There's just something about banana pudding that feels like home. This easy no-bake banana pudding with sour cream is rich, smooth, and layered with sweet bananas, vanilla wafers, and a velvety pudding. It's the kind of dessert you bring to a gathering and leave with an empty dish.
"Divine. Whole family goes... Well... Bananas for it. I do a tiny thin layer of pudding mixture or cool whip under the first layer of cookies to kind of anchor them down, because otherwise they just slide around on me when I go to spread the first real layer of pudding.
We save this for special occasions, but mannnnn, I could eat this stuff all the time!"
★★★★★- Oxana
It's Bananas Yo! My kids do not like the old fashion baked banana pudding with the meringue. Weird right? What's wrong with them? My children do however love this easy Banana Pudding with sour cream recipe. It is one of my son's favorite dessert.
This is one of those fix-it-fast, feeds-a-crowd, everybody's happy kind of no-bake dessert. I hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy! Xoxo -Katie.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredients for homemade banana pudding with sour cream:
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix- Do not use banana flavored pudding mix!
- whole milk- For best results, do not use skim milk or low fat milk. I originally used heavy cream in this recipe for a thick, rich texture. Over time, I switched to whole milk because it creates a consistency closer to classic homemade pudding. You can use either. Both turn out delicious.
- sour cream- The secret ingredient that makes the pudding extra creamy and smooth.
- Cool Whip- You can swap with whipping cream, but the texture will be a little less fluffy.
- bananas- Use ripe bananas.
- vanilla wafers- This is one of those times I prefer the name brand ingredient. Nilla cookies work best with this recipe. If you want to do a special twist, you can use shortbread cookies.
Steps
Follow these simple steps to make this easy banana pudding.
- Mix vanilla instant pudding mix and whole milk at a low speed for 2 minutes or until thick.
- Blend in sour cream and ½ of the cool whip.
- In a serving trifle bowl, layer one-third of the vanilla wafers, 2-3 sliced bananas, and half of the pudding mixture over the top.
- Repeat layering again with one-third of the vanilla wafers, then banana slices, and then the remaining pudding mixture.
- Spread remaining of the cool whip over the pudding mixture.
- Crush 5 vanilla wafers. Sprinkle the top with the crushed cookies then add a few vanilla wafers on top. Refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving.
Watch how to make it
Why do you use sour cream?
Sour cream adds extra creaminess to the banana pudding without making it too heavy. It thickens the pudding, giving it a velvety, smooth texture, preventing it from getting watery after chilling. It also gives the pudding a "homemade flavor" instead of a boxed taste.
How ripe should your bananas be for pudding?
You want flavorful bananas in your pudding- after all, they're the star of the dessert. For the best flavor, use very ripe bananas.
- Look for bananas that are deep yellow with brown freckle spots.
- Most bananas in the store won't be ripe enough. If you can, plan a couple days ahead and let them ripen naturally. If you are short on time, place them in a brown bag, seal them, and leave them overnight. This will speed up the ripening process.
How do you keep bananas from browning?
To keep bananas from browning, fully layer them under the pudding to limit their air exposure and chill quickly in the refrigerator. You can also lightly toss them in lemon juice to prevent browning without affecting their flavor.
Can you make banana pudding ahead of time?
Yes- banana pudding can be made ahead of time and it's actually better that way. For best results make it 3 or more hours ahead, but overnight is even better.
It is best served within 24 hours, but can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Please leave me a comment below if you make this banana pudding and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your dessert on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Easy Banana Pudding with Sour Cream (No-Bake Recipe)
Ingredients
- 5 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- 6 bananas sliced
- 1 Nilla Vanilla Wafers
Instructions
- Mix vanilla pudding mix and whole milk at a low speed for 2 minutes or until thick.
- Blend in sour cream and ½ of the cool whip.
- In a serving bowl, layer one-third of the vanilla wafers, 2-3 sliced bananas, and half of the pudding mixture over the top.
- Repeat layering again with one-third of the vanilla wafers, then 2-3 sliced bananas, and then the remaining pudding mixture.
- Spread remaining of the cool whip over the pudding mixture.
- Crush 5 vanilla wafers. Sprinkle the top with the crushed cookies then add a few vanilla wafers on top. Refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving.
Oxana says
Divine. Whole family goes... Well... Bananas for it. I do a tiny thin layer of pudding mixture or cool whip under the first layer of cookies to kind of anchor them down, because otherwise they just slide around on me when I go to spread the first real layer of pudding.
We save this for special occasions, but mannnnn, I could eat this stuff all the time!
Kristi Martin says
Absolutely love this banana pudding recipe y'all!!! It's secretly a family favorite, since I brought it back to Thanksgiving this year... It was such a hit!! Everyone said it easy some of the best banana pudding recipe!! It made me so happy to see them all enjoy it as I also did myself!!! God bless!