Southern Banana Pudding Recipe
Nothing tops off a great home cooked Southern meal any better than this down home, made-from-scratch, banana pudding. Or, as we often call it, “naner puddin.” It’s just downright good and most definitely…a Southern tradition. We’re going to show you how to make this one with or without a real egg white meringue topping, the choice is yours.
I have fond memories of mama’s banana puddings. The only one she knew anything about was this totally made-from-scratch version. She never did discover those instant boxed mixes, and I’m so thankful for that. They just smelled so good coming out of the oven, and tasted even better, whether it was warm or cold.
Unfortunately, most of what you get at a restaurant these days comes from a powdered mix type pudding where you just add milk and stir. Or, more than likely, it’s some readymade pudding….straight out of a can. Yes, even here in the South. Let me tell you though, you can certainly taste the difference when you follow these simple and easy steps to make it yourself. Seriously, it’s much easier than you think.
Most people are afraid of making the custard or “pudding” part for fear of turning it into scrambled eggs while cooking. But, if you follow the directions here, and stick with it, you will not - or shouldn’t – have any problems. Of course scrambled eggs ARE possible. I’ve seen it happen. I’m not saying WHO made it happen….let’s just say I’ve seen it OK?
So, tell yourself you can conquer anything, even homemade banana pudding with a real egg white meringue topping, and…
Let’s Get Cooking!
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You’ll need these ingredients. And, if you’re thinking my bananas are overly ripe, please forget those thoughts. They were soft, but not mushy, with very minimal brown spots on the banana itself, and that made them just perfect. I even peeled one to show you they weren’t dark on the inside. Those brown spots on the skins are sugar spots. You want them ripe but not turning mushy soft and brown on the inside.
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Start by separating three eggs. But, not like this…..
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Like this. (Sorry, couldn’t resist) Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and set the egg whites aside for the time being. You’ll use the egg whites if you decide to add the meringue on top. I highly urge you to do so, unless you just don’t like the taste of meringue. If you opt not to do it, refrigerate the egg whites and add them to your next omelet or something.
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IMPORTANT: The next few steps require your totally undivided attention for about 10-15 minutes. Don’t get distracted, and let’s avoid making scrambled eggs at this point. Ready…Go.
Begin the pudding by placing three cups of milk in a saucepan, set to LOW heat on your stove top. Most recipes say to do this in a double boiler. If you have one it’s perfectly fine to use it. If you will stay with it though, it’s very easy to do this in a regular saucepan directly on the stove top. Just exercise a little patience and you’ll be fine. We’re about to add the egg yolks, and if you aren’t careful, this is where you could end up with scrambled eggs in a pot of milk. Have no fear, you can do it. I’ve got confidence in you.
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Slowly add the flour in small amounts at a time. You’ll need to continually whisk the flour into the milk to avoid any lumps. The milk is still cool at this point and the flour should mix in smoothly if you whisk it well. Continue until all the flour is incorporated into the milk.
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Do the same with the sugar. Whisk it into the mixture in small amounts until it’s all in the pot. Keep stirring.
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Use a fork and slightly beat the egg yolks.
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This is the make it or break it point…or should I say the scramble or not scramble point. The milk mixture has started to warm up now, and it’s time to whisk in the egg yolks. Slowly add the egg yolks to the pot, whisking continuously, to keep the eggs from cooking. Just do it easy and gently, and you want have any problems. The warmer your milk is at this point, the faster they will cook. The heat should still be on low, and just getting warm, so we have no reason to create scrambled eggs at this point. Just keep working that whisk from this point forward. You can do it!
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The pudding mixture needs to cook up to 170° in temperature. I used a candy thermometer to make sure I had reached the desired temperature. As you can see in the photo, the mixture has started to thicken. You just keep stirring with the whisk until it reaches the proper temperature…then…remove it from the heat.
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You’ve now moved the pot off of the stove…keep stirring. Add the teaspoon of vanilla and stir it into the mixture. Don’t you just love the aroma of vanilla? It’s so soothing to the soul. Now, let it cool down a bit. The mixture has to cool down before you can add it to the bananas and wafers. If it’s too warm when you start the assembly, it will soften the Vanilla Wafers. It will try to thicken up as it cools so again….you will have to stir it every 30 seconds or so as it cools. Just keep whisking on and off as you begin to assemble the pudding. You did very well. I’m proud of you. No lumps in your pudding mixture and you didn’t even use a double boiler. This is the way mama did it. I don’t recall that she ever even owned a double boiler. Great job!
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You’ll need a deep casserole type dish to assemble everything in. You could get fancy with some clear type of bowl, but remember, it will need to go into the oven after we add the meringue, so make sure the bowl is oven safe. Now, spread just a thin layer of the pudding mixture in the bottom.
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Place a layer of wafers on top of that. Go ahead, be neat about it, and arrange them in the dish. Set aside about 5 of the wafers to use as a crumble topping if you don’t plan on making the meringue.
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Add a layer of sliced bananas on top of the wafers. Don’t go skimping, pile them on.
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Add a layer of the pudding mixture. Spread it out to the edges. Depending on how big of a bowl you use, you may have enough ingredients to make additional layers of each. If so, just repeat the layers ending with the pudding mixture on top.
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If you’re headed to a church homecoming or family reunion, you might consider standing some of the wafers up around the edge of your bowl or container. Go ahead, get a bit fancy and impress them. They’re going to love how it tastes, so why not let them Oooh and Ahhh it at the same time. Just stand a row of wafers up all around the outside edge and finish it with the pudding mixture on top.
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As you can see, I didn’t go fancy with this one. At this point, if you’ve decided NOT to make the egg white meringue topping, just crumble up those 5 or so reserved wafers and sprinkle them across the top. You’ll also want to bake this in the oven for about 10-15 minutes to let all of the ingredients meld together and give it that really homemade taste. After baking, it would then be ready to serve warm or to let it cool and then chill it in the refrigerator for awhile to serve cool. Hopefully though, you’ll want to add the meringue, if so, let’s move on.
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Homemade Egg White Meringue Topping:
Place the reserved egg whites in a small bowl or your stand mixer bowl. You can do this by hand using a whisk, but a mixer will work fine. I suggest you use glass or stainless. Beat the egg whites until they get a bit “frothy” looking, like in the above photo. Don’t over beat.
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Then, add just a pinch of Cream of Tartar. I used about 1/8th of a teaspoon here. You’ll find Cream of Tartar in the spice rack at your grocery store. It’s a magical ingredient for turning egg whites into tall, fluffy meringue. Whip it up some more.
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Cream of Tartar really sparks up the egg whites. When you get soft peaks like above, it’s time to add the sugar.
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Pour your sugar into the bowl and whip it up some more.
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When the egg whites form good strong peaks…you’re done. Don’t over whip it though, the peaks will start to fall if you over do it. You’ve got to get to just the right point and stop. See, easy isn’t it?
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Use a spatula and gently spread the meringue over the top of your banana pudding. Work it as little as possible but spread it all the way out to the edges. Look how thick that is. Don’t you just love it?
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Take your spatula, and just dab it up and down lightly into the meringue to make some swirls and peaks stand up in your meringue. This will make it look even better when it comes out of the oven.
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Is this not absolutely GORGEOUS? I’ve impressed myself I must admit. You’ll want to bake the banana pudding in a 350° oven for about 10-15 minutes. You only want just a light toasting of the meringue, so watch it closely and don’t let it burn. When it looks good to you…it’s ready. Somebody pass me a spoon please!
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This makes me soooo hungry for Banana Pudding. It brings back all kinds of childhood memories of sitting around that big table on Sunday dinner, finishing off one of mama’s great meals, then having this for dessert. We miss you Mama. Thank you for all the love you shared with us through those meals.
Banana Pudding is good slightly warm, but if you can wait and let it cool down, then refrigerate it for awhile, it’s even better when it’s cold. Either way, I think you will love this recipe. With, or without the meringue, it’s pretty simple and easy to make. If you’ve been using those boxed pudding mixes, do yourself, and your family a favor, and try this totally made from scratch version to see what you’ve been missing. You’ll be amazed at how big a difference homemade can really taste. I do hope you’ll try it, and I most certainly hope you like it.
Enjoy!!!
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Nothing tops off a great home-cooked Southern meal any better than down home, made-from-scratch, banana pudding. Or, as we sometimes call it…’naner puddin’. It’s just downright good and most definitely…a Southern tradition. Ingredients Instructions
Your Comments: We welcome your comments and look forward to hearing from you. Please post your comments in the section below.
Be Blessed!!!
Steve
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Category: Desserts
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Hi steve i tried your banana pudding recipe and it came out excellent..thank you so much sir
Hi Lorenzo, Thank you for your comments. Its always good to hear that someone has tried our Banana Pudding Recipe and that it turns out well for them. Some folks get a bit intimidated by making the custard without a double boiler but, I’m glad you stepped up to the challenge and it turned out well for you. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Thank you soooo much for posting this. I’m in the south and this is exactly how my momma made banana pudding when i was growing up! Followed your recipe and was very pleased! Thanks!!!!
Hi Angee, Mamas knew best when it came to Banana Pudding didn’t they? So glad that you gave it a try and that it turned out well for you. Thank you for taking the time to share your comments, I sincerely appreciate it and, I hope you’ll visit with us again, real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Oh this was just great. I love anything that has meringue on it. I had always had the boxed pudding kind, but this really hits the spot. Thank you so much for the recipe. God bless you.
Hi Michelle, Thank you for your comments. I’m really glad you gave the recipe a try and that you liked it. That’s always great news to hear, I appreciate it very much. I hope you’ll stop by for a visit again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Finally…I have found the same recipe my mother-in-law uses to make her delicious homemade banana pudding! Thanks for sharing this!!!
Hi Tamyka, Delighted that you found us and hope you’ll be giving the recipe a try real soon. Let me know how it turns out for you, its really pretty easy to make. Sounds like your mother-in-law must be a pretty awesome cook. I hope you’ll stop by for a visit again with us real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Thanks Steve, I made it last night and it was delicious!!!
thank God for this recipe …very good thanks for sharing …
Hi Shuntay, Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you tried the recipe and that it turned out well for you, I’m glad to share it. I hope you’ll also give some of our other recipes a try. Thanks for stopping by and we’ll look forward to having you drop in for a visit again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Hi, I was wondering since I don’t have a thermometer, how long would I have to let the pudding cook before it reaches 170 degrees?
Hi Shanice, Thank you for your question. I’m glad you found Taste of Southern and I do hope you’ll give the Banana Pudding Recipe a try. My mother never used a thermometer when cooking her banana pudding. Having spent time in a restuarant, I just became use to using one and still do here at home. I can’t give you a time limit as cooking time would vary based on the heat you’re using. Just cook the custard until it starts to thicken up pretty good and I think you’ll be fine. You want it to be a bit thick and not watery or runny. By the time the pudding mixture gets thick, you should be safe with the eggs being properly cooked. I hope this helps. Please stop by for a visit with us again real soon and let me know how it turns out. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Thanks so much for the reply! I made this a few days ago for my parents and little brother. I tried to make the meringue but it just would not work out and froth up, probably because I didn’t have a mixer and used a whisk. I ended up just putting Cool Whip over it once it cooled down. But my family loved it either way and I’m making some more today. When I get a mixer I’m definitely trying the meringue! Thanks for your help =)
Hi Shanice, I’m sorry to hear you had problems making the meringue. It IS possible to do by hand but, much easier with a mixer of course. Also, make sure you’re using a very clean bowl, one that doesn’t have any type of oil that might be lingering around on it. Egg whites can be particular some times. The Cool Whip option is always good and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Let me know when you get to try out that meringue, I’m sure you’ll like. Thank you for your comments and I’ll look foward to you stopping by for a visit again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
This is the only way to make Banana Pudding!
This is the way my Nana made it and I started making it. I made it several times for church functions (needless to say, it was gone within 30 minutes, haha!) and I hope to carry on her tradition of always having the best Banana Pudding. I lost my recipe when we moved, so I was so happy to find it again! XOXO
Hi Melissa, I bet you and your Nana made an awesome Banana Pudding. I’m happy you found the recipe and hope it comes close to what you and your Nana made in the past. Homemade is the only way to go when it comes to good old Banana Pudding. Thank you for your comments and I hope you’ll visit with us again real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Just found the site and the recipe steps remind me of watching my mom make it when I was young. I got hungry for it just looking at it. Excited.
Hi Sharon, I’m glad you have found our site. I do hope you might consider giving the Banana Pudding recipe a try. I also watched my mom make more than a few of these while I was growing up. They were so delicious. Please let me know how it turns out should you decide to make one, I’d be interested to hear about it. Please stop by for a visit again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
I did it. I was afraid of it not coming out right from scratch but my family loved it. It really is the best recipe ever and a great memory of my mom. I’m glad i didn’t chicken out and use the cool whip. The only drawback is that my kids ate it and I’m now up early making another one for my dinner today. Thanks for bringing good recipes and fond memories of my mom.
Good for you Sharon. I saw the time of your comments (6:37am) and realized you were typing pretty early this morning. It’s great to know that you tried the recipe and that it turned out good for you. You made my day by saying that it brought back memories of your mom. Thank you for that. And thank you, especially, for taking the time here on Christmas Day to share your comments. I hope you have the best Christmas ever. Get those kids in the kitchen and start making some cooking memories with them this year…if you haven’t already. I’ll look forward to you stopping by again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Hello from Baltimore, MD. I’m so glad I found your site! All of the banana pudding recipes I was coming across were not the way I remembered my dad making it years ago. Your recipe is how I remember my dad making it. My dad was originally from Raleigh, NC. Reading your instructions puts the taste in my mouth from 35 years ago. I can’t wait to make this tomorrow. I will come back to let you know how I made out.
Hi Angela, Thank you for your comments. I look forward to hearing how you like our Banana Pudding if you give it a try. Raleigh is about 45 minutes from where I live. I visit there very often, was there yesterday as a matter of fact. I’m glad you found our site and I do hope you’ll visit us again real soon. Thanks again. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Question Steve: If I want whipped cream instead of meringue, would I need to add it before or after I bake it? If I add whipped cream before, do I need to change the baking time or temp? Any good recipes for real whipped cream, or should I just stick with Cool Whip? I’ve always wondered these things, and you seem just the right person to ask! I can’t wait to hear from you! Thanks so much! Brandi B (love to bake, not cook, from Alabama);)
Hi Brandi, Greetings to Alabama from North Carolina. Thank you for stopping by Taste of Southern. If you select to not make the meringue, my best suggestion would be the Cool Whip. You can certainly make your own whipped cream but, Cool Whip would probably be a little cheaper and easier. Bake the Banana Pudding for about 10-12 minutes to meld all the flavors together. Remove from oven and let it cool. The Cool Whip should be added just before serving as it will begin to melt down once it starts to get warm. If you want to make the pudding ahead of time, refrigerate it once it’s cool and then top it with Cool Whip just before you serve it. That way, you’ll still get the nice look of a whipped topping. It’s rare these days to even find a Southern restaurant that serves Banana Pudding with a homemade meringue. Most use Cool Whip and they also use a canned ready-made Vanilla Pudding as opposed to homemade custard. I think you’ll agree that homemade is best once you give it a try. I look forward to hearing how it turns out for you. Thank you for your comments and the vote of confidence. I appreciate that. I hope you’ll visit with us again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Oh my…. this recipe is so yummy!!!! I’ll make it for xmas. If u have chicken etoufee recipe, would u mind to share it to? I’m a southern dish big fan!! (oddly i’m from asia:-) )
Eve, Greetings from the United States. I’m delighted that you’ve found our site and thank you for taking the time to post your comments. I do hope you’ll give the Banana Pudding Recipe a try. It’s great for the holidays and, any other day of the year as it’s a real Southern favorite. Let me know how it turns out for you. As for the Etouffee, I might not be able to help you out with that one. It’s a great cajun dish that may be a little further down towards New Orleans than here in North Carolina. I hope you can find one that you’ll like. I do believe you are my first International visitor to leave a comment, again, that’s greatly appreciated. I invite you to visit with us again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
This is a wonderful sounding recipe for Southern Banana Pudding. When I try to print the recipe with the print feature on the web page, it brings up a blank page. I have not had trouble printing any other ones from this site. Any suggestions?
Thank you
Hi Janice, I’m sorry to hear you are having problems trying to print out the recipe. I sent you an Email with a .pdf file copy of the recipe that you should be able to print out. I was able to print out the recipe using the Print Button here on my computer so I’m not sure what may have happened. Thank you for letting me know you’ve experienced a problem though, I’ll look into it right away. I do hope you received the Email and that you’ll give the recipe a try. I look forward to hearing how it turns out for you. Thank you for your comments and we hope you’ll stop by again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Oh my goodness. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It turned out so good! He loved it. My mom and sister are awaiting my arrival so I can make one for them. My Auntie is happy that I can make it because she’s our matriarch and now the next generations will have ‘nana pudding at family events!!! God Bless and take care.
Hi Deirdra, I’m so glad you came back and gave us such a good report. I knew you could do it. Delighted to know that everything turned out great for you. Taste of Southern is all about preserving those old fashioned recipes for the next generation. Delighted to know that now, you will be a part of doing the same. Thank you once again for your comments and for stopping by. Hope you’ll visit with us again soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
This recipe is so detailed! I am going to make this this weekend for my boyfriend’s birthday. Ít looks just like my aunt’s pudding and since she is unavailable, I’m going to try it myself. I’m so excited!!! Ok Fingers crossed. Talk to you soon
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Hi Deirdra, Thank you for your comments. I hope the Banana Pudding turns out well for you and that you’ll share your results with us. You can do it. I hope you’ll visit with us often and best of luck with your cooking. Happy Birthday to your boyfriend, he’s a lucky man, I can tell. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Thank you so much for this recipe. This is just how my Granny made her banana pudding. She NEVER put store box banana pudding in her recipe kit. This is how we in the South love to eat and it has to be made by scratch. Love it. I just made this for an office gathering near Seattle, Washington. They don’t know southern cooking like this. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Tammie, Thank you for your very nice comments. I’m glad you decided to give the recipe a try and hope that you and your friends all enjoyed it. Every time I see the picture, it just makes me want Banana Pudding. And, I can’t understand why anybody would use the boxed stuff. Thank you again for stopping by. I hope you’ll visit us often and I’d appreciate you telling your friends about Taste of Southern. Just tell them we make our Banana Pudding just like you and your Granny make it. OK? Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Best banana pudding I have ever tasted! Thanks so much for the detailed directions. Everyone in the family could not stop eating it! Thanks again!
Thank you very much Glenn. I’m glad you gave the recipe a try and delighted to know your family enjoyed it. I appreciate your comments and hope you’ll stop by and visit with us again often. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
I have never in my life seen this much detail put into making old-fashioned homemade banana pudding! This is so neat! My mom used to make it with just jello pudding and never with the topping but it was never as good as this kind! I have always wanted to learn how to make this. I had only seen just a few recipes like this but never in this much detail and with photos! That is great! I might just get brave enough to give it a try! Thanks, Steve!
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Thank you so much Emily. I’m glad you found us and I appreciate your comments. I do hope you’ll give the recipe a try. It’s really easy to make and I’m pretty sure you will like it. Don’t forget to report back and let me know if you give it a try. Hope you’ll be back often. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Thanks for the recipe the whole thing got eaten over night, taste like my moms cooking, one of my favorites when i was a kid. God bless.
Thank you Steve. I’m glad you tried it and certainly delighted that you enjoyed it. Everytime I see the picture, I want banana pudding. Be Blessed!!! –Steve
Love this website, keep the recipes coming
I will have Curtis try the collard recipe
Thank you for the compliment Frances. I’m glad that you like it. Not a lot to view at the present, but we’re working on it. I’m sure Curtis can already cook some mean greans, but do let me know if he tries mine. Be Blessed!!! -Steve