This homemade Banana Pudding is a Southern dessert that’s both comforting and delicious. Layers of creamy homemade vanilla pudding, soft bananas, and crunchy vanilla wafers come together with a sweet, fluffy meringue topping that’s baked until golden brown. It’s simple, but the flavors are so satisfying and nostalgic, just like the pudding my mother-in-law always made.
Homemade Banana Pudding with Meringue
Unlike a traditional banana pudding that is layered with whipped cream and refrigerated, this cozy dessert is served slightly warm or at room temperature. Instead of whipped cream, it’s topped with meringue that is browned in the oven, warming up the pudding underneath.
This warm banana pudding recipe is a special family favorite, passed down from my mother-in-law. She always made it fresh, serving it at room temperature or warm, right after the meringue had been baked.
It’s an old-fashioned southern recipe where nothing goes to waste; the pudding itself just uses egg yolks, so of course, you would top it with the leftover egg whites.
It’s actually not banana pudding, but vanilla pudding with layers of sliced bananas. It’s similar to the vanilla filling in my favorite banana cream pie. You don’t want overly ripe bananas in this recipe like you do with banana bread. They will turn brown and add too much sweetness. the bananas should be firm enough to slice but not green.
To make the homemade pudding, you’ll make a creamy custard with egg yolks, milk, sugar, and vanilla. A little cornstarch keeps it from being to runny. It’s the creamiest vanilla pudding if you want to stop right there!
Once it’s come to room temperature, layer the custard with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers in a baking dish. Then, beat egg whites to make a meringue, top the pudding with it, and bake until golden brown.
The meringue isn’t as sweet as a 7-minute frosting but it adds just a hint of sweetness to the creamy custard and soft bananas.
Any leftovers are best served at room temperature, but they won’t last long. Within a day or two, the wafers soften, and the bananas start to turn. It’s a dessert you’ll want to enjoy while it’s fresh. If you love this dessert, turn it into the creamiest banana pudding ice cream.
Why This Recipe Works
- Made-from-scratch: Nothing beats the homemade taste of custard and meringue. It’s a flavor you can’t get from store-bought!
- Nostalgic: This Southern dessert brings back memories of family dinners and warm, comforting moments.
- So easy: It’s the kind of dessert that feels fancy, but you can make it in no time.
What’s in This Recipe
- Pantry staples: Sugar, salt, butter, and vanilla extract.
- Egg yolks: These form the creamy base of the pudding and give it that rich texture.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the pudding to the perfect consistency.
- Whole milk and heavy cream: These create a creamy, smooth custard base.
- Bananas: Fresh, yellow bananas without any brown spots (or only a few) work best for this recipe since they’re perfectly sweet without being mushy.
- Vanilla wafers: These are a type of vanilla cookie that provides that classic crunchy layer beneath the creamy pudding. This recipe calls for vanilla wafers, but any vanilla-flavored crunchy cookie would work.
- Egg whites: Whipped to make the meringue topping. You’ll separate these from the yolks.
How to Make Warm Banana Pudding
Step One: Make the Pudding Base
Whisk together egg yolks and cornstarch. Heat milk, cream, sugar, and salt until it simmers, then slowly combine with the egg mixture, stirring until it thickens.
Step Two: Add Flavor
Remove the pudding from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let it cool to room temperature.
Step Three: Layer the Pudding
In a baking dish, layer vanilla wafers, banana slices, and the creamy pudding.
Step Four: Make the Meringue
Beat the egg whites with sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over the pudding and bake until golden.
Step Five: Serve
Let the pudding cool or serve warm.
Different Ways to Customize
- No meringue: You can top the pudding with whipped cream or Cool Whip if you prefer. Keep in mind you won’t need the oven if you don’t make the meringue.
- Chessmen butter cookies: Swap the vanilla wafers for Chessman butter cookies for a richer flavor.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Separating eggs: If any egg yolk gets into the egg whites, it messes with the whipping process. The yolk contains fat, and fat makes it way harder for the whites to become light and fluffy. So, to get that perfect meringue, make sure the egg whites stay yolk-free, or you might end up with a flat, runny mess.
- Perfect texture: For a creamy texture, be sure to cook the pudding slowly over low heat, stirring constantly to avoid curdling.
- Chill the meringue: For better stability, refrigerate the egg whites for about 10 minutes before whipping them into meringue.
How to Keep Your Pudding Fresh
Banana pudding is best served fresh, but you can store leftovers on the counter for a day, otherwise store it in the fridge. Keep it covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the bananas will start to brown and the meringue and vanilla wafers will begin to soften after a day or two.
It’s recommended to eat this banana pudding as soon as it’s made for the best texture and flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks reserve the whites for the meringue
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 medium bananas not over ripe, cut into ¼ inch slices, about 2 cups
- 2 cups vanilla wafers
Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks and cornstarch in a glass bowl or measuring cup, set aside
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add milk, cream, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer whisking often. Do not let it boil.
- Drizzle a about 1 cup of warm milk into the egg mixture a tablespoon at a time whisking until it is incorporated. Slowly add the warm egg yolks to the milk mixture, whisking until combined. Continue to cook until it thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.
- Remove to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface of the pudding. Let cool to room temperature or refrigerate until ready to layer the pudding.
- Add the vanilla wafers to the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with sliced bananas and then spoon the pudding over the top, spreading it across the bananas.
- Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes, until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Spoon on the top of the pudding and swirl with a spatula.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350º for 10-12 minutes until the meringue has turned light brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This can also be served at room temperature.
- Don’t use over ripe bananas.
- You substitute low fat milk in this recipe, the pudding will not have the same texture or be as rich.
