15 Delicious Twists on Traditional Banana Pudding

Southern cuisine features a treasure trove of desserts. Not only do you have chess pie, peach cobbler, and the classic sweet potato pie, but you also have a barbecue staple: banana pudding. This dessert is essentially a trifle built with layers of vanilla pudding, vanilla wafer cookies, fresh banana, and whipped topping. It can be served in a large container or made into individual cups for easy serving. 

We won’t argue with the timeless nature of banana pudding. But, like any dessert, it can get a bit antiquated and be in need of a refresher. If you’re working with a recipe passed down through your family for generations, or are a cooking newbie looking to make a foray into Southern sweets, check out some of these innovative and fun ways to elevate your banana pudding recipe. What’s great about these suggestions is that they don’t deviate too far from the fundamental structure and flavor of a banana pudding. Instead, they introduce new textures and flavors to make this recipe more complex — and all the more mouthwateringly delicious. 

A mainstay of classic banana pudding is, of course, the vanilla wafer cookies. These cookies offer a great and dependable flavor that mesh in well with the banana and the custard. But they’re far from the only “cookie” you can use for this recipe. Instead, try elevating your banana pudding by using chopped pieces of pound cake instead of the classic vanilla wafer cookies. Pound cake has a similar vanilla flavor to the wafer cookies, but it offers a more substantial mouthfeel and denser consistency. Though, at its core, it’s still soft and fluffy, so it won’t disrupt the bite and mouthfeel of your pudding too much. Simply cube up your pound cake into small pieces and layer it in your pudding just as you would with the cookies. 

Though, if you don’t mind density and want to add an extra oomph of banana flavor, you may also want to consider adding cubed banana muffins or banana bread to your bread pudding. You will lose some of the natural lightness of the pudding, as these types of cake tend to soak up the surrounding pudding and whipped topping like a sponge. But you will get a more trifle-like bite and all of the banana flavor that your taste buds are craving. 

We always wondered why banana pudding was made with vanilla pudding, rather than the more flavorful banana option. The vanilla flavor offers a predictable and almost laid-back flavor. But if you want to spice things up and make it more fruit-forward, consider swapping out your pudding flavor for something a little more exciting. 

Some people, understandably, won’t like the artificial flavor that comes with instant banana pudding. If you are in that camp, you’re in luck, as there are many other pudding flavors that you can utilize. Cheesecake pudding, for example, will give you a rich and slightly tangy flavor that will really highlight the light flavor of the fruit well. If you’re after something darker, though, you may want to try using a chocolate pudding instead. It will obscure the banana flavor a little bit, but it will offer a little more complex flavor than a vanilla pudding can achieve.

Regardless of the flavor that you select for your pudding, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re using an instant mix rather than one that needs to be cooked. The instant pudding is designed to set relatively quickly, which makes it a better fit for banana pudding than a cook and serve variety. 

Cream cheese can make everything better, including banana pudding. This secret ingredient will make your banana pudding more dense, and it will introduce a slightly tangy flavor to cut through the light and creamy pudding base. Cream cheese is rich, but otherwise inoffensive, which means that the familiar banana flavor that you love won’t be too disrupted by it. 

Rather than reaching for a standard block of cream cheese for this hack, you’ll want to use a whipped product. If you can’t find the right-sized container of whipped cream cheese, though, you can always beat your cream cheese in a stand mixer until it’s creamy and easy to spread. For a sweeter profile that mimics the mouthfeel of cheesecake, consider whipping a block of cream cheese with some sugar and vanilla extract. 

Once the cream cheese is prepared, you can easily combine it with your pudding and layer it into your cups. Alternatively, you can also create layers in your dessert –  alternating between the cream cheese, pudding, bananas, and cookies — to give the cream cheese more of a starring role.

It turns out that bourbon isn’t just for drinking — it can also elevate an array of desserts, including banana pudding. Adding a few splashes of this spirit into the components of your pudding will give your dessert a boozy twist and make it all the more satisfying. If you’ve sipped on bourbon, you know that it has oaky and vanilla-forward flavors, both of which are in harmony with banana and vanilla in the pudding and the wafer cookies. However, you may also want to try adding rum to complement the bananas. 

It’s easier than you may think to add booze to your pudding. Essentially, you’ll want to use it as a substitute for vanilla extract (which is also made with alcohol). In other words, your recipe shouldn’t reek of booze; it should have enough of a boozy flavor to carry its flavor through to the finish line. A ratio of about 1 tablespoon of bourbon for every teaspoon of vanilla should suffice. You may also want to consider adding booze to your whipped cream topping; the spirit’s flavor profile will accentuate the sweet notes of your homemade whip, and its sharpness will still provide a bit of a reprieve from its creaminess. 

We liken sweetened condensed milk to the Swiss Army knife of baking ingredients. Although it might appear unassuming, you can use it for tons of different things, including extra sturdy frosting and as an enhancer for boxed cake mix. And now, you can add banana pudding to that list of ways to use it. 

Sweetened condensed milk can make your banana pudding extra rich. This ingredient is quite thick, as it’s had a significant amount of the moisture cooked off. It’s also very heavily sweetened. These two factors make it a tantalizing addition to your banana pudding. You’ll want to add the sweetened condensed milk to your pudding mix as a substitute for milk, though you’ll need to dilute it a little bit to ensure that it’s not too sweet and thick. For every cup of milk that your pudding calls for, use ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk, and thin it out with water as needed so that you get your desired consistency. In order to ensure that the mixture properly thickens, you’ll also want to let it briefly set (about five minutes should do) before you add in your condensed milk and put the whole bowl in the fridge to firm up. 

Bananas Foster is one of the most captivating and fun desserts to watch being prepared. The caramel-coated fruit cooks in the pan before it’s set aflame with rum, turning into a stunning spectacle that looks as good as it tastes. You can use the same principle to cook your bananas for a layered pudding. The caramel sauce will add an extra depth of flavor and sweetness, which will mesh well with the light, sweet vanilla pudding. The cooking method will give you far better caramel flavors than if you were to just use a caramel sauce from a jar. 

We will admit that flambéing isn’t for novices. If you don’t feel comfortable with setting alcohol on fire (and we don’t blame you there), you may want to try elevating your pudding by grilling your bananas. You’ll still get a slightly smoky flavor from your fruit, and caramel flavors will come more into focus as the natural sugars cook down. Just be sure to leave your bananas in large pieces so that they’re easy to maneuver on the grates, and coat them well with oil to prevent them from sticking. 

Making a delicious banana pudding isn’t just ensuring that it tastes good; it’s also making sure that it looks visually stunning. The bananas should also at least be fresh. When your bananas are looking a little brown and slimy, it can throw off the whole appeal of this dessert. 

To prevent your fruit from browning, you’re going to want to employ a similar technique to what you would do for apples when you’re making pie. You can toss the fruit pieces with something acidic, whether that’s lemon juice, pineapple juice, or orange juice, to slow down the browning. You don’t have to use a ton of juice for your fruit either; a quick toss in a tablespoon in the acidic juice will help stave off browning without altering the flavor of the fruit too much. This simple hack will keep your dessert looking picnic-ready. 

There are few combinations as good as peanut butter and banana — especially when you get honey involved. The next time your banana pudding is looking a little uninspired, consider adding a nutty twist, courtesy of your favorite jar of Jif. 

There are several ways to upgrade your pudding with peanut butter. For one, you can add an entire layer of creamy peanut butter to your pudding, though we would recommend trying to melt it a little bit so that it more readily disperses on top of the rest of the pudding components. You can also add a milder peanut butter flavor by using peanut butter cookies (like Nutter Butters) instead of vanilla wafers. The latter method will still offer a subtle peanut flavor, but with the added crunch of the crispy cookies. Once you’re done layering the banana pudding ingredients, you can also add some crushed peanut butter cookies on top as a final nutty touch.

Instant vanilla pudding is the status quo for banana pudding. Not only is it reliable and consistently-flavored, but it’s so easy to whip up. However, if you’re not someone who likes to take the easy way out, you may want to consider whipping up a pastry cream instead. It might sound more difficult to make than it actually is, but its ingredients are rather rudimentary: egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, milk, butter, and flavoring. If you’ve ever bit into a proper cream puff or an éclair, chances are you’ve tasted it before. 

The main reason why you should consider using pastry cream for your recipe is because you can infuse the milk with vanilla, thus heightening its flavor. Vanilla instant pudding tends to come with an artificial vanilla essence to it. When you make your own pastry cream, you get a far richer flavor and a more authentic representation of the vanilla. It takes a little more work, but the flavor is definitely worth it. 

One of the easiest ways to upgrade your banana pudding is to swap out the topping you use. Many people will resort to Cool Whip or a can of whipped cream. While both are effective ways to garnish your dessert, they leave something to be desired when it comes to taste and finesse. 

If you want to personalize and add more flavor to your garnish, you’re going to want to make your own whipped cream. Although it might sound intimidating, it’s probably the easiest component of the recipe to DIY (homemade pudding, from scratch, is nothing short of a nightmare). You can mix together whipping cream in a stand mixer or with an electric beater, though you’ll want to make sure you don’t turn it into butter — which can happen if you walk away from it while it’s mixing. Play with fun variations, like this honey whipped cream, to further personalize its flavor and highlight the other components of your pudding. 

Caramel sauce is a one of the more agreeable dessert toppings out there. It runs sweet, sure, but when you get the combination of crunch, creaminess, and sticky sweet caramel, it’s positively divine. You can easily achieve these contrasting mouthfeels in a banana pudding by layering it with caramel sauce. While you can opt to use a caramel pudding, the better option is to layer in a store-bought or — if you’re feeling adventurous — homemade caramel sauce. The sauce will give you the complex buttery and toffee-like notes that a boxed instant pudding just can’t offer. Moreover, you can also add in a salted version of the sauce, which will give you a little more interplay between sweet and savory notes in this dessert. 

You’ll want to heat up your caramel sauce just enough that it easily dribbles down into your pudding container. You can also drizzle it on the sides of the serving container for a fun visual effect. 

Whipped cream or topping isn’t the only garnish your banana pudding deserves. If you want something more flavorful and towering on top of your dessert, try your hand at a meringue. It’s important to note here that you’ll need to make a cooked meringue, like an Italian meringue, since you won’t be baking it in the oven before you eat it. French meringue, which is made by adding sugar to egg whites, will not suffice here because they’re not cooked. Italian meringue is highly stable, which means it will keep its shape easily atop your pudding. 

In order to make Italian meringue, you’ll need to heat up a hot sugar syrup and drizzle it into the whipped egg whites. It may sound tricky at first, but once you try your hand at it a few times, you realize it’s simpler (and tastier) than you imagined. And once you have your meringue top your pudding, you can sprinkle it with sugar and brûlée it until it’s toasty and beautiful. 

The only banana dessert better than a pudding? Banana cream pie. Layers of meringue, bananas, and sweet custard come together for a silky and satisfying slice. You can probably draw a lot of parallels between the two desserts, and since they’re so similar, you won’t have to choose between them. Instead, add a layer of graham crackers to your banana pudding to simulate the “crust” of a proper cream pie. These crackers can be used in tandem or as a replacement for the vanilla wafers. You’ll want to crumble them up coarsely, though not into a fine powder. If you crush them too finely, you will risk your pie tasting mushy and soggy. A rough chop of these crackers will suffice. 

The other thing to note about this addition, which is also the case with the wafer cookies, is that they get very soggy very quickly. We’d recommend holding off on assembling your dessert until right before you’re planning on serving it to prevent it from coming our super mushy.

This upgrade is a tribute to the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley, whose favorite sandwich consisted of peanut butter, banana, and bacon. You can add peanut butter to your dessert easily, but bacon may be a little bit more unique of an addition. The saltiness of the bacon and the peanut butter well mesh well with the sliced fruit and the custard, delivering a mouthfeel that is super satisfying and hearty. 

You’ll want to cook up your bacon before you decide how to add it to your banana pudding. For one, you can crumble up the slices and use it as a garnish on your pudding, or you can layer several, coarsely-crumbled strips inside of the container to get a little bit extra in every bite. Save the leftover bacon fat from your cooking, as you can also use that to candy nuts for a garnish for this savory-sweet mashup. Rock on! 

Spices are a foolproof way to improve almost any dessert, from a pie crust to banana pudding. Banana, in general, is an agreeable fruit when it comes to spice pairings, and your vanilla pudding will welcome a more complex, spicy addition with open arms. A go-to, which most people already have in their spice cabinet, is cinnamon. Stir in a little sprinkle into the custard as you’re preparing it, or add a sprinkle on top as an easy garnish. Nutmeg is also in good company with both the banana and the cinnamon; it will help bolster the flavor and contribute to a slightly warmer bite. 

You can also repurpose a spice blend, like pumpkin pie spice, for this pudding. Pair the blend with crumbled gingersnap or Biscoff cookies instead of the vanilla wafers and you’ll have a treat perfect for serving during the chilly fall months.