Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe
This sweet, rich, and Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe goes light on added sugars and big on fresh banana flavor! Whip up this banana pudding from scratch in under 15 minutes, then chill it for an after-dinner treat.
For chocolate lovers, try our Thick and Creamy Chocolate Mousse.
Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe
Pudding is an underappreciated dessert. And that’s probably because when we think of pudding, a lot of us think of the instant kind that comes in a box or a plastic cup: gelatinous, overly sweet, with a lingering taste of “fake food.”
Homemade pudding is much easier to make than you might think. It has just 5 simple ingredients and the flavor is so good you might never buy the boxed stuff again. I experimented with this recipe dozens of times to try and incorporate bananas into the pudding, and this final recipe was absolutely the best of the best.
This pudding is rich, creamy, super-fresh, and topped with real fresh bananas and whipped cream. And it takes just minutes to make! Try it yourself, and share the good stuff with your kids.
Ingredients for Homemade Banana Pudding
- Whole Milk – you can use 2% milk, but I wouldn’t recommend using any lower fat milk than that. The whole milk gives this pudding its creamy texture and rich flavor.
- Sugar – granulated sugar is what you will need for this recipe. You will be surprised how much less sugar is needed to make this pudding perfectly sweet, but not overly sweet.
- Egg Yolks – the yolks give pudding a rich tasting velvety texture and deeper yellow color.
- Cornstarch – helps to thicken the pudding
- Vanilla – pure vanilla is a must have for this recipe!
- Salt – helps to bring out the overall flavor profile
- Bananas – the star of this pudding recipe! Use bananas that aren’t overly ripe, but definitely ripe enough to be sweet.
How to Make the Best Banana Pudding
If you’ve never made homemade pudding before, you might not realize how insanely easy it is to make. If you have 10 minutes, you can have this pudding chilling in your fridge. It’s that fast!
The basic process goes like this: whisk the ingredients together in a saucepan, simmer until the mixture thickens, then put the pudding in serving dishes and pop it in the fridge.
Here are a couple of details that help you have the best experience making this banana pudding recipe:
- Add all your ingredients to a saucepan at the same time and whisk them together BEFORE heating. This keeps your pudding super smooth-and lump-free.
- Once the pudding starts to simmer, stay at the stove and whisk it more or less continually. You really only need to whisk like this for 3-4 minutes.
- Watch out for splatters! When the pudding is just about done, the bubbles can start to pop out of the saucepan. If your kids are helping, help them steer clear.
- Chill the pudding for a couple hours and add bananas until just before serving. (If you portion the pudding into individual cups, it’ll chill faster. If it’s in on big serving bowl, it might take a little longer.)
- Have fun with presentation! You can layer the bananas and pudding like a parfait, top it with whipped cream, or even a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Banana Pudding From Scratch
Making homemade banana pudding from scratch is the best and I’ll tell you why:
- With just 1/4 cup of added sugars in the full recipe, this dessert has less sugar than most desserts.
- The pudding is absolutely delicious: sweet, creamy, and so fresh you’ll wonder why you ever bought instant pudding.
- This pudding lets you add an extra serving of fruit to your kids’ day.
- It has no artificial ingredients or flavorings.
- It’s quick and easy to make on your stove-top in less than 10 minutes!
More Healthy Desserts Kids Love
- Lower Sugar Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Frosting
- Double Chocolate Banana Cake
- How to Make Perfect Chia Pudding
Homemade Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large bananas
- whip cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, vanilla, and egg yolks.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently. Cook until bubbly and mixture begins to thicken, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the pudding into a serving bowl or individual cups. Chill to desired temperature, then place sliced bananas on top and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
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Looks Yummy! Do you think it will work with soymilk instead of regular milk?
Oh my goodness that does look easy. Only 3 ingredients, I can totally make this.
I’ve got these chilling in the fridge right now. Tasted delicious warm so I’m hopeful my 2.5 yr old eats it. Would this work with any other puréed fruit instead of banana?
Yes you can! Tell me how you like it!
I don’t know if it will- but if you try it Susan, let us know. I meant to try it, as I have some soy milk in the fridge right now, but I haven’t got to it yet.
Bananas are so thick and creamy, but I’d definitely love to try it with other fruit. I just ate a bowlful of strawberries that would have been fun to try- I’ll keep you posted next time I have some berries!
this is a fantastic website. the first thing that i spotted was the banana pudding with NO ADDED SUGAR! amazing content and super healthy. i totally love the recipe. i must go try it right now and the pictures look great too!
I tried making it with vanilla flavored soy milk. It worked fine and tasted fine. Yes there’s added sugar in vanilla soy milk so could probably be made with plain soy milk. I sprinkled cinnamon on top.
Oh my god..it must be tasty.. My kid would love it.
Thank you
Regards
Rich Amor
I made it with soy milk, as well, and the taste was delicious but it was brownish by morning. I guess I am used to the package version but is there something I may have done wrong? The kids deemed it to go on the “favorites” list.
I bet we could add a little lemon juice to prevent the browning! I’ll let you know if I try it!
this pot of golden banana pudding recipe looks like a wonderful idea for a social party.
Looks delicious .. Going to make an attempt with organic rice milk .. Hope it works 🙂
Let me know Janell!
It turned out great ! I was a little worried but pleasantly surprised 😉
anyone try it with almond milk? I bought some for a different recipe and have lots left over (we usually drink cows milk)
I used Unsweetened Almond milk and arrowroot instead of cornstarch. Turned out awesome.
Have you tried it with coconut milk? Recipe looks great and so simple!
I’ve been making plain vanilla pudding for years with egg yokes. I’m totally amazed that this could work without the eggs… Very curious to try it! 🙂
In the past I have put fruits in the pudding after made just before it goes in the fridge. Always yummy!
Thanks for sharing!!
I haven’t Nikki- but I saw a similar recipe on a vegan site where they used coconut milk, and it looks like it turned out fine!
I tried making this, but it never thickened up on the stove. I ended up chilling it and drinking it as banana-flavored milk. It was pretty good, but I was hoping for pudding! Any idea what I did wrong?
I tried making this, but it never thickened up on the stove. I ended up chilling it and drinking it as banana-flavored milk. It was pretty good, but I was hoping for pudding! Any idea what I did wrong?
Did you use the corn starch? How long did you stir it for on the stove? @gummybear
Hello,
How can I make this into vanilla pudding? I don’t think my son will eat banana flavored pudding. Thanks
I would just add some sugar and vanilla and leave the bananas out @Shari
I would def make this, but substitute Arrowroot Powder for the Corn Starch. We prefer no GMOs.
Marion- sounds like a good sub, but there are lots of organic corn starch products on the market.
Finally, a banana pudding that actually cooks the banana into the pudding! Everything else I found just pours vanilla pudding over sliced bananas, and since I’m allergic to raw banana, that’s a no-go. Can’t wait to try this!
Do you have nutrition breakdown?
Sorry but I don’t see any bananas going in until after it is chilled. am I missing something or is this vanilla pudding with banana slices in it?
Hi Dan, you’re not missing anything! This is a vanilla pudding with fresh bananas on top.
Can I use honey instead of sugar or can I skip the sugar altogether?
Hi there, I don’t recommend using honey because it burns a lot easier than sugar. You can reduce the sugar if you like (although we already reduced it quite a bit!)
Some of these comments sound like the banana is cooked into the pudding, yet the recipe just says sliced on top. Maybe it was an older version? Would you mind clarifying? I was looking to make true banana pudding, not just vanilla with banana on top. Thank you!
Hi Michael, yes, there was an older version of this recipe that had pureed banana in it, but the texture and taste wasn’t turning out for us the way we really wanted a pudding to be. We updated the recipe to use the fresh banana instead because that’s what really makes the pudding amazing!
One commenter asked about using another puréed fruit and you said the bananas are thick and creamy. The recipe is titled Banana Pudding but your recipe, as published, is vanilla pudding with banana garnish. I’m confused. Is there banana IN the pudding anywhere?
Hi C, this recipe used to have pureed bananas in it, but it wasn’t very appetizing, so we did some recipe testing and updates so there’s no longer pureed banana inside the pudding. I hope this clears up any confusion.
I made this per the recipe above and it was good but a little bland. My question is….the comments say about”no added sugar” and “cooked bananas”. What was the original recipe? As we made it, I told my daughter we should put some bananas in while our cooked
Hi Sarah, thanks for your feedback. The original recipe involved blending bananas and milk and simmering it with corn starch. But the old recipe was not a great recipe, so we updated it.
Do you not put any bananas into this pudding? Just on top, or did I read it wrong?
That’s right Colleen, you just put the fresh bananas on top.
Can this be made without eggs? Have an allergic kiddo.
Hi Kavita, it will still turn out but it won’t have the same buttery texture.
Hi there, this looks great for the kids but i’m confused! Some comments say it’s only 3 ingredients, but i see several more. And there is no mention of banana puree in the ingredient list or the directions?
Hi Sam, thanks for reaching out. We recently tested and updated this recipe so it’s tastier than before. Some of those comments are old–from when the original recipe was on the site. The updated version is much better!
I can’t see where the bananas are included in the pudding. Are the bananas only a topping? I made this tonight and although delicious it thickened up too much after cooling.
Hi SD, yep, the fresh bananas are the only ones in the recipe. We found this gave the best taste, texture, and appearance to the pudding.
How does it get the banana flavor if the only bananas in it are sliced and added right before serving?
Hi Lilian, the banana flavor comes from the fresh bananas only. We tried a bunch of tests using bananas cooked right in but it never turned out as delicious as using the fresh bananas on top of a creamy vanilla pudding.
tastes so good
so good you guys have to try it
Hi! Looks very easy and delicious, exactly what I would like for a nice breakfast. Thank you for the post!
Hi Leah, this recipes serves four.
Very big fan of this recipe! I replaced the cornstarch with cornflour in exact amounts as we don’t have readily available cornstarch in Australia, and it worked out fine!
Also used 3 tablespoons of sugar instead of 1/4 cup to make it slightly less sweet, but its still desirable.
Just wanted to let anyone else know in case they don’t have access to corn starch either!
Hi.
I was just wondering if you could freeze this. I have herd mentions of this being used for breakfast, and it would be very handy to have it ready and not have to spend the time making and chilling it in the morning.
Hi Katie, we haven’t tried freezing this so I’m not sure how it would turn out. Also, personally we prefer this for dessert because it’s a bit sweet to start off the day! If you’re looking for a great make-ahead breakfast pudding, I recommend chia pudding: https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/how-to-make-perfect-chia-pudding/
thank you for this desert
mahadevi verma
Can you please include a comment to make sure to wrap the custard container with cling wrap, to prevent a “skin” from forming on the top? Thank you
Ok ladies and gentleman- truth time. I saw this recipe on a whim and decided to try it at 10:30 at night on a Tuesday whennnn I hadn’t gone grocery shopping in two weeks. Single 34 year old lifestyle for the win! I used oat milk cause that and two over-ripe bananas were all that was left in my fridge. So why not be extra? I mashed up a banana and added it to the pudding mix when it was done simmering, and then strained the whole thing through a mesh strainer. (I accidentally also added half of an egg white so it needed de-chunking). I may have given myself carpel tunnel syndrome trying to get the pudding through the strainer, but whatevs it tastes delicious and extra banana-y! Woo! I’m giving myself all the awards for making this after a crap day at work- who says adults can’t enjoy toddler food? And nope, I don’t have a toddler.
I was looking for a banana pudding recipe made with less eggs and sugar. I made it no less than 10 min. And it is really good. I used cool whip and served as a parfait in 4 oz glasses. Better than boxed pudding
If anyone was wondering, Ive tried it with soymilk, it works great!
Also, I think there is a better way than heating it over a stove. Just get a large bowl, add your milk, add your eggs and vanilla (then whisk until combined), add flour (whisk) add sugar (whisk).
Now, microwave it for 1:30. Take it out, whisk it, then put it back in the microwave for another 1:30, take it out, whisk it, and then put it back in for a final minute to 1:30. Get it out, whisk it thoroughly to make sure it doesnt curdle, and you have your custard! Easy peasy, and tastes just as good as the stove method.
If anyone was wondering, Ive tried it with soymilk, it works great!
Also, I think there is a better way than heating it over a stove. Just get a large bowl, add your milk, add your eggs and vanilla (then whisk until combined), add flour (whisk) add sugar (whisk).
Now, microwave it for 1:30. Take it out, whisk it, then put it back in the microwave for another 1:30, take it out, whisk it, and then put it back in for a final minute to 1:30. Get it out, whisk it thoroughly to make sure it doesnt curdle, and you have your custard! Easy peasy, and tastes just as good as the stove method!
Thanks for sharing Joseph!
Absolutely simple and delicious
Was looking for a quick dessert with stuff I had on hand. Used rice milk as my husband is milk sensitive and it turned out great!
It came out perfect. Not very sweet but much healthier. It’s a keeper.
Does it matter what percentage milk you use? I only drink 1 percent- is that okay or should I buy a quart of whole milk? My mother made this a lot and put canned mandarin oranges in the pudding-yum!
Hi Marilyn, I think the recipe should still turn out with 1% milk, only the pudding will not have as rich a flavor and texture. You can however melt a tablespoon of butter into the pudding while it’s still on the stove to add some of that richness back. I’ve done this and it works well!
Nice flavor. Turned out nicely with oat milk. I wish my four year old would eat it….more for me.
I made this this week and my whole family loved it! It has the perfect amount of sweetness. The last banana pudding recipe I tried was way to sweet. I did add 1 mashed banana after I took it off the heat instead of slicing them on top. I know it doesn’t look as pretty that way but I love it mixed in. Thank you for the great recipe I can’t wait to make it again!
Thanks for sharing Jenny!
What’s the white stuff between the bananas and the pudding?
Hi Janice, that’s whipped cream. 🙂
I made this with almond milk and it set just fine! I wanted more banana flavor than just the slices on top, so I puréed 2 bananas with a splash of almond milk and added that to the pudding just before it was fully thickened on the stove. So good! The bananas were ripe so they added extra sweetness; I recommend cutting down on the sugar if you use the puréed bananas. Great recipe, thank you!
If I want to make it sugar free, can I replace the sugar with mashed banana? If so, can I use the same measurement?
Hi Isabella, we’ve tested this recipe a LOT, including many tests with mashed banana, and we were never quite satisfied with the texture or color of the pudding. You can certainly try it with mashed banana if you like, but I can’t promise you’ll love it. 😉
Thank you, that’s totally fine. ? How many servings does this recipe have? I looked in your recipe but it didn’t specify.
It makes four servings. 🙂
Absolutely delectable recipe! My husband, 4 year old & 1 year old devoured these. I’m actually making them again tonight! ♡?
So great! Thanks for sharing!
I did not make it yet but I will if I have time.
Quick, simple, less sugar yet delicious. Not a lot of ingredients so it is so easy.
Hi! Question for you….is there a sugar substitute that you would recommend in lieu of sugar?
Have you ever used Stevia? I like that best of the sugar substitutes.
How does it the banana flavor in the pudding
Hi Linda, the banana flavor comes from the fresh sliced banana on top of the pudding.
Can I add the bananas into the pudding before putting it in the serving dishes in the fridge?
Hi there! You can add the bananas beforehand, but the fresh banana tends to turn brown and lose its freshness quickly, which is why we prefer to add the fresh slices just before serving.
Have you ever tried making it with banana in the actual mixture?
Hi Nicole! Yes, we have tried adding pureed banana to the mix multiple times. Unfortunately it just doesn’t yield the rich creamy texture of a good pudding. (The pudding turns out kind of a gray unappealing color, too.) You’re welcome to keep experimenting!
HI Nathalie,
I’m making the recipe now. I would have thought there were bananas in the recipe and not just vanilla pudding with bananas. Is it possible to cook bananas for banana pudding?
Hi! When I was creating this recipe, I tested about 8 different versions that included actual banana in the pudding. I could not get any of them to turn out. If you make it with banana, and it turns out great then definitely let me know!
Tried this with lactose free milk and raw sugar instead. Still tasted amazing. I took some of the banana and layered it on the bottom of my little glasses and put cocoa on the top for dressing. A wonderful recipe and I’m glad I found this, thankyou so much! ??
My dad loves banana, so I should make this for him! Looks pretty good! ?
I love how easy this was to make. Currently ,chilling in the fridge. Thank you for this recipe.
Am I missing a key step or is this vanilla pudding with sliced banana on top. Do I put any banana IN the pudding???
That’s correct- it’s a riff on the banana cream dessert that commonly uses vanilla pudding and sliced bananas. 🙂
This pudding was amazing and super easy. I love that it uses only 1/4 cup of sugar, most recipes want you to use a full cup!
I added two ripe bananas to the listed ingredients, blended it in my blender, then cooked in the stove top and it came out to creamy and a great banana flavor. I wanted more than just sliced bananas to flavor the pudding. Yummy!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi there – you mention the recipe serves 4 – is that 237
calories for each serving? – Good recipe btw 🙂
Yep!
Does it have to be pudding constancy before I let it chill?
It should thicken up quite a bit before it chills- but it will set more as it cools.
At first I didn’t realize the bananas were meant to simply go on top and added the bananas into the sauce pan and was delicious!!
So glad to hear that worked out for you! We’ll have to try it that way! 🙂
Hi there, I made this recipe but used honey instead of sugar and mixed in some mashed banana into the custard mixture and put it over a Graham cracker crust and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. Sounds delicious!
If i make these overnight, and put them out for display for a cake table, will they melt sitting there for like 5 hours ish??
They shouldn’t melt- but we haven’t experimented with letting it sit out. 🙂
I want actual pudding made with bananas not on top of the vanilla pudding
Many users have had success stirring the bananas (mashed) into the cooked pudding!
Is it just me or is the part where you add bananas to the pot just not there? Is the banana only used to garnish..the sliced ones? Or am I missing something? ?
We added the bananas on top- but many users mashed them up and added them towards the end with great results!
I am trying it now it looks delicious and so easy to make!
Hi how many serves does this make
About 4 servings. 🙂
How can you call this a banana pudding when there are no bananas in it slicing banana on top does not make it a banana pudding
it’s great snack and safe snack for children.
thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Im confused, the pudding itself does not have any bananas in it, so it is vanilla pudding with banana slices? And someone said it is three ingredients with no added sugars but it clearly has added sugar and more than 3 ingredients, am Inmiasing something?
It is vanilla pudding with banana slices (like many popular banana pudding recipes!) although many users have had great luck stirring mashed bananas in the pudding for an extra punch of banana flavor. And I’m not sure where you read that it has three ingredients and no added sugar. Our post simply states that it is lower in sugar. 🙂
We will be trying this simple recipe thank you
I strained it after cooking and put a piece of cling wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. I think chopped cherries in season would go well.
I am printing this out to make it looks SO GOOD
i cant wait to try it
This is NOT banana pudding. It’s vanilla pudding with sliced bananas on top.
I regret spending time reading so much before getting down to the ingredients and directions. Shame.
Looks yummy! Very delicious recipes
I’m very confused. So many comments talk about cooking the bananas into the pudding or asking if they can add other fruit. As far as I can see the bananas do not go into this pudding and so adding any fruit on top seems obvious. Am I missing something here? I was hoping for banana flavoured pudding, but this isn’t so I don’t know where the yellow comes from in the picture?
We have added the bananas into the pudding- but the flavor and texture were not as good. This is our favorite way to enjoy it- however, there have been. many users that have stirred the bananas in with good results!
I have just stumbled into this as I adore Banana Pudding and always try and find new healthy ways how to feed my kids. I tend to use cream or greek yogurt but will definitely try the recipe with eggs 🙂 Thank you!
I made this and it is one of my favourite recipes now. It was so easy to make. 5 stars, definitely.
I purées 3 bananas and added to mixture before cooking for real banana flavour 😋😋
Adding bananas on top make it a banana pudding? I really dont understand.
I tested this recipe at least a dozen times. When you mix the banana in the actual pudding it makes it turn a very unappetizing brown color and have an unappealing texture. If you have tried and it worked well for you, I would love to see the recipe!
I’m so confused… this says it’s banana pudding, but there are no bananas in the pudding. Someone mentioned banana puree in the comments, but that is not in the ingredients list. ??? This is really just vanilla pudding with banana garnish, not banana pudding.
Delicious. You can replace the corn starch with tapioca starch and the sugar with equal amounts of monkfruit sweetener.
This recipe is super easy I taught my girls to make it instead of buying store bought.
It is by far the creamiest and tastiest pudding I have ever made!
Even my daughter who apparently hates vanilla pudding savored it!
I made it yesterday and was such a hit and easy, I’m making it again today but with lemon extract!
Thank you Soo much!
So this is not “banana pudding” it is vanilla flavored pudding with a couple sliced bananas on top.
Sigh.
I will continue to look for a literal banana pudding recipe.
Just made this pudding was very easy and good. Well do again.
Plus I like you add everything at,the beginning.
Low sugar too thanks
So glad you liked it!
So there’s no actual banana in the pudding, you’re just adding banana slices to plain pudding? Or did I miss something??
We had much better flavor and consistency when we didn’t add the bananas to the pudding- but many users have great luck stirring mashed bananas into the pudding at the end. 🙂
I, too, was looking for a BANANA pudding with bananas but gave this a try. I sliced some bananas into the pudding when it was done, its in the refrig now. Tasted good so when cold it will be fine. If I had one more banana I would have sliced them on top.
Made this pudding. Very easy and quick. Very yummy
Hello,
I’m interested in making this recipe. I am curious if it would better to use fresh bananas rather then ripe frozen bananas? Or does it matter?
We’ve always used fresh bananas! I assume you could use frozen bananas, however, the color and texture may be affected.
So is this vanilla pudding jsut with sliced bananas on top? The directions never mention bananas until the last step of topping with banana slices.
Sorry I’m confused when you add the banana? Is it just served on top? I could not find it in the instructions for some reason
We just slice the bananas and add them on top- but you can mash/dice them and stir them into the pudding if you prefer!
I think I missed something in the recipe. When do you incorporate the bananas into the recipe in order to make it a banana pudding? The way I read it was I am making a vanilla pudding and then adding slices of banana on top which is not a banana pudding. Am I supposed to incorporate the mushed/pureed bananas into the mixture after I have cooked thudding or before?
We found that the taste and texture are much better when the bananas are sliced and added on top. However, others have either mashed or chopped the bananas and stirred them into the pudding with good results. 🙂
I use the left over egg whites to make meringue kisses and use them with Guernsey cream to decorate and swirl with caramel sauce ! so tasty thank you
So I’m confused. You put no actual bananas in the pudding itself? Just decorated it with banana?
In traditional homemade banana pudding, the pudding itself typically does not contain actual bananas. The banana flavor in the pudding usually comes from layering the pudding with fresh banana slices rather than blending bananas into the custard. Including actual bananas in the pudding could alter the texture, making it thicker or even lumpy as well as turning it an unpleasant brown color.
Why do you add bananas just before serving rather than cooking them into the pudding?
Adding them in earlier allows them to oxidize and turn brown and then they really just look unappealing. I tested this recipe multiple times trying to add the bananas at different times, and the current recipe is what works best!