The Best Banana Pudding (+Video)

This Banana Pudding is a no-cook pudding recipe made with sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese and pudding, fresh bananas and Nilla wafers!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Pudding, Banana Pudding Recipe, Best Banana Pudding

Prep Time 25

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 458kcal

In a large bowl, beat 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.
Add in 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 5 ounce package Instant vanilla pudding mix, 3 cups milk and 2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Mix until combined well.
Finally, stir in half of the 8 ounce tub whipped topping (COOL WHIP), thawed.
To layer: place one-third of the 11 ounce box Nilla wafers in a layer on the bottom of a trifle dish, large bowl or a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Add a single layer of the 5-7 bananas, peeled and sliced.
Then pour one-third of the pudding mixture on top (enough to cover all the bananas).
Continue with two more layers.
Top with remaining whipped topping.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one to two hours before serving so it can thicken up and the wafers can soften.

Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
To keep the bananas from turning brown too quickly, you can sprinkle a little citric acid powder onto the sliced bananas. Just a little so as not to change the flavor. Or, you could lightly coat the sliced bananas in lemon or orange juice. Again, just coat lightly so as not to change the flavor.
Banana Cream Pudding flavor can be substituted for the vanilla pudding. Alternatively, banana extract can be substituted for the vanilla extract.
It's very important to make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. If not, you won't be able to get it super smooth and you'll end up with lumps.
Bananas obviously come in many sizes so I say 5-7 bananas depending on the size of the bananas you purchase. I like a lot of fresh banana in my banana pudding but you should bo by your personal preference.