Pioneer Woman Banana Pudding
Caroline Sciberras
In her take on the classic Southern dessert, Ree Drummond layers a homemade vanilla pudding with vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, peanut butter and condensed milk.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
for chilling 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 711.98 kcal
To roast the bananas:
- 4 medium Bananas (1 1/2 cups ) unripe and sliced
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cups Light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt to taste
For the banana pudding
- 2 cups Full-fat milk
- 3.4 oz Instant vanilla pudding (1 box of 3.4 oz / 102g)
- 2 cups Heavy cream cold
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 14 oz Sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp Peanut butter
- 12 oz Vanilla wafers (or digestives or peanut butter cookies) (340g)
- 1 small Banana sliced, to use as a topping.
To roast the bananas
Heat oven to 350F / 176C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Coat the bananas with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt making sure that each slice is fully coated.
Place all the bananas on the baking sheet.
Roast the bananas in the oven for about 30 minutes or until they start to caramelize.
Remove from oven and set aside until they cool completely.
For the banana pudding cream
Prepare instant pudding. Combine the instant pudding mix with the milk, stirring until it reaches a thickened consistency. Refrigerate for at least 5 minutes.
Whip the cream. Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer setting it on medium-high. Whip for around 3-4 minutes until the cream becomes light and fluffy. Set aside the whipped cream.
Mix the banana pudding.
Separately, beat together the cream cheese, condensed milk, peanut butter, and roasted bananas until smooth.
Add slowly the instant pudding mix that you refrigerated. Mix to combine.
Fold in the whipped cream.
To assemble the banana pudding
Layer the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the vanilla wafers.
Spread half of the pudding cream onto the bottom biscuit layer.
Top with a layer of vanilla wafers using another 1/3 of the wafers and follow again with the remaining pudding cream mixture.
Crush the remaining 1/3 of the wafers into small pieces.
Sprinkle the crushed wafers on top of the pudding layer, creating a delicious and crunchy texture.
Place nicely the banana slices. Squeeze some lemon to avoid browning
Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.
- To make your own Instant Pudding Vanilla Mix: Mix 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons dry milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
- Beat the heavy cream for your Banana Pudding with an electric mixer for 3 minutes, the cream thickens and becomes fluffy creating a whipped cream. The whipped cream becomes light and airy, with a smooth and creamy consistency. Additionally, whipping the cream also enhances its flavor, making it sweeter and more enjoyable to eat.
- Allow the pudding to sit for a few minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together.
- Serve chilled and garnish with a sprinkle of crushed vanilla wafers or a dusting of cocoa powder for an added touch of elegance.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream and a slice of fresh banana on top of each serving for an extra visual appeal.
- Serve in individual dessert cups or in a trifle dish to showcase the beautiful layers.
- The banana pudding is best eaten within the first day of being made as bananas will start browning also changing taste and the cookies will soften over time.
- The bananas are roasted and covered with caramel they hold nicer and taste better than when treating the bananas with citrus juice.
- To refrigerate the banana pudding wrap it tightly with plastic wrap before refrigerating or alternatively freeze it to store for up to 3 months.
Keyword Caramelized Bananas, Condensed Milk, Peanut Butter