• bookmarks
    My Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Membership Benefits
  • Recipes
  • Meals
  • Holidays
  • Food Trends
  • News
  • Kitchen Tips & Tools
  • All Videos
  • About Us
  • Newsletter
  • Follow
Privacy NoticeTerms Of Use
Skip to Content
Logo
  • Recipes
  • Dinners
  • Summer Recipes
  • Kitchen Tips
  • News
Subscribe
sign in
  1. Meals & Cooking
  2. Delish Unlimited Member Exclusives
  3. Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding Recipe

Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding Recipe

By Romel BrunoPublished: Jun 17, 2021
Star
Be the first to review!
preview for How To Make Vanilla Bean Banana Pudding
Yields:
8 - 10
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Arrow Circle Down IconJump to recipe

My mother's desserts were famous on the block. She baked all kinds of cakes—strawberry, red velvet, lemon Bundt—but nothing compared to her banana pudding. She put love into everything she made (and God knows it was hard cooking for seven kids!), but especially banana pudding; it seemed intuitive to her. She’d sit on her bed, wood cutting board on her lap, and slice bananas while watching Food Network. I was amazed by all the layers. It felt like my first true encounter with an artist’s work. My older brother and I would patiently (or not) wait overnight for the wafers to soften and take on the texture of cake.

To give this my own spin, I made pudding from scratch. It’s hard to match the boxed stuff, so whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk got me the richness I was after and vanilla bean enhances the flavor. The result is heavenly, almost ice cream-like. Make it the night before, then enjoy it cold, right out of the cooler. Mom would definitely approve.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ingredients

  • 3

    large eggs

  • 3/4 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 tsp.

    kosher salt

  • 3 cups

    milk (preferably 2%)

  • 1 tsp.

    pure vanilla extract

  • 1

    (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 1 1/3 cups

    heavy cream, cold

  • 6 Tbsp.

    powdered sugar

  • 2

    vanilla bean pods, split and scraped 

  • 1

    (8 oz.) box Nilla Wafers

  • 4

    large bananas, cut into 1/4" slices

Directions

    1. Step 1Make pudding: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, flour, and salt, then whisk in milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken and bubble. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes more.
    2. Step 2Remove from heat and slowly pour a little milk mixture into eggs, whisking constantly so that they don’t scramble. Add egg mixture to pan, whisking constantly. Bring back to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
    3. Step 3Stir in vanilla extract. Let pudding cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    4. Step 4Fold in sweetened condensed milk, then continue to cool pudding to room temperature.
    5. Step 5Make whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
    6. Step 6Gently fold whipped cream into cooled pudding in two additions. In a large trifle dish, layer Nilla Wafers (reserving some for topping!), bananas, and pudding. 
    7. Step 7Cover and refrigerate overnight. Crush more Nilla Wafers on top before serving.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Delish Unlimited Member Exclusives

black bean and corn salad

Black Bean & Corn Salad

one pan coconut lime chicken

One-Pan Coconut-Lime Chicken

vegan crunchwrap supreme filled with cooked lentils, avocado, tomatoes, and vegan cheese sauce

Vegan Crunchwraps

blackened shrimp bowls with grilled corn, avocado, lime, and cilantro

Blackened Shrimp Bowls

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
elbow noodles tossed with veggies in a vegan mayo mixture

Vegan Macaroni Salad

a bed of fresh romaine lettuce topped with everything you'd find on a classic american diner cheeseburger, tangy dill pickles, thinly sliced red onion, juicy tomatoes, smoky bacon, cheddar cheesy ground beef, a drizzle of burger sauce, and of course a few golden crispy fries

Burger Bowls

a skillet full of cooked spaghetti in a cream sauce with pieces of green olives, parsley, and parmesan

Dirty Martini Pasta

stuffed shells with sauce filled with cheese

Summer Stuffed Shells

chicken with gnocchi, tomatoes, and cheese in a red skillet

Caprese Chicken Gnocchi Skillet

brown sugar bbq chicken in a sandwich with slaw

Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken

chicken drumsticks and thighs with pineapple and jalapenos

65 Top Delish Membership Recipes

gin spritz in a jam jar garnished with a lemon twist and blueberries

Blueberry Jam Gin Spritz

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Logo
x
tiktok
youtube
facebook
instagram
pinterest
NewsletterSubscribeManage SubscriptionAbout UsDelish Test KitchenMedia KitCommunity GuidelinesAdvertise With UsOther Hearst SubscriptionsDelish Unlimited Membership SupportTurn off Web Notifications
Hearst Lifestyle and Design Group - A Part of Hearst Digital Media

A Part of Hearst Digital Media

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy NoticeCA Notice at CollectionYour CA Privacy Rights/Shine the LightDAA Industry Opt OutTerms of UseSite Map
Cookies Choices