We like this version better than the cooked ones and it is so easy to prepare.
HELPFUL TIPS NOT MENTIONED: My extremely picky never satisfied husband loved this as well as my toddlers, so what more could I want! I wanted to note for those making this for the 1st time that this calls for heavy cream aka heavy whipping cream which is not whipping cream (cool whip) in the freezer section. I believe THIS is why people complain about this being too sweet b/c quite frankly I CHOSE THIS RECIPE because it was the least sweetest of ALL the recipes on here which I DID try. Heavy Whipping Cream doesn't have that nice sugary taste as the frozen whipped creams you put on top of desserts nor is it something people can eat right out of the carton w/o adding something else. Outside of that, I just eyeball the amount of nilla wafers or Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies (try it!), and set it in the fridge for a few hours (necessary) to allow them to soften up. THIS ALSO allows the lemon taste of bananas to go away! It also helps delay browning. 3 THINLY sliced Bananas with 1/4C lemon (used my measuring cup to place juice&dunked the slices as I put it on the layer) was the perfect amount w/o letting anything go to waste. I chose this recipe b/c unlike others, I didn't have to wait for my cream cheese & frozen whipped cream to soften at room temp. UPDATE: To cut down even more on the sweetness, this works better with just ONE CUP of heavy whipped cream. Tastes more like pudding instead of "whipped" and I use fat-free condensed milk
Read More HELPFUL TIPS NOT MENTIONED: My extremely picky never satisfied husband loved this as well as my toddlers, so what more could I want! I wanted to note for those making this for the 1st time that this calls for heavy cream aka heavy whipping cream which is not whipping cream (cool whip) in the freezer section. I believe THIS is why people complain about this being too sweet b/c quite frankly I CHOSE THIS RECIPE because it was the least sweetest of ALL the recipes on here which I DID try. Heavy Whipping Cream doesn't have that nice sugary taste as the frozen whipped creams you put on top of desserts nor is it something people can eat right out of the carton w/o adding something else. Outside of that, I just eyeball the amount of nilla wafers or Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies (try it!), and set it in the fridge for a few hours (necessary) to allow them to soften up. THIS ALSO allows the lemon taste of bananas to go away! It also helps delay browning. 3 THINLY sliced Bananas with 1/4C lemon (used my measuring cup to place juice&dunked the slices as I put it on the layer) was the perfect amount w/o letting anything go to waste. I chose this recipe b/c unlike others, I didn't have to wait for my cream cheese & frozen whipped cream to soften at room temp. UPDATE: To cut down even more on the sweetness, this works better with just ONE CUP of heavy whipped cream. Tastes more like pudding instead of "whipped" and I use fat-free condensed milk
I got this recipe from a coworker who brought the pudding for a dinner at work. boy-oh-boy!!! It was a big hit and everyone wanted the recipe. since then i have made it numerous times and I always hear "THIS IS THE BEST...blahblahblah" and it's true. I think 3 bananas is kinda skimpy--i usually use 6 large. Definitely make it...put it in the fridge and forget about it for at least a day or two. The pudding part is what sets this recipe apart. don't substitute cool whip for the whipped cream because the w.c. cuts the sweetness of the pudding mix/sweetened condensed milk--cool whip is already sweet. if you like bananas you will love this recipe. it's nummy!!
Awesome recipe, VERY VERY rich! I have a suggestion- follow the recipe exactly except leave out the bananas. Let the pudding and wafer mixture stay in the fridge overnight. This way you can have very soft wafers! Add bananas the next morning. Again, a very good recipe, and extremely rich. :)
This is the BEST recipe for banana pudding I have used. I did not use heavy cream, but used a large tub of cool whip instead. I have printed this recipe out to everyone I serve it to because they always ask for it.
I don't normally care for banana pudding, but I LOVED this! My boyfriend didn't like the fact that he could taste the lemon juice on the bananas. Next time we will either use orange juice or skip that step altogether.
This is a wonderful shortcut for those of us who have slaved over a stove trying to get milk to thicken into a nice, smooth pudding without curdling lol. I personally prefer the homemade version simply because the sweetened condensed milk makes this version a bit too sweet for my taste (and I have a major sweet-tooth). I did however make it again using slightly less than the whole can, and it tasted lovely. French Vanilla pudding also works well. In all fairness though, I must add that my boyfriend said he couldnt tell the difference btwn this one that took 20 minutes and the homemade version that has been know to take...well...let's just say..it took a lot longer, and he felt the sweetness was fine. Thanx for a lifesaver of a recipe!
I made this for my boyfriend's holiday work party which I understand is more like a cooking competition. That day I got a call from him with no less than 8 women in his office demanding the recipe. Need I say more?? Since then I've made it twice with similar results. I did use twice the bananas and a few extra vanilla wafers. Great recipe!
This is the only way I make banana pudding...with REAL WHIPPING CREAM! It has the perfect amount of sweetness. The only thing I change is not to use lemon juice. You can briefly soak the banana slices in Sprite or 7-Up and it will keep them from turning brown, works as well if not better than lemon without giving any strong acidic flavor.
This is heavenly!! I added an 8 oz package of cream cheese and mixed it with the condensed milk and water. Next time I'll use milk in place of the water. Great company dessert.
This was a nice change from the usual banana pudding. The texture was great, and it was very pretty. It was a little sweet for me, but my husband didn't think so at all.
I made this 3Xs and it was nice and creamy. I did have to use more vanilla wafers and banana than the recipe calls for. This is my go to recipe for banana pudding. It was quick and easy to prepare.
WOW! It really does taste like my Grandma's Southern bannana pudding, which is made with slow cook pudding and baked in the oven for about 30 minutes. This pudding is the best after it sits overnight. The cookies absorb all of the flavors and get totally soft and delicious. Awesome recipe!
This pudding turned out great, very light and creamy. I took another person's suggestion to use only half the condensed milk and use regular milk for the other half. It turned out to have the perfect amount of sweetness, I couldn't imagine it with the full amount of sweetened milk. Also, like others, I filled a small bowl with citrus soda and sliced the bananas right into the bowl and then drained them. I let the pudding sit in the fridge for about 10 hours before eating. Can't wait to make it again on a hot summer day.
This is the creamiest banana pudding you will ever eat! I won't tell my grandmother, but it beats the socks off of hers. :)
This is the same recipe I have used for years, and it is FABULOUS! Don't change a thing. Be sure to use real whipped cream (don't add any sugar or sweetener - the pudding doesn't need it). My family much prefers this over the cooked versions, and it is a staple in our recipe box. I'd give it 20 stars if I could. :oD
This is absolutely the best banana pudding I've ever had, and I consider myself a banana pudding connoisseur! The no-cook part makes it even better. I made this twice in a week for two separate gatherings and had people at both rave about it and ask for the recipe. The real whipped cream (vs. Cool Whip) makes a big difference. Thanks for submitting it, Barbara. It gets a definite WOW!
I have been making this recipe for years.It has become a requested dessert at holidays and special events.It's the best banana pudding you'll ever eat!
This is the best banana pudding I have ever had! And it is SOOOO easy! My boyfriend and family just LOVE it!!!
Outstanding banana pudding, Barbara! I was surfing this site for something that might take the edge of my sweet tooth. WOW! This did it, and I didn't have to change a thing. Few ingredients, great instructions and wonderful taste. What more could we ask for? Thanks for sharing this wonderful dessert recipe.
We made this for an adult 50's party on 2.21.09...120 guest...this pudding is SINFUL!! This is THE best pudding...use real cream not cool whip! The only enhancement made was we topped it off with a rum cream...1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar and 4 teaspoons dark rum...beat the cream till soft peaks form, add the sugar beat till stiff peaks then blend in the rum. Mighty tasty!!! 4.1.10...if u dont want to use lemon juice to keep ur bananas from turning brown...use a lemon lime soda...try it totally wks!
OH my stars...I made this in June and my family and friends went on and on and on...welll you get the idea..I did not dip my bananas in the lemon juice i sliced them up and added them to the mixture...so much faster. Sence then I have made this once a week. I keep thinking the new will wear off...oh well it is wonderful!
I thought this pudding was very good. I am usually a chocolate dessert person, but growing up my Dad's side of the family felt you had to have southern banana pudding anytime three or more of them gathered. I usually passed it up in favor of chocolate or pecan pie. I was getting nostalgic for banana pudding and tried this for my son and husband. They loved it. I agree that the real cream makes all the difference. The only reason I didn't rate this a full five stars is because I had to use three different bowls to make it which meant more dishes!
This recipe was a lot easier than I thought. Whenever I hear 'whip heavy cream until stiff peaks appear' i usually groan, however it only took about 5 minutes. The pudding is heavenly, and I have given out this recipe three times already, today. Made it exactly as written, used real lemon juice as opposed to the bottled stuff. It's hard to stifle that mmmmm with that first bite...THANKS!!!
Thanks for making my neighborhood believe I'm a great cook! HA! Made it for my son's birthday as a side dish and everyone just RAVED. There are two cute single guys on my street and both have made a point of telling me that they're up for dinner at my house anytime! YESSSS! (I'm a single mom.) I've made it 5 times, maybe 6, and the sound of the fridge opening, spoons clanking and then the fridge door shutting is enough to convince me that this is the BEST BANANA PUDDING YOU'LL EVER MAKE. PS: Don't leave out the lemon juice and don't substitue it, either! It keeps the bananas from turning brown and the faint zing is just the thing. ;)
I tried this recipe on my family and my boyfriends family they feel in love with it plus it's so easy no cooking required...my boyfriends mom cooks everything from scratch so when she tried this it was music to my ears to hear her praises...thank you for such an awesome recipe.candice
This banana pudding was really good! I didn't use the lemon juice because I didn't have any, but it turned out fine! It was a huge success at my house! It is very sweet though! Not too sweet for us though. The key ingredient to this I think is the condensed milk and the whipping cream. Don't use cool whip!
This recipe is so good and so easy!! A note: DO NOT use Cool Whip to replace the whipped heavy cream. The reason is because it is sweetened and this recipe is already sweet enough. The whipped heavy cream helps balance out the sweetness of the sweetened condensed milk and the pudding. Also, the lemon juice that is used to dip the bananas in does not add a lemon flavor it is just to keep the bananas from browning. I substituted french vanilla pudding mix and it turned out very good! ENJOYED THIS RECIPE!!! Thanks for sharing!!
I haven't made this yet but by the looks of all the other reviews it will be made this weekend! :) One thing I noticed is that some are c/o a strong lemon taste. Try to soak your bananas (love typing that word) in sprite or some other lemon-lime soda. You don't get the lemony taste and it works just as well. Can't wait to try this!
Just like everyone else this is a Great Recipe. I uses oj instead of lemon juice and it turned out great. I recommend using more bananna and wafers just like other suggested.
Fabulous recipe! I made the following adjustments and it was perfect. I did not have whipping cream so I substituted an 8-ounce container of Cool Whip. I folded most of the container into the pudding as directed, reserving about 1 cup. I increased the amount of cookies to about 50. I did not dip the bananas in lemon juice because my daughter hates lemon. I just used bananas that were not too ripe. I spread the reserved cup of cool whip on top. YUMMY!
Great recipe! I've never made banana pudding before and a friend requested it for her birthday. It was quick and tasted great! I would recommend using more bananas and vanilla wafers though! THANKS!
Banana pudding is one of my faves,and this is quick and easy,and everyone I have served it to has no idea it's not cooked.My friend that is pregnant constantly asks me to make this for her since she craves it all the time.
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This recipe was given to me a few years ago by a dear friend who has since passed way to young. I make it once in awhile and add a bit extra vanilla to it. She also added homemade whipped cream to the top when served. It is a hit with family and friends.
Excellent!!!!! used banana pudding and sprite to soak bananas. Good even left over
AWESOME! I can't say enough about this. My picky 3 year old loved it. Take everyone else's advice and use the whipping cream instead of cool whip. You really need it to cut the sweetness of the pudding! Great recipe!
W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!! Thank you Barbara for submitting this recipe! It has to be the best banana pudding I have ever eaten. It is so light and creamy you just can't seem to get enough of it. I have never really been able to tell very much of a difference in other people's banana puddings, they generally all taste the same but not this one! It is by far the tops!! It is so different, I just can't say enough good things about it. I can't wait to fix it for my next get-together to see what everyone else thinks of it!
It was delicious but a bit on the sweet side. My hubby has a sweet tooth and ate the entire thing. Next time I will make it with regular milk instead of the sweet condensed.
This recipe is so good and easy! I When I first made this I was afraid it would be too sweet because of all the reviews I read. But if you make it as directed and make your own whipped cream it comes out perfect! I usually don't make desserts because I don't like to measure things out, but this was so easy you really can't mess it up!
This is a recurring dessert in our household. I couldn't believe that I hadn't reviewed it yet and so I do so now. I absolutely recommend making it with homemade whipped cream. Very rich and definitely serves dessert to our family of 4 (and a baby) for more than two days!
This is the easiest and best tasting banana pudding! For a fun variation, I omit the vanilla wafters and use chocolate graham crackers and make "sandwiches" with peanut butter. I break them into squares to layer into dish and follow everything else in recipe. The chocolate and peanut butter go great with the bananas!
I substituted milk for the water, but made the recipe as is otherwise. It was delicious. Very light and fluffy. Easily fed my family of 8. They called it "Nectar of the Gods." :)
This is fantastic!Everyone raves about it whenever I make it. Have given the recipe out several times. Its very easy & is so delicious!
After living in the southwest for a year, I began craving the banana pudding I enjoyed at potlucks while stationed in NC. After making and disliking many versions, I finally found this one! It is SOOOO good! I now make it for potlucks here in AZ (the first time having to explain to everyone what it was when they came to me begging for the recipe) It goes really quick!
Really good recipe. I can still tell it's instant pudding though. I will definately make this again but next time I will use cooked pudding in place of the instant.
DH loved this! I'm not a big fan of bananas but the vanilla cream was really good and this was super easy to make! Thanks for posting Barbara... this will be a repeat in our house!!!!
This is outstanding, very tasty & easy to prepare. Your friends & family will be impressed. The pudding portion would even be a great filling for a cake!
It was much too sweet for our tastebuds. My husband and my kids had a couple of bites each and that was it. Sugar Shock.
This is a great banana pudding recipe. The kids especially love it. I didn't change a thing. At potlucks it is always devoured!
QUICK!! VERY GOOD!
Same recipe as my mother used to follow and she stopped doing the cooked version as soon as she found it! Family loves it every time!
This is amazing and so easy to prepare!! I skipped the lemon juice and it still turned out awesome..
Delicious! Everyone always requests this dish at potlucks.
This is the most awesome banana pudding I have ever had. It's also quick and easy. If you're looking for a great dessert, this is it!!! Way to go Barbara!!!
I made this recipe a few years ago and everyone i mean everyone loved it. so i tried it again last night and it was pretty good but entirely too sweet. it left a very sweet taste in my mouth for atleast 20 minutes after i finished eating only about a half cup . Then i remembered the first time i did this recipe i looked at the reviews & there was one from 2003 that mentioned substituting the whole can of sweetened milk with a half sweetened 1/2 regular milk and thats why it was sooooo great back then. I would definitely recommend using ONLY 7 OZ OF SWEETENED MILK AND 7 OZ OF REGULAR MILK. it will be PERFECTION. everything else about it is great. I honestly am considering throwing the one out from last night and remaking it with less sweetend condensed milk. oh and this is the first time I actually dipped the bananas in lemon so i will go taste it (day 2) and see if its not tart anymore like some reviewers say. If you only plan on serving to your family at the home it will last a few days (small family) so just get bananas that are still a little green and they will ripen as they sit, and you wont have to worry about them turning brown or having a tart lemon taste from dipping them. Just a few suggestions. Enjoy
Although this recipe was much to sweet for my tastes. My guests loved it very much. Makes a much better dessert than the old normal banana pudding we all are used too.
Surprisingly good...I made it for a party only because it was so simple and not too many ingredients, and I wasn't expecting much. Very sweet and creamy. For those who might not like bananas, I suggest substituting lightly sweetened raspberries between the layers (pretty on the eyes, too!)
Made this when I happened to have extra bananas, and nilla wafers. I ommitted the sweet condensed milk and the heavy cream since I just didn't have it. Instead I made a package of instant vanilla pudding, added some vanilla yogurt and mixed it. I added some cinnamon to this mixture to give it more flavor. I soaked my bananas in a water/lime juice mixture. Then I layered the nilla cookies, bananas, and the pudding/yogurt mixtures. Delish and healthy as a dessert can be ;).
I didn't have heavy cream, used thawed Cool Whip instead and tasted great. Thanks Barbara for providing this yummy dessert!
Great! I used coconut biscuits and sprikled them with a little lemon juice mixed with coconut-rum. This added a bit of a zing. The result is well worth making again. Everybody was very impressed and some even asked for seconds ('though the pudding is very filling!) Thank you for yet another winner.
No need to add or take away anything as this recipe is very tasty as is. My children love it!
Wonderful! Wonderful! I scaled this recipe to 40 servings and made it for a dinner I catered and had nothing but rave reviews. I wouldn't change a thing. It was perfect and delicious.
Without a doubt the most delicious banana pudding desert we have ever tried! Not only easy, but fills every sense you are hoping for. Many banana pudding recipes taste judt like vanilla and nothing else, however, this particular banana pudding is nothing shy of incredible!!!!
Wonderful! I used milk intead of water, and ate it the next day. The Best Bananna Pudding Ever!!!!!
Fantastic & didn't have to heat up the kitchen!! Will definately make again!
better than my grandmother's. NO ONE has ever not asked for a large second helping!
I did not care for this. It is vanilla pudding with sliced bananas. That is NOT banana pudding.
Excellent. Easy. Used milk instead of water as others suggested. No problem with this setting up. It is better next day - the nilla wafers soften and the flavors gel. Many compliments and will make again.
I like this better than banana pudding IV because it's cheaper, just as rich and everyone loves it!
yes, it was rich! but oh sooo good. I took a couple of suggestions from other reviewers. Added more nilla wafers, (but 50 was too many. 40 would have probably been better, (or maybe the 36 as suggested :) ) Also, having made another Banana pudding recipe, and finding that the bananas get a bit mushy when incorporated into the mix unless served immediately, I let the pudding mixture sit overnight (per another suggestion) and then added the bananas not long before serving. Much better idea. The whipped cream vs the cool whip... sure was tempting to use the CW, but per someone's suggestion that you use real whipped cream, I think they were right- it cut the sweetness.
Whenever I serve this the bowl is licked clean. It's a breeze to make and it's tasty. I added one tablespoon of vanilla to the sweetened condensed milk/pudding mixture and I think it made it much more flavorful. Once I used the mini vanilla wafers and by the next day they had completely disolved and we had to add more to get the vanilla wafer taste.
This is fabulous. I made it about 3 years ago for Easter and have had requests for it ever since. Many people claim they love it more than the cooked banana pudding! It is the easiest thing in the world to fix.
i loved this recipe. It was very easy to follow.The only thing that i did different is instead of the instant pudding mix i bought already made jello vanilla pudding and it still came out great . Loved loved loved it!!!
I am big on 100% homemade desserts, so I was a little weary to try this 'cheat' for banana pudding when I was in a pinch. Good thing I went out of my comfort zone- this is great! I received many compliments on it. My only issue is that it's a tad too sweet when served on its own- it's best as a pie filling or layer in a triffle.
Very good recipe! A bit on the sweet side, so next time I will use less than the called amount of the condensed milk. I also used a pint of heavy whipping cream for the entire recipe, I used 1 and 1/2 cup for the pudding and the rest of the pint for some unsweetened whipped topping. I also added about a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to give it a bit more vanilla flavor. I did not have any lemon flavor on my bananas either, I sliced them and poured some (not much at all) lemom juice over them and mixed them up so I didnt waste any juice. And I let it sit in the fridge overnight. Overall very good recipe. I would also like to try this recipe with homemade pudding instead of instant!!! :-)
Delicious! The whipped cream made this a very rich and creamy dessert. I used milk instead of water and I also used about 6 bananas. The recipe filled a 9x13" dish. The taste was much better on the day after I made it.
This was a very great recipe for banana pudding. Next time I will add at least one more banana and not dip them in lemon juice which gave my pudding a little tart taste.
I made this for a friend's birthday and it turned out wonderful. I will say that it was a little sweet for all of us, so maybe using non-sweetened canned milk will cut the sugary taste. I love things sweet, so this didn't stop me from eating it! This was definitely a keeper!
Was a hit with our home group! I added some wafers in each dish as I served it. They liked the crisp ones as well. Great recipe!
This is the BEST banana pudding I have EVER had! It's so good, in fact, that once you make it for one event, friends and family will ask you to bring it all the time. So BEWARE! Unless you feel like making it for EVER party, don't share!
I followed the recipe as directed and it turned out great. Took it to a party and everyone loved it and most had seconds.
I originally got this exact recipe about 15 years ago from Eagle Brand Milk and I've been making it for that many years! It's a wonderful recipe. I always add extra wafers! It's one of my family favorites! Thanks for the post!
Very good for instant but nowhere close to Grandma's! Give it a while for the wafers to soak in the pudding or you get crunch.
I have made this one before and lost the recipe was very glad to make it again Lisa K
The way this is written is extremely VAGUE. Totally not very user-friendly for beginning cooks. Ended up with a runny mess. I'm sorry but I don't really understand what "beat until smooth" is supposed to mean. Waste of ingredients and money.
Wonderful! Followed the recipe exactly and it came out just like I hoped! Sooo good!
this recipe is sooo easy, everyone just loved it, i gave the recipe to 3 of my friends that wanted it, and my mother in law.
this is a family favorite but because of the richness this is only made at thanksgiving.
This is the best Banana Pudding ever!! I have made it many times and it is just wonderful, The only thing I do different is I like to add A little more wafers.
This recipe was great. Very quick and easy. I took the advice from another review and used orange juice instead of lemon juice, it worked out great. It was a hit at Christmas dinner.
