This Dairy Free Banana Pudding has a homemade vanilla pudding with bananas and vanilla wafer cookies layered in between. It's the perfect plant-based twist on a classic southern dessert.
When it comes to desserts, my favorite recipe to make are no-bake desserts like my healthy snickers bars, pecan turtles, and this dairy-free banana pudding.
This banana pudding recipe is your go-to dessert when you crave something creamy and sweet with no baking involved. You'll no longer need that bag of instant pudding mix because this recipe has a rich homemade sweet vanilla pudding and it's loaded with ripe banana slices and vanilla cookies.
It's made dairy free and no eggs are required. It's thick and smooth, and ready in less than 30 minutes. Whether you're gathering for a family dinner, hosting a summer picnic, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth, this homemade banana pudding recipe is a southern classic dessert worth indulging in.
What is Banana Pudding?
Banana pudding is an old-fashioned, southern-style dessert. It resembles a trifle due to its multi-layers. Traditional banana pudding is made with Nilla Wafers, bananas, vanilla pudding and whipped topping or a homemade meringue. It can be served in a glass trifle dish, casserole dish or serve it in smaller individual cups.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No-bake dessert - simply whisk the vegan vanilla pudding ingredients together and assemble.
- Easy to make and whip together in less than 30 minutes.
- Dairy-Free - making it a dessert that can be enjoyed by everyone.
- Homemade pudding - means no artificial sweeteners or preservatives that you'll find in a store-bought instant vanilla pudding mix.
Ingredients You'll Need
This recipe is made with simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. Here's what you'll need:
- Organic cane sugar - cane sugar is produced solely from sugarcane and is minimally processed however you can use any type of granulated sugar, honey or maple syrup, but know they will differ in taste and look.
- Cornstarch - many vanilla pudding recipes with dairy use eggs as a binder. This dairy free vanilla pudding uses cornstarch to help thicken the pudding and bind it together.
- Salt - just 1/8 teaspoon to help balance the flavors of the pudding.
- Almond milk - The base for the vanilla pudding uses almond milk. You can use plain, vanilla flavored or any other type of milk you prefer.
- Vanilla extract - to give the pudding a vanilla flavor. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor, not imitation.
- Nilla Wafers - is the most common cookie used for a banana pudding recipe however you can use other cookies as well. See Substitute section below.
- Bananas - for the best flavor, use ripe medium sized fresh bananas.
- Coco whip - I love adding a dollop of whipped cream to the top of my banana pudding. So Delicious has a great dairy free coco whip. This is optional, but trust me you'll want it!
How to Make Dairy Free Vanilla Pudding
- Add the cane sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the cold almond milk into the saucepan slowly and whisk until smooth.
- Heat the saucepan to medium heat and cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Frequently whisk the ingredients to prevent any lumps. Cook the pudding until it thickens and is no longer runny.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the vanilla extract, whisk to combine. Let the pudding cool to room temperature. You can also let the pudding chill in the fridge until you're ready to assemble. Simply cover the pudding with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap directly onto the pudding and refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to Layer Banana Pudding
- Layer the vanilla cookies on the bottom of the dish.
- Add the slices of fresh banana on top of the cookies.
- Pour on the vanilla pudding in a thick layer to cover the cookies and bananas.
- Repeat these steps until you get to just about the top of your serving dish.
- Add on a dollop of the whipped cream to the top of the pudding and a little extra crumbled vanilla cookies and serve.
How to Store
For the best flavor and texture, the banana pudding is best enjoyed on the same day. The Nilla wafers and banana slices can become mushy after sitting in the pudding mixture after a while. If you have any leftovers, to help it keep fresh, I suggest covering it with plastic wrap before placing it in the refrigerator. You can also transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
What is Banana Pudding Served In?
There's many options available to store the banana pudding. It really just depends on how you plan to serve it. If you're serving it for your family, you can place it in an airtight container and allow your family to serve themselves from the dish. If you plan to make this dish for a crowd, you can prepare them in single-serve dishes like ramekins, mini mason jars, or mini glass trifles.
Substitutes and Variations
- Cookies - you can substitute the Nilla Wafers with graham crackers, shortbread cookies, or butter cookies.
- Milk - almond milk was used for this recipe. I also love using oat milk however you can use any non-dairy milk you prefer or regular dairy milk.
- Pudding - if you want to skip the cooking method, you can buy instant pudding from your local grocery story. Be sure to use INSTANT pudding that doesn't require cooking. I like Whole Foods 365 vanilla pudding that has minimal ingredients. You can also use banana-flavored pudding if you prefer.
- Fruit - if you're not a fan of bananas you could substitute with your favorite fruit like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, the options are endless.
- Whipped Cream - I prefer to use So Delicious Coco Whip however Reddi-whip has many non-dairy options or you can make your own homemade whipped cream.
- Add more layers - Instead of using the whipped cream as the topping for the pudding, add in some layers to the banana pudding.
Recipe Tips
- Don't boil. The pudding mixture should be on a low simmer, not boiling, so that the milk doesn't scorch or boil over.
- Whisk frequently. Don't stop whisking your pudding while cooking so the bottom of the pot doesn't burn. You need to keep the dairy in constant motion to avoid scalding.
- Let it cool. Allow the pudding to cool to room temperature before assembling the banana pudding. If you'd like to speed up the process you can place a piece of plastic wrap over the pudding, making sure to lay it directly on the pudding so it touches it, and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Smooth it. When preparing the banana pudding, spoon the vanilla pudding into the dish and smooth the pudding into one even layer for a finished look.
- Garnishing. If serving for a crowd, wait to place any of the garnishes right before serving. Simply add a dollop of whipped cream and crumbled cookies to the top and serve.
Recipe FAQ
This banana pudding recipe is served chilled from the fridge. You can also enjoy it at room temperature if you prefer. Simply let it sit out for a few minutes before eating.
Bananas have a tendency to brown quickly after being exposed to air. When assembling the dish, try to keep the bananas covered with the pudding as much as possible. If you're serving to a crowd, garnish with the bananas on top right before serving.
It depends on what stage of cooking the pudding you are in. If you added all of the ingredients and stirred the ingredients together and it's thin, be patient, it hasn't had a chance to thicken at all.
I've tested this recipe with organic cane sugar and granulated white sugar. Both work well. Granulated white sugar is a little sweeter than cane sugar however, cane sugar is produced solely from sugarcane and is minimally processed.
Different sweeteners will work for this recipe however they each will impart the pudding flavors in different ways.
More Recipes You May Like
Easy Dairy Free Banana Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups almond milk or any dairy free milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 box Nilla Wafers
- 3 Bananas ripe, medium sized
- 1 container Coco Whip optional for topping
Instructions
Making the Vanilla Pudding
- Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk to combine.
- Pour in the cold milk slowly, and whisk until smooth.
- Heat saucepan to medium-high and cook until the milk starts to thicken. Stir as needed to prevent lumps. Allow the pudding to cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon with a thick layer.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and let the pudding cool to room temperature. You can also let the pudding chill in the fridge until you're ready to assemble. Simply cover the pudding with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap directly onto the pudding and refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to Layer Banana Pudding
- Layer the vanilla cookies on the bottom of the dish.
- Add the banana slices on top of the cookies.
- Pour on the vanilla pudding in a thick layer to cover the cookies and bananas.
- Repeat these steps until you get to just about the top of your serving dish.
- Add on a dollop of the whipped cream topping and a little extra crumbled vanilla cookies and serve.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Although HalfPastHungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on which products you use, the brand that was purchased, or in other unforeseeable ways. HalfPastHungry.com will not be held liable for any reliance on given nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your physician first.
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