Banana Pudding

YUM! I too followed the advise to use 3.5 oz size banana cream and a 3.5 oz size vanilla pudding instead of the 5 oz vanilla box. I reduced the condensed milk to 1/2 a can and it was still rich but delicious!! :)~ I put mine in a round bowl (IE small punch bowl, decorative bowl) and ended up with two layers. I used a whole 12 oz box of vanilla wafers. I sprinkled lemon juice on the bananas to keep them from browning. Next time I would suggest trying Fruit Fresh or something of the like. MY suggestion is this....if you aren't making this for a large family/gathering and don't think you will have gobbled it up in about two days, then don't add the sliced bananas to the dessert. Try slicing a banana and serving it on top or bottom of the bowl as you serve it. This will keep the bananas from turning brown and the dessert will last longer in your refrigerator. Good Dessert!

Love this recipe. I have used it a total of 5 times. I used Jello pudding mix. 1st time turned out perfect 2nd time turned out perfect 3rd time - the pudding was runny and just wouldn't set. 4th time - the pudding was runny and just wouldn't set. 5th time - I figured out my mistake and it turned out perfect. On my 3rd and 4th tries, it turns out I got the Jello "Cook & Serve" mix instead of the "Instant" mix . It was entirely my mistake, but it was such an easy mistake to make! Both boxes look exactly the same - same colors same font, except on the left bottom of the front of the box where one says "Instant" and the other says "Cook & Serve". Make sure to get the "Instant" pudding mix.

My mom and gramma were from the south and this no cook banana pudding is a staple. My granny made her's more like a pie and didn't use the condensed milk. Either way it's SO good and tastes heavenly! And seriously, for those of you who change the recipe by using fat free this or that, and reduced calorie and then leave less than 5 stars because it didnt come out right or tastes funny?! WTH people! You should be banned from allrecipes!

This was fabulous! I read through ALL the reviews, made a couple of recommended changes, and now have the best recipe for banana pudding that we've ever had. I used l 3.4-oz box of instand banana pudding and 1 3.4-oz box of French vanilla pudding. I cut the milk from 3 cups to 2 cups. Otherwise, it was the same as the recipe. Also, I topped it with crushed Nilla Wafers right before I served it. There were 10 of us at dinner, and it was gobbled up very quickly. Everyone LOVED it and wanted the recipe!

My cream cheese was at room temperature. I followed the recipe. The only thing I did differently was put in half the condensed milk (which a lot of people suggested in order to make it less sweet)... and it turned into a soup that never thickened. What did I do wrong?

I am really posting this review on behalf of my family. They LOVE this recipe. I've been making it for years now and am only now writing a review. I had a get-together last week and my sister actually got irritated with me because I hadn't made "My Banana Pudding." I keep telling them that I got the recipe here, and they keep attributing it to me! Oh well, I'll take the compliment! Change NOTHING, but do make the sure the cream cheese is room temperature. It's divine, and this is coming from a family born and bred in Savannah. We know good banana pudding! The ONLY advice I would give is being careful when you use a hand mixer - It can get a little "splashy". I use a tupperware top to block the spritzes. Of course, I usually don't make desserts, so I could very well just be inept. Regardless, you will LOVE this recipe, and fans of banana pudding will rave and quite possibly buy you gifts. When I make this I have to double the recipe so my husband can eat the other half! He actualy (jokingly) encourages party guests not to eat it so that he can pig out later. It's a little alarming, how much of this one grown man can eat, but that's my problem, not yours! Make this!!!!!

Six of us had this for dessert last nite and all thought it was yummy. I used a bit more than half of the sweetened condensed milk (as per other reviewers), added an extra banana, and made it in a clear, deep bowl. That way I was able to make layers and also lay the 'Nilla wafers up against the side of the bowl for "looks". Tonite we ate the "leftovers" and thought they were even better. I sliced up some fresh banana in each person's bowl before serving the leftover pudding.

i made this recipe for my bookclub and everyone wanted the recipe...i took the advice of one reviewer and cut the milk to 2 cups and i used the pepperidge farms butter pecan chessman cookies...was EXCELLENT...thanks patricia...

OMG this was AAAAAmazing! I had alot of people over this weekened and everyone LOVED this dish. I felt proud of what I accomplished in presenting something that everyone loved. Only thing is, I really didn't make it. I have to give credit to my 9 year old who basically made the whole thing by himself. There was one little change that we made and that was putting the enitre container of whipped cream in the pudding mixture. That was done, well... because the 9 year old did it. It turned out fantastic. Everyone said how light and fluffy it was. Total Hit! And... "So easy even a 9 year old can do it!"

OMG this was AAAAAmazing! I had alot of people over this weekened and everyone LOVED this dish. I felt proud of what I accomplished in presenting something that everyone loved. Only thing is, I really didn't make it. I have to give credit to my 9 year old who basically made the whole thing by himself. There was one little change that we made and that was putting the enitre container of whipped cream in the pudding mixture. That was done, well... because the 9 year old did it. It turned out fantastic. Everyone said how light and fluffy it was. Total Hit! And... "So easy even a 9 year old can do it!"

I used Lite Cool Whip, lite cream cheese and reduced calorie vanilla wafers. To keep that "rich" taste, though, I used whole milk (rather than 2% or fat-free) and regular condensed milk (rather than lowfat). No one seemed to notice and everyone raved about the taste. Plus, I use a couple more bananas and the whole box of wafers when I make it. Makes a GIANT bowlful! Thanks Patricia for posting this recipe!

This was very good. I always made the warm banana pudding but my family liked this one a lot. So now I ahve a great warm one and a cold one. Thanks!

I have been making this for years and it never fails to get rave reviews. I have tried it with all low fat/low sugar ingredients and you can't taste the difference. Now that DH and I are empty nesters, I make a half recipe and it too turns out wonderful. Couple of tricks I've learned to ramp it up a notch are - 1) I slice the bananas and then squeeze some fresh lemon juice over them and toss. This not only helps keep them from turning brown but serves to cut the sweetness slightly and 2) I don't like the artificial banana flavor in the instant banana pudding so to bump up the banana flavor I take one (or two) bananas, slightly mash them and then nuke them on high for 20 sec stirring after 10sec. I then stir in a squeeze of lemon and mash them really well and add to the mixture before stirring in the whipped cream. The microwave really softens the banana and causes it to release it's juice really adding to the flavor. Try it next time and see what you think...

Oh My God! I use Allrecipe recipes probably 2 - 3 nights a week - some are great, some are good, some are real losers. However, this banana pudding recipe is the top - it is AWESOME! The second it hits your mouth you are in heaven - I am not exaggerating - I will make this everytime I am asked to bring a dessert anywhere - fabulous. Try it - you will NOT be disappointed! Thank you Patricia!

Very good! I did like many other reviewers and used a glass bowl and layered the ingredients...2 layers of cookies, bananas, pudding and topped with whipped topping and cookie crumbs. I used low fat everything...milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, and it still tasted great! I DO regret that I didn't use the whole can of milk. I followed others' advice and only used 1/2 can, and I would have preferred it to be a tad bit sweeter. It still has a delicious taste, but it would have been better with the whole can. EASY, DELICIOUS recipe! Good luck! Ally

Made this yesterday for a picnic, yes in Upstate NY it was 65 and sunny and we had a picnic! Anyways, I read the reviews and just had to make this. The one review asked if it was supposed to be soupy. That stuck in my head for what ever reason. I was putting this together and got to the point to add milk. I stopped in mid action to check the recipe again, 3 cups. I used a package of pudding mix that only used 2 cups, NOW i know why that others was soupy. Checked the size and I used the small package and not the larger one. So only adding 2 cups of milk, I then added the whole container of whipped topping. All was perfect! I used fat free CC, fat free cond. milk, low fat cookies and skim milk. It was fantastic! All 14 people that had it loved it, raved about it and asked for the recipe. I will make this again. Totally a wonderful easy and tasty dessert! Thanks!

Very good and perfect balance of flavors. I enjoy bringing this to potlocks because it's portable and disappears quickly. I've learned to carry copies of the recipe with me when I go so I can hand out copies to all who ask for it. Thank you!

Make sure u use instant pudding mix. If you use "cook and serve" one the pudding will turn out soupy.

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! My dad's favorite dessert - out of 50 years he said it was the best he ever had. Everyone agreed. Thanks!

this is a good receipe, i have a comment for the peanut gallery. do not use banana instant pudding. your pudding will taste like store bought pudding.. dont soak your banasnas in lemmon juice ,bananas arnt ready to be used in pudding UNTILL they start to turn brown,that is where the flavor comes from. if you don't believe me , ask your grandmother. if your worried that your pudding will go bad or stay in the frig to long, dont if you made it rite, it will disapear. and they will ask for the receipe FRODO

Look no further for a quick, easy and delicious banana pudding recipe. As others have mentioned, it is much better when it sits 8 hrs. or overnight. Dive into it any sooner and you may notice an aftertaste from the sweetened condensed milk. I ususally use Chessmen or sometimes coconut cookies instead of vanilla wafers due to the family's preference. The Cool Whip "extra creamy" really works well in this.

Great recipe! Banana pudding was my favorite dessert as a child growing up. Mom would cook her custard made from milk, egg yolks, flour, sugar, and vanilla extract. The meringue, made of whipped egg whites, a little cream of tartar and sugar would be spread on top before the pudding was baked in the oven. This recipe is simpler, in my opinion. I was able to cut down on some of the calories by using lite cool whip topping, light cream cheese, and skim milk. I used more bananas than the recipe called for. This was simple to make, as I followed one reviewer's advice and used a blender to mix the cream cheese and condensed milk, which was at room temperature, first. I then added the milk, vanilla, and instant vanilla pudding. Next, I transferred the mixture to a bowl and folded in the cool whip topping. I find it helps to allow the pudding to sit a little before assembling the layers, so that it has a chance to set up without being too runny. After completely assembling the layers, I sprinkled five or six crushed vanilla waffers over the top before chilling it in the fridge.

This is the BEST banana pudding recipe ever. It tastes exactly like that good old Southern pudding. I dont like whipped topping so I used real whipped cream instead, 1 cup yields 2 cups whipped. I used this pudding in a angel food cake. I sliced the top off the cake,carved out the middle of cake, used the removed cake in the pudding, spooned the pudding in the "trough" and put the top of the cake back on.Frosted the whole cake with left over whipped cream and topped with strawberries.I got huge raves from everyone that tried it. My family has been hounding me to make "more, more and more!".

One day I was having a craving for the banana pudding and vanilla wafer dessert even though I did not have a recipe. I went on this website and sure enough found an excellent version. This has to be one of the best banana pudding recipes out there. I will definately make it again. This would also be great for a pot luck dish.

Loved it!!

Soooo yummy! This dessert does not last long when i make it. I alwyas put it in a trifle dish for easy assemble and beautiful presentation. I make just as directed, however i add a little more cream cheese to cut back on the sweetness and it almost tastes like a cheesecake factory banana cheesecake. I always make my own whipping cream to make it more rich and less artificial tasting. I would not use banana flavored pudding in this like some reviewers did...that would make it taste too artificial tasting.

Hands down, the best banana pudding recipe I have tried! The flavor was beautiful, not to mention the presentation! I followed the recipe amounts exactly & wouldn't change a thing! I loved the rich, sweet banana & vanilla flavors. The pudding set wonderfully - it "cut" nicely & kept it's form when served, which to me makes this a top notch recipe! :) The vanilla wafers were not mushy - still had some crispiness to them even after 4 hours in the fridge. Topped w/ crushed wafer crumbs & individual wafers so each serving had one on top. Very pretty! Halving this recipe was perfect for an 8x8 square dish (9 beautiful & decadent perfect servings). This is now my go-to banana pudding. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! :)

I made it EXACTLY according to the recipe for a Christmas dinner, changed nothing. Quick-took only about 15 minutes to make & then stuck in the fridge for 2 hours before eating. My husband & I both think it's the BEST banana pudding we've EVER eaten! Some people earlier had suggested cutting condensed milk in half; I DID NOT & it tastes GREAT! Not too sweet for me. Some earlier said they got french vanilla or banana pudding, but I stuck w/ the regular vanilla pudding n the recipe & still tastes like banana pudding since the bananas are in the bottom of the pan. Have saved this recipe & will use for family get togethers.

This is a fantastic recipe! I've been making this banana pudding for holiday meals for the last 3 years, and my family looks forward to it every time. Earlier writers are correct that the cream cheese should be room temperature, and must also be completely blended into the pudding mixture -- however long it takes -- otherwise you'll be chewing on creamy cheesy lumps.

this is practically identical to Paula Dean's "not your mama's banana pudding". But she adds an even better touch: she uses Pepperidge Farms chess cookies in place of vanilla wafers-whenever we make this, it is met with raves! [we also make homemade pudding and whipped cream-it adds wonderful flavor]

I have made this recipe 3 times and followed the directions exactly as far as ingredients go...only difference was I made mine in layers and topped it with crumbled nilla wafers. My husband says this is the best banana pudding he's ever eaten and he's not even a sweet eater. So I say that to say even with the entire can of condensed milk it's not too sweet. I have read other reviews and may consider some of their suggestions but this recipe is darn near perfect as is!!!

I am a huge fan of banana pudding and an even bigger fan of this recipe. I doubled this recipe for Easter and the only change I made was decreasing the condensed milk to half of what it called for. It was a bit hit and the entire dish was gone! This was easy to make and calls for few ingredients. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

Wow...delizioso!!! I did make some changes due to counting calories and such. I used fat free milk 2 cups and not 3. I also mixed the pudding in one bowl and the cream cheese (low fat) vanilla and fat free condensed milk in another. When both bowls of ingredients were well mixed I then poured in the pudding mix and folded in half the cool whip. make sure you use room temp cream cheese..or it will be all lumpy. I followed the directions exactly as stated. I lined the bottom of the dish I chose to use, not necessary to use a 9x13. Get creative and colorful! You can use any dish. Then I used the remainder of the cool whip and crushed some vanilla wafers and lady fingers...YES..lady fingers on top for eye candy! Set in fridge for 3 hrs..and it was delicious...my neighbors were in heaven asking for the recipe. It was so sweet, I am glad I used all those fat free's ingredients. I could not imagine eating any other way. Would be way to sweet and hard on the stomach. Please do not skimp on cheap imitation vanilla. Good eats to all. Will certainly make it again.

Delicious but I found 1/2 (7oz) can sweetened condensed milk is sufficiently sweet for my taste buds.

As you can see, this recipe is rated 5 stars even after a thousand ratings. It IS delicious, in absolute entirety. This made a perfectly textured pudding, with the varying textures of the banana slices and the vanilla wafer cookies. I have made this recipe a hundred times now and served it as a simple dessert. Since it is so decadently flavored with the pudding, the milk and the rich creme cheese, it is always assumed as a "professional" dish, even though anyone with some experience can make it. Plus it makes so much, and is so easy to prepare beautifully! I'd recommend this to anyone who loves pudding - and bananas - as much as I do.

Love this recipe! A couple of tips should be mentioned and one is to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature before beating. It creams much easier. Also, let the cool whip come to room temperature as well. What a great treat! My son loves it.

I make this for all my gatherings with my friends. Awesome! After making this over & over again I found that using a little over half the can of condensed milk makes it perfect on the sweetness scale! Comes out perfect! Thanks Patricia you have mad this a favorite!

This pudding is DIVINE! I followed the instructions/ingredients on the foodtv.com recipe ("Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding"), which uses more bananas and Pepperidge Farms Chessman cookies. YOU MUST REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK!!!! I used 3/4 as much, and I think I'll reduce it more next time. I cut the recipe in half to fill an 8 x 8 pan, but I used 3.4 oz French vanilla pudding and 3 oz cream cheese for convenience's sake. I added an extra layer of bananas between the top of the pudding and the top layer of cookies, and I think I'll add a layer in the middle next time. My dad loves banana pudding, and he can't stop eating this!! I want to use the pudding recipe itself (no nanas/cookies) to make a "dessert pizza," using ready-made chocolate chip or sugar cookie dough as a crust and fresh fruit as toppings.

Excellent recipe! As others suggested, I added an extra 3.4oz box of vanilla pudding. I had six soft bananas so I beat them and folded them into the pudding mixture - tastes great. I forgot to thaw my cool whip so in the morning I will just layer itin a pan with the whip topping.

THIS PUDDING WAS AMAZING!!! I would give it 10 stars if I could. This was my first attempt at making banana pudding from scratch and I received rave reviews! My husband took some to work and the guys at his job asked if I could make it for them at least once a month, and they aren't big on desserts! I have always loved banana pudding and always wanted to learn how to cook from scratch and this was the perfect way to start. The only thing I changed was omitting the vanilla extract and adding an extra banana because I looooove banana flavor and didn't want to use banana pudding. It turned out great. I made it Wednesday night for Thanksgiving and the wafers and bananas stayed nice and firm until it was all gone Sunday! I tossed the bananas in a tablespoon of lemon juice before assembling and it kept the browning at bay. I also made 2.5 layers (the .5 was the extra banana and Nilla wafers on top) but topped it with a very thin layer of whipped topping, using a little over half in the pudding mixture. It came out firm enough to use a spatula to cut and scoop but wasn't runny. I can't wait to make this again! Definately a keeper in my recipe box!

NOTHING SPECIAL - would not make again

Sooooo Easy and Sooooo Good! This will feed a crowd. The 2nd time I made it, I 1/2'd the recipe. It was the perfect amount for a nice serving bowl for my family. I used the mini vanilla wafers and layered the ingreds., so every spoonfull included the pudding, cookies and bananas. EXCELLENT. Anyone can make this dessert.

Next time I will choose the basic version of Jello pudding mix. I won't be spending the block of cream cheese and container of sweetened condensed milk on this again. It was way to light and fluffy, didn't have a good vanilla pudding flavor (too mellowed out by the cream cheese, SCM, and Cool Whip). Very fluffy. Not worth the calories!

absolutely the best! everytime I make this for someone new they always request it for their birthday, office potlucks, just because. It's a winner. Do not I repeat put banana pudding mix in this recipe, it will ruin it. It's too fake. The natural bannana will give it all the flavor it needs.

Served this at Christmas work party. 15 different men asked for the recipe so their wives could make it. There were over a dozen different desserts there, but mine was the first and only one to be completely gone. Thanks for such a fantastic recipe. Definitely a keeper!!!

I have made this recipe multiple times and the reaction from my guests is always the same, everyone loves it! It is easy, cheap to make, and it serves a bunch of people. Cream cheese and cool whip must be soft (at room temperature) in order for the mixture to turn out creamy and fluffy. This pudding is a MAJOR crowd pleaser! You can't go wrong with it (unless you change all sorts of things in the recipe and end up with a mess in your hands).

I lightened the calories on this one by substituting non-fat cool whip, low-fat sweetened condensed milk, low-fat cream cheese & low-fat nilla wafers. I loved the addition of cream cheese to this classic dessert! This will be a standard potluck fare for me from now on!

For those that think this is way too sweet, I add an additional 3 oz package of pudding (2 more cups milk). It just makes more (I can share with others this way). I add the whole container of cool whip to the pudding - it makes it very creamy. I also use a whole package of vanilla wafers because we like more cookies. Been making this for years - it is one of our favoriets.

We thought this was a very good recipe. I used my food processor to cream the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and I creamed ½ of a medium ripe banana. Then just added the milk, vanilla pudding, etc. and blended it too. There were some saying not enough banana flavors and some saying the cream cheese was lumpy. This technique cured both problems. Otherwise, I followed the recipe. This was served at our family get together were we’ve usually used the Nabisco Wafer’s banana pudding recipe. Most all liked this recipe better, though a couple just liked the tradition of the Nabisco, but they commented that this was good – those couple of people didn’t care it was better they liked the meringue on the other – reminded them more of childhood – hard to compete with that!

I love this recipe! The original copy that I received was titled "Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding"! I basically use the same ingredients, but I do use French vanilla pudding, and I use Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies instead of vanilla wafers. The presentation using the Chessman's is really cool looking in the 13x9 pan, and it gives you lines to cut & serve! I line the bottom with the cookies, add the banana's, then the mixture, and top with another bag of cookies. It is a little more expensive to use those cookies, but it's so darn cute! By far the best banana pudding I've ever tried!

I made this tonight and oh my goodness! It is so delicious! I only had one small box of vanilla pudding mix, so I used that and 2 c. milk. I also used low fat sweetened condensed milk and it is still very rich. Easy to make, but tastes like you worked on it all day! I also put the banana slices in some lemon juice to keep them from browning while mixing the pudding.

AWESOME! I found mini nilla wafers....super cute! I used 6 bananas and French vanilla/ vanilla pudding mix. Sooooo good!

Tasted great and looked really pretty.

This recipe is awesome! I was strong armed into making it for an employee commitee function and it was a huge hit. I like it with (2) packs of the 3.5oz pudding (4 cups of milk)-- it cuts a little of the sweetness (Not too much!)

This was very good, but some alterations the second time I made it, was even better. I used french vanilla pudding(did not notice a big difference, just my preference) and only 2 cups of milk which made it less runny. I omitted the vanilla (no need for it). I, also loving bananas, felt there were not enough, so I used 8 med-lg bananas. I do love vanilla wafers, but hate when they get soggy, so I used the pepperidge farm chessman cookies, layering on the top and bottom. They do not get as soggy and since they are not as sweet as the wafers it creates a nice balance.

Important to note not to use skim milk for this recipe or you'll be sipping it throw a straw!! ;-)

Wow! This was delicious! I took this to the Radiology Department today and it was a hit with everyone! I went back to the break room and found my pan that had been washed and someone had put a note in it that said: "Thank You!". This is fabulous for potlucks and such. I brought the cream cheese to room temp, used 2 small (3.9) packages of pudding (out of the large one), 16 oz of whipped topping and sprinkled crushed vanilla wafers on top. I also tossed the sliced bananas in lemon juice to prevent browning and that worked like a charm. I passed out at least 6 requested copies of this recipe! If I was making this for my family of 4 I would cut the recipe in half and layer it in a trifle bowl. Thank you Patricia for sharing!

This is always a huge hit and disappears quickly! I had a customer taste it and tell me she wanted to buy it... she didn't care that it wasn't half time and NO one else had tasted it! I do also like to shave some german chocolate for added garnish

This is so easy to make. Everyone enjoyed this one. It is quite refreshing on a warm summer night.

Fantastic! This is my new favorite recipe! Everyone has to try this banana pudding. So easy and so delicious, can't wait to make it for the kids when they get back from their vacation w/grandma!

delicious

Fabulous!....this is the best banana pudding I"ve tasted this far. I"ve made it several times and it always goes quickly. The only things I've done differently is that I use "whipped cream cheese" instead of the blocked and I make individual size servings in 'Solo' dessert cups...and cover each cup with plastice wrap . Place in refrigerator and you can just grab a cup and eat no need to spoon out of a dish. a little time comsuming so get the kiddies to help...it is worth it....I have 15 cups in my frig right now.... yum!

I made this pudding for the first time after being away from my family for years and never having any all that time. I added 1/4c sugar, 1oz extra of cream cheese, used two 3.40z pkgs of vanilla pudding mix, 2 tsp of vanilla, and 2c cold milk with 1/2c heavy cream, and my LAST change was that I used the entire box of Nilla wafers for decor. The mixture was thick and creamy and the first bite reminded me of when I was ten years old in my aunt's kitchen cleaning greens lol...I enjoyed this recipe very much I just tweaked it a little for my sweet tooth.

Delicious, crowd pleasing recipe. I have made it exactly as written and have made it with less milk, and both are good--it's just a matter of preference. If you like a thicken pudding, use only two cups of milk. If you like it "smoother" rather than "creamier", use more milk. I also used vanilla flavored almond milk once and loved it! No one detected it, and to me it tasted better. Also did not find it too sweet. Lemon juice on bananas may have helped. If it needs anything, I'd add more Nilla wafers because my kids love them. Great recipe for sure. My husband said: "Keep this recipe." And I will. Thanks for a great recipe.

Delicious! After I added the milk, it was very thin, and I couldn't imagine it ever setting up, but it's the perfect texture! My husband is in heaven!

Excellent banana pudding, with the creme cheese adding the right texture and body. I made it exactly as described, but will change the store-bought whipped topping with real whipped cream the next time I make this. I can definitely taste the odd oily/greasy flavor of imitation whipped topping, and whipped cream is really easy to make yourself. I also refuse to ever attempt this recipe with banana flavored pudding mix as so many others here have suggested. Use the 5 oz vanilla pudding mix as described. Banana flavored pudding mix has a very strong non-banana fake flavor that will cheapen the entire recipe. If you let this sit over night like it is supposed to, it will have tons of banana flavor without the fake pudding.

I forgot to buy the whipped topping so I made it without it and it turned out just fine. My husband loved it!

Delicious! I made exactly as written ...just used real whipped cream! Took to church lunch and it served great and I took an empty dish home! (I did put my banana slices in lemon juice before adding to prevent browning)

I gave this two stars because I obviously did something wrong. I think what I did wrong was not let the ingredients come to room themperature so be sure to do this or don't bother making it. I will not try this one again.

I have two things to say to people who have reviewed this recipe. First of all, to those goofballs who claim the recipe doesn't work (is soupy, etc), you're nuts. I'm not a cook by any stretch of the imagination and this stuff turned out great. I followed the recipe exactly and it set up very well. It was actually starting to set up by the time I got the bananas sliced and in the dish. So, whatever you're talking about, you're crazy. It's almost an idiot-proof recipe. Prep time says 30 mins, but it only took me about 20...and it still turned out perfect. If you follow this recipe and it didn't set up for you, then you don't belong in a kitchen. Second, to those people who add reviews and give the recipe 5 stars, but change ten things about the recipe...don't! If you're going to change 25% of the recipe, just submit your own recipe. This recipe was FAST and EASY just the way it's written. In summary, the pudding set up perfectly when the recipe was followed exactly as written AND it tastes wonderful when prepared as written.

WOW! I made this for someone's 50th birthday here at the office and it went in about 10 minutes after the word was passed of how good it was. I did not change a THING! It was the BEST and got rave reviews!!

I followed everyones advice and used 2 smaller boxes of pudding one vanilla and one banana creme. This made an excellent tasting desert! The bananas did get brown after a few days in the fridge despite using Fruit Fresh and the cookies got really soft. Next time I make this, knowing it will sit in the fridge for a few days, I will skip the bananas and cookies and just make the pudding! Yum.

Made this at least 7 times, each one tastes the same and is SO delicious and super-easy. I've got it down to where I can make it 20 minutes before I go into work and just refrigerate for four hours there during the 'fridge' time. One of my "oops", however, was I added the banana pudding mix before I put in the milk, DO NOT DO THIS. It will thicken up your mix so much it will be next to impossible to get it undone. Add about half the milk and then add the pudding mix, so even as you are adding the last of the milk it won't be so thick you can't stir it. Another secret: Leave the cream cheese out until room temperature (about 1/2 hour - 1 hour in 72 degree climate household), THEN whisk that until smooth and add the evaporated milk, wisk until smooth. Turns out perfect and smooth every time.

This was by far the BEST banana pudding I've ever had. I made it with all the ingredients and measurements, but lightened up on the fat, sugar and calories just a bit. I used 1/3 fewer fat cream cheese, reduced fat Nilla wafers, fat-free sugar-free pudding and lite Cool-Whip. I used whole milk because pudding doesn't always turn out very well with fat-free or lower fat milk. It's not entirely guilt-free, but not quite as bad for you as it would be with all the extra fat and calories! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Took to a church gathering and everyone loved it! Rated 4 stars due to one change: I easily made my own whipping cream, using 8 ozs heavy whipping cream; (mix with a hand mixer on high for 1 min until peaks form, then add 2 tbsp sugar, beat again until stiff peaks form, about 1 more minute). That batch was folded into the pudding, and I used the other half of the carton to make another batch for the topping. A couple of months ago, a frozen dessert I'd made with Cool Whip melted, and the product turned shades of green and blue within 30 mins. I realized the 2 minutes spent making my own whipped topping was worth my family's health. The homemade version tastes fresh and wonderful, it's the same consistency, and I'm not feeding my loved ones chemicals they don't need. Thanks for the post; this goes in my keeper file.

I didn't understand what all of the excitement was over this recipe. It tasted like any banana pudding recipe, but was slightly improved by the cream cheese. It is also very sweet possible because of the sweetened condensed milk added. This is one of very few desserts I have ever made that did not get eaten up.

I needed a quick dessert and this fit the ticket. I put the cream cheese and condensed milk into the blender and it got really smooth. I then added 1 cup milk and continued to blend. I poured it into a bowl and added the rest of the ingred. I used a little lemon pudding mix since I was low on vanilla and it was wonderful. It had a light and fluffy texture. I am giving it only 4 stars because it was too sweet for me....way too sweet, so next time I am going to use the pudding for the "cream puff cake" in this since that is not nearly as sweet and uses cream cheese as well. I cannot wait to try that!!

I've made a similar recipe many times over the years, but I've never added cream cheese. It was a very tasty addition. I accidentally purchased the smaller package of pudding, but it worked out fine anyway. Initially, I cut back on the milk due to the smaller amount of pudding, but it was too thick, so I used the full amount. I also added a good dose of vanilla. I make them invidually so the mixture doesn't go south before it's eaten. Add a little extra milk, and this makes a good custard sauce for topping fruit or cake or whatever!

Sooooo good! I did alter it a bit. I made fresh whipped cream with heavy cream and a little powdered sugar. This makes such a difference. It eliminates the chemical taste in cool whip and artificial ingredients. I also made two layers of cookies, using a whole box and 6 bananas. Topped with more whipped cream and 6 crushed wafers.

Just made this yesterday for the Superbowl. This recipe is amazing!! Only thing I changed was I used LornaDoone cookies and french vanilla pudding. I couldn't stop eating this and neither could anyone else. Thank you so much. I have a friend who thinks her banana pudding is topnotch and will never share the recipe. I no longer need it!!!

When I made this, I used more bananas and almost the whole box of vanilla wafers. Very easy to make. Next day I took in to my office's potluck and it was completely gone within minutes. Thanks for a great recipe!

I made this about 4 years ago for Easter and everyone was all raves! Since then, it has become a given that this will be made by me at every family get together. My neices, nephews and children would have a fit it it did not make an appearance. The only change that I made was to use the banana cream instant pudding in the place of the vanilla pudding. A fabulous recipe, when you try this - you will never make "homemade" again.

I would definitely advise making this the day of. I was eating leftovers the day after and the wafers all become soggy so there was no textural contrast. My family yelled at me for not bringing the leftover vanilla wafers so if you have any leftover, bring them! I used the banana cream and vanilla pudding packages but I felt like the banana flavoring was a little too strong so I might not put all the banana in next time. All in all, it was well received.

I made half the recipe in an 8x8" pan and that was plenty for a family of 4 for 2 days. Kids LOVED it!!! If you won't eat it within 3 days leave out bananas. Then when you serve it, serve it over sliced bananas in a bowl. The bananas turn brown after day 2 and though it tastes fine it looks not so good.

This is now a favorite in our home! This dessert never makes it pass a couple of hours when I make it. I always use plenty of vanilla wafers and bananas. Very good recipe.

This is so good but I do like Paula Deen does on Food Network and use Pepperidge Farm Chessman Cookies instead of vanilla wafers. Awesome.

The pudding was refrigerated overnight and did not take form.

I loved the flavor, but unfortunatly I did something wrong, because it was like soup and never took form. (I have no idea why, I read all the tips)I made this for my boyfriend who LOVES Banana Puddin, but never wanted any because it was like soup.

This recipe is really good, but I always decrease the condensed milk by half...the full amount hurts my teeth it's so sweet! We find that it is MUCH better to make it into banana cream pie by using the vanilla wafer crust here on allrecipes instead of just layering the wafers which get really soggy. I would also recommend putting the whole pudding mixture (minus the bananas) in the blender and pureeing it after you've mixed it in the mixer. It makes extra dishes, but gives the pudding a light, mousse-like texture.

4/23/12 - I've been making this recipe for years (sans the vanilla...need to try that next time) and it's so easy and definitely a crowd favorite. What I like, is that it can be made with ff or low-fat ingredients with little or no effect to taste. It's important to let the cream cheese get to room temperature to help with the lumps. One idea I've had, but admit haven't tried, is to make a chocolate version of this using chocolate pudding mix and oreos or chocolate wafers. Yummers!!! Try it, I'm guessing this recipe will become a family favorite!

Made this as is, no changes. Easy & everyone loved it!

Ive always enjoyed eating this dish, but never made it myself. So when I looked it up, and found this recipe, I thought the ingredients were wierd, but MAN was it good!!!! I used one 5oz package of banana cream pudding, and used low fat milk for the milk. I followed the recipe as is, but used the banana cream pudding instead. I also didnt need 4 bananas, but mine were big so i only needed 3. I also crushed some extra cookies on the top and it looked pretty. I made it for a family bbq, and they loved it! I know this will be asked for lots of time, thanks!

The pudding mixture was so thick I could barely scrape it out of the bowl to throw it out. I think 5oz. of instant pudding mix to 3 cups of milk is a little off.

I only had white chocolate pudding, graham crackers and heavy whipping cream. So I made the graham crust with coconut for a little something special. This is a hit with everyone - you can't go wrong.

This disappeared from the dessert table at our Easter dinner faster than I could've imagined it would. It was incredible! I layered with extra bananas and vanilla wafers in a trifle bowl. I'll definitely be making this recipe again.

Fantastic. Followed to the letter but with light cream cheese and skim milk. Use very ripe bananas.

VERY DELICIOUS! Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so it doesn't become lumpy. I followed the recipe to a T except that I added the whole tub of cool whip in on accident and I'm actually glad I did. BEWARE that the whole mixture will be thin and soupy.. I was VERY conserned that it wasn't going to turn out..but I put it into the fridge and it set up beautifully! I had great compliments and I know I'll be making this again!

OH MY GOD! Well, before this recipe, I didnt really care for banana pudding. This one is Da BOMB!!!! I didnt like it before probably due to the consistency of most(wet and slimey). Well, this is the perfect blend of pudding, banana, and cookies, leaving your cookies still kinda firm. One trick I did find though, to keep bananas from turning black was to soak them in lemon juice. People really think I've really slaved for this recipe, and now I'm the official banana pudding maker of my family! SHHHH we wont tell. Thanks!

Just made this recipe and i found it so great that i just had to turn my computer back on to write my first review EVER!!! I made this with my 4 year old daughter and there was so much for her to do, she loved it and i wasn't worried that it would be ruined LOL. We had an absolute blast and are now enjoying it together! Thank you so much Patty.