A single serving caramelized banana pudding recipe featuring homemade pudding between layers of cookies and caramelized bananas. A wonderful no-bake dessert!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: banana pudding, best banana pudding recipe, caramelized banana pudding, easy banana pudding, old fashioned banana pudding, southern banana pudding
Pour milk into a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the sugar and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to steam, about 5 minutes.
While the milk is heating, whisk together the cream and cornstarch in a small bowl until very smooth.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to simmer, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Continue to stir until the butter has melted. Pour the pudding into a bowl. The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.
Make the caramelized bananas
Melt butter in an 8-inch or 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until the sugar melts, stirring for about 30 seconds.
Slice the banana and add the slices to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently until the bananas soften, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the whipped cream
Using an electric hand mixer or a balloon whisk, whip heavy cream and sugar on medium speed until soft peaks form.Pro Tip: As you whip the cream and sugar together, you'll start to see the mixture increasing in volume. The cream will begin to thicken, become smooth, and leave trails in the mixture. When you lift the beaters or take the whisk out of the cream, the peaks are soft and will curl downwards and melt back into themselves almost immediately.
To assemble
Line the bottom of the dessert dish with half of the cookies.Pro Tip: Use an 8-ounce dessert dish or an 8 or 10-ounce ramekin.
Spoon half of the caramelized bananas over the vanilla wafers.
Pour half of the pudding over the bananas. Use a spoon to evenly spread the pudding.
Top with the remaining vanilla wafers, then the remaining caramelized bananas. Pour the rest of the pudding on top and spread evenly. Spread the whipped cream evenly on top of the pudding. Garnish with crumbled vanilla wafers, if desired.Enjoy the dessert warm or refrigerate it for a few hours.
Notes
Expert Tips
Gather your ingredients before starting: This recipe goes quickly so have all of your ingredients close by before beginning. Also, read through the entire recipe and review the ingredient notes.
Use whole milk and heavy cream: The amounts listed in this easy banana pudding recipe have been tested and are ideal. Changing the ingredient amounts will affect the recipe. Using lower fat milks, nondairy milks, or half and half will produce a thinner pudding and one that will not thicken as well.
Vanilla wafer cookies: Nilla Wafers are commonly used in Southern banana pudding. If you don't have access to vanilla wafer cookies, use graham crackers instead.
Consider adding cinnamon to the whipped cream: Just a pinch of cinnamon added to the cream adds a lovely warm flavor to the whipped cream topping.