The Very Best Banana Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
• 14 oz (1 small can) sweetened condensed milk
• 5 oz (1 large box) instant banana pudding mix just the dry powder
• 1 cup 2% or whole milk
• 11 oz (1 box) Nilla Wafers
• About 8 medium bananas, sliced make sure they’re barely ripe – too ripe/soft and they’ll brown faster

Instructions:

1. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and, using the whisk attachment, whip until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Remove the whipped cream to a separate medium bowl and set aside.
4. To the wiped out stand mixer bowl, add the cream cheese and, using the same whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until fluffy, about 30 seconds.
5. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth and no lumps of cream cheese remain, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Add in the dry pudding mix and mix well, then slowly stream in the milk and mix until fully combined.
7. Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to the pudding mixture and fold it in gently until fully combined and no whipped cream streaks remain. Set aside.
8. In your prepared pan, place an even layer of Nilla wafers and top with an even layer of sliced banana coins. Top with half of the pudding mixture and spread evenly.
9. Repeat with another layer of Nilla wafers, followed by another layer of sliced banana coins, and the remaining pudding layer, spreading it evenly.
10. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
11. Just before serving, crush any remaining Nilla wafers and sprinkle over the top.
12. Store leftovers covered in the fridge, maximum 2 days.

Notes:

• Remember, this recipe needs at least 8 hours to chill, so it can be made in advance. But because of bananas and their tendency to brown, it has a maximum of 2 days before I would throw it out. You can not freeze this recipe as the pudding does not freeze well.
• Cool Whip can be used to replace the whipped cream. If using Cool Whip, simply omit the heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and replace with one 12-oz tub of thawed Cool Whip and proceed with the recipe as normal.
• If you don’t like/can’t find Nilla Wafers, shortbread cookies or Chessman cookies can be used in their place.