Homemade Banana Pudding Cups

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Easy-to-make homemade Banana Pudding Cups are sweet, creamy, and oh so delicious. The are the perfect dessert to serve all year long! Silky homemade pudding infused with vanilla, layered with freshly slices bananas, and crushed vanilla wafers. Then, finished with a dollop of Chantilly Cream, more vanilla wafers, and a banana slice, of course! It’s such a simple, easy to make dessert. Know what the best part is? This banana pudding is spooned into individual glasses, which means you don’t have to share! Every bite is so creamy and sweet, with just the right amount of crunch from the vanilla wafers. Simply delicious!

About The Recipe

We’re ending the week with a little bit of a nostalgic recipe…banana pudding! Though, it’s not just your ordinary banana pudding. No, no. This might just be the best banana pudding we’ve ever made. A bold statement, I know, but it’s true!

There’s no pudding mix for this recipe. Instead, a homemade vanilla custard is the star of this dessert!

My brother absolutely adores banana pudding. He used to ask for it for it at almost every birthday. Then, he ordered a banana pudding at a restaurant and received a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a couple of banana slices next to it and a vanilla wafers stuck in the top.

After that, he’s not really asked for banana pudding again.

His birthday is next week, and we started thinking about we wanted to do. We thought it would be fun to surprise him with a homemade banana pudding!

My mom and I make quite a few different custards for the blog like this Coconut Custard with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote or this Homemade Gingerbread Ice Cream or this French Lemon Tart with Pâte Sucrée Crust; so he really had no idea we were making this until he saw us layering it!

The recipe turned out great; and he loved it so much that we thought it would be the perfect treat to share with all of you, especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner!

Want to know the best part? This dessert is layered in individual glasses, which means less waste and no having to share! Because, after the first bite, you really won’t want to share.

Every bite is perfectly sweet, vanilla-y, and creamy with just the right amount of banana and a bit of texture from the wafers. There’s no better dessert to make for any and all occasions!

Reasons You Will Love This Banana Pudding

• Homemade vanilla custard!!
• Easy to make.
• Crowd pleasing.
• There is no baking required.
• Perfect for holidays or birthdays!
• Sweet and so delicious.
• Can easily be made into one big dessert!

Equipment Needed

• Small Pot
• Mixing Bowls
• Wooden Spoon
• Whisk
• Hand Mixer
• Small Glasses

Ingredients

(Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

For The Pudding:

• Granulated Sugar – adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Cornstarch – A starch that acts a lot like gelatin when it cools, cornstarch cuts down on the number of egg yolks needed for thickening.
• Egg Yolks – The protein in egg yolks binds the custard together and thickens it.
• Whole Milk – The fat content in whole milk helps thicken this custard and makes it oh-so creamy.
• Salted Butter – Butter makes the pudding rich and velvety, while the salt enhances the flavor.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract gives this pudding it’s wonderful flavor!

For The Topping:

• Sliced Bananas – It wouldn’t be banana pudding without sliced bananas. Make sure to choose bananas that are ripe enough to eat without being overripe and mushy.
• Vanilla Wafers – These are the classic “cakelike” layer in the midst of the pudding and bananas.

For The Chantilly Cream:

• Heavy Cream – The higher fat content makes the whipped cream sturdier and helps it hold its peaks.
• Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar dissolves easily to perfectly sweeten this whipped cream.
• Vanilla Extract – Adding a subtle undertone, vanilla extract is the perfect choice to enhance the flavor of the sweetened cream.

How To Make Banana Pudding

Step 1: Make the pudding

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.

Mix in the egg yolks. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk until it starts to bubble around the edges.

Slowly whisk the hot milk into egg mixture.

Return to saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring continuously, until custard thickens, about 5-8 minutes.

Stir in butter and vanilla.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Make Chantilly cream

In a small bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Step 3: Layer

Spoon ½ inch custard into the bottom of each glass. Cover custard with banana slices. Top with 1 Tablespoon vanilla wafers.

Repeat layers to top of glasses. Spoon Chantilly cream on top of puddings.

Banana Pudding FAQ’s

Can I use a pudding mix for this recipe?

While you can, making your own custard for these puddings is a lot easier than you might think and tastes SO much better!

How to keep the bananas from browning?

Once bananas are exposed to air, they will start to brown. You can lightly sprinkle the slices with lemon juice to help prevent browning, but even then, they will still eventually brown.

How long does banana pudding last?

Once assembled, the banana pudding cups will keep, covered, in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

Can I make banana pudding in advance?

Of course! The custard can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Just be sure to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. The rest really needs to be made the day of. Though, if you’re okay with the vanilla wafers not being crunchy, you can layer this dessert the night before, and keep it covered in the fridge. Right before serving, dollop each pudding with Chantilly cream!

Decorating Ideas

While banana pudding is easily one of the most delicious no bake desserts, it can be pretty simplistic in looks! Here are a few of our favorite ways to dress up these banana puddings.

• Pipe the Chantilly cream on top instead of dolloping it!
• Finish with edible flowers like chamomile.
• Crush a few vanilla wafers on top.

No matter what, these banana pudding cups will always be delicious!

How To Store

While these banana pudding cups are best eaten the day they’re made, if there’s any leftover, you can cover each glass with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like: No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars, No Bake Peanut Butter Pie, No Churn Banana Pudding Ice Cream, Vanilla Chamomile Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Expert Tips

• Don’t skip straining the custard! This is to ensure no lumps of cooked egg are in the custard.
• Be sure to strain the custard into a glass bowl.
• The layering amounts in this recipe all depend on the size glass you use! Adjust as needed.
• Make sure the vanilla custard is completely cool before assembly! You can also place the custard in the fridge, if needed. Just be sure to cover the bowl the custard is in with plastic wrap.
• This recipe is best eaten the day it’s made.
• If desired, gluten-free vanilla wafers can be used in this recipe to make it gluten-free!

When you make these Homemade Banana Pudding Cups, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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