Spoon: Makre sure you have a big spoon on deck. A big spoon is essential because you need it to scoop out all the banana pudding when layering it during the final stage.

How to make Banana pudding

1. Combine the pudding mix and milk.

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2. Beat the cheese, blend in the sugar, and blend in the Cool Whip.

3. Then combine the pudding and cream cheese mixture and blend well.

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4. Blend in the butter, vanilla, and spices.

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How to layer Banana pudding

So everyone layers their banana pudding differently. Im going to show you how I like to layer my banana pudding with the pictures and step-by-step instructions below. 

1. Chop 3 bananas up into small circular pieces.

2. Mash the other 3 bananas in a small bowl.

3. Add a little pudding to cover the surface, then add some cookies to cover the pudding.

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4. Then add some chopped bananas and mashed bananas and repeat this process 2 more times. 

5. Cover the mashed bananas with the remaining pudding mix, then cover the pudding with Cool Whip.

6. Top it with the remaining cookies then crunch a couple of cookies and sprinkle them over it.

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7. Sit the pudding in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before diving in.

The specifics of layering Banana pudding

So just in case there was any confusion… the layering process goes as follows: PUDDING (to cover surface), Wafer cookies, Sliced bananas, then mashed bananas 3Xs!

Then you cover the mashed banana’s with the remaining pudding, then add the remaining cool whip, and crunched cookies. Here’s some key information that maybe helpful with the layering process.

• Cover the surface: You don’t want to use too much pudding for the surface. We’re only covering the surface to create a bed for the first layer of cookies so dont use too much pudding for the bottom.
• Use your eyes: If you want to layer the banana pudding exactly as I did, it’s important to be mindful of how many times you’re layering the ingredients and to not use too much or too little each layer.
  
  You don’t want to run out of something before completing the 3 layers. So make sure to use enough of each ingredient for each layer but monitor how much you need for the remaining layers.
• Don’t worry: And remember, if you don’t do the layering correctly, it’s cool, just make sure to cover the top with cool whip and the crunched vanilla wafer cookies.
  
  At the end of the day, what’s underneath doesn’t matter. I just think layering is important so that all the ingredients are equally spread from the bottom to the top so you get everything in each spoonful.

Easy Vanilla Wafer’s Banana Pudding Video

This recipe has been updated since the 2016 recipe

^^^^^^^ Now be mindful that this video is very old and there have been major modifications made to this recipe such as the addition of cream cheese, powdered sugar, cool whip, and the elimination of salt.

But it can still help visual learners to some degree get an idea of how to work through this recipe. So it can still be useful for people who may have never made banana pudding before.

Tips for best results

• Make sure to prepare it early in the day: Banana pudding is best once the vanilla wafer’s soften. So make the banana pudding either the night before or early in the day so it’ll be ready by night.
  
  Don’t make it right after dinner then serve it to your kids because they won’t like it as much. The cookies will still be hard and it won’t taste as good. When you give it a few hours to sit, you allow all the spices and ingredients to marry.
• Keep it in the coolest part of the refrigerator: Banana pudding tends to get soupy pretty fast. To keep it stiff, place it in the coldest area of the refrigerator and cover it tightly.
• Follow step by step: It’s not important to follow steps in order as long as you do everything most recipes says. But in this case, if you don’t do anything else right, blend the cream cheese before adding it to anything.
  
  If you add the cream cheese (which is already hard to smooth out) to the pudding and then try to blend it, you don’t get a nice smooth pudding and will be left with a bunch of lumps.

Frequently asked questions

• How to store Banana pudding? Make sure its in a very cool refrigerator in a glass dish and sealed tightly with a Tupperware lid or aluminum foil. Try to place it in the coldest area of the refrigerator.
• How long does banana pudding last? Honestly, not very long, about 2-1/2 days tops. As it sits in the refrigerator, the cool air browns the bananas making them unappealing, the cool whip softens into a wet mess, and the cookies become soggy.
• Can banana pudding be made ahead of time? Maybe a day or so but no longer than that. As I said, the cool whips soften, the cookies get soggy, and it turns into a soupy mess. Yuck!
  
  This is one of those desserts you have to eat within 2 days. The banana pudding loses it’s stiffness and overall integrity pretty quickly. So yea, eat this quickly because after that it won’t taste as good.

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Anyway, please try my banana pudding recipe… it’s one of the best non-bake banana pudding recipes out there. It was one of my most popular videos on YouTube so you know it has to be good because people on the tube are very critical!

SO FOLLOW THIS RECIPE TO A “T” FOR THE BEST RESULTS!!! Oh and leave a few comments below after you try it and let us know how you like it. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe! Lol!

Enjoy, later!
Pbj~

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Easy Vanilla Wafer’s Banana Pudding (A Recipe To Die For)

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 Made with bananas, vanilla wafers, and topped with whipped cream. The perfect easy-to-make dessert.

• Total Time: 25mins
• Yield: 8

Ingredients

6 Large Banana’s
11 oz Box Vanilla Wafer’s
1/2 Cup JELLO Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1/2 Cup JELLO Instant Banana Cream Pudding Mix
3-1/2 Cups Unsweetened Evaporated Milk
4 Cups + More To Cover of Cool Whip
8oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 Tbs Melted Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Confectioner’s Powder Sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg

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Instructions

1. Add the Vanilla and banana cream pudding mix to a large mixing bowl, then pour in the milk and blend with a hand mixer on low speed for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes. 
2. In another large mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese and blend on low speed for 30 seconds, and add the sugar and blend for 30 seconds.
3. Then add in the cool whip and blend on low speed for 1 minute or until smooth.
4. Add the pudding to the bowl of cream cheese and cool whip, then blend on low speed for 1 minute.
5. Add in the vanilla, melted butter, and spices, then blend again until everything is well incorporated.
*Make sure you’re using a spatula to push the ingredients on the side of the bowls down into the mixtures so everything is well blended.*
6. Chop 3 bananas into 1/8 inch circular pieces, then add the other 3 bananas to a small bowl and mash well.
7. Layering: Get a medium-sized serving bowl and add in enough pudding to fully coat the bottom.
8. Add in some wafers, top them with some Bananas, then add the mashed bananas.
*Repeat this layering order 2 more times*
9. The topping: Cover the top which should be the mashed bananas with the remaining pudding, the remaining Cool Whip, and decorate the top as you please with the remaining wafers.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and sit in the refrigerator to chill.

Notes

• I sometimes let my pudding mix sit overnight or at least 8 hours before layering it for a thicker pudding.
• Letting it sit for a while also gives all the ingredients time to marry and it tastes so much better by the time you layer everything
• Just so you know I used a round-inch size glass serving bowl to put my banana pudding in.
• If you want more of a banana flavor, use 3/4 cup of banana cream pudding mix and only 1/4 cup of vanilla pudding mix, which is a 75/25 banana cream to vanilla pudding ratio.

• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 25mins
• Category: Desserts
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8