Food and Recipes Party Food and Drink 13 Ways to Enjoy the Flavors of Banana Pudding By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 31, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo: Jennifer Davick From Quick & Tasty Banana Pudding to Banana Pudding Cheesecake, these twists on our favorite classic summer dessert will be the hit of the barbecue. In the South, bananas aren't just a side dish served with breakfast, or a healthy afternoon snack. They've earned their place as a staple of the Southern diet. Sliced and stacked on top fresh white bread that's smeared with creamy peanut butter, they become the centerpiece of a lunch box classic. Baked into butter-rich batter with chopped walnuts, they become the namesake of banana bread, our favorite food gift. And layered between fluffy whipped cream, crispy Nilla Wafers and creamy vanilla pudding, they become part of an iconic Southern dessert—banana pudding. Universally loved and easy to make, this classic treat is ripe for riffs. Whether you prefer serving up your banana pudding in an oversized trifle for Sunday lunch, or caramelizing it in ramekins then topping with homemade meringue for a dinner party, we've got a recipe you're sure to go bananas for. These banana pudding dessert ideas all capture the essence of the beloved pudding, but some execute it in all-new ways. 01 of 14 Coconut-Banana Pudding Hector M. Sanchez Recipe: Coconut-Banana Pudding This new take on classic Southern banana pudding offers a taste of the tropics. Make the whole recipe to feed a crowd, family-style, or halve and serve in individual bowls. Keep the banana slices from turning brown by tossing them in a couple tablespoons of lemon juice. 02 of 14 Banana Pudding Jennifer Davick Recipe: Banana Pudding Ditch the vanilla pudding packet from the pantry and try this scratch-made version of individual party-ready banana puddings. We especially love it with extra vanilla wafers. See more: 23 Vanilla Desserts That Are Anything But Boring 03 of 14 Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle This homemade pudding tastes divine! Instead of using the traditional vanilla wafers for banana pudding, we used Nutter Butter® sandwich cookies to add even more flavor. Plus, the extra-large cookies keep their toothsome chewy better than some more flimsy alternatives. 04 of 14 Banana Pudding Pie Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Banana Pudding Pie Banana pudding, but make it sliceable. With a brown butter vanilla wafer crust and velvety custard, this pie takes banana pudding to the next level. 05 of 14 Caramelized Banana Pudding Photo: Jennifer Davick, Prop Styling: Annette Joseph, Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Caramelized Banana Pudding This dressed-up banana pudding features bananas caramelized in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. It's finished with an old-fashioned meringue that toasts in the oven for a picture perfect topping. 06 of 14 Banana Pudding Cheesecake Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake This sinfully sweet dessert is the perfect blend of fresh bananas, creamy cheesecake, and crunchy vanilla wafers. It's a dessert mash-up you never knew you needed, but likely won't stop making once you try it. 07 of 14 Quick & Tasty Banana Pudding Van Chaplin Recipe: Quick & Tasty Banana Pudding This super easy banana pudding calls for just four ingredients: a banana, thawed whipping topping, prepared vanilla pudding, and vanilla wafers. The best part? It's ready in only 10 minutes. 08 of 14 New-Fashioned Banana Pudding Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: New-Fashioned Banana Pudding This might not be a traditional banana pudding, but we promise that it's just as good—if not better—than Mama's. Scratch-made vanilla custard, real vanilla bean whipped cream, and a touch of nutmeg set it apart from the old-fashioned recipes. 09 of 14 Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Joy Howard Recipe: Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Similar to the much-beloved classic, this version alternates layers of fresh bananas, vanilla wafer cookies, and homemade pudding with a little something extra in between: drizzles of salted caramel. 10 of 14 Banana Pudding Poke Cake Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake This decadent dessert is sure to wow on special occasions and holidays. It begins with a super moist banana cake that is soaked in homemade pudding and then topped with fresh bananas and cream. 11 of 14 Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff Recipe: Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake This fun twist on banana pudding uses strawberries to add brightness to the rich dessert. Graham crackers sub in for vanilla wafers, which make for neater slices of this gorgeous cake. 12 of 14 Banana Pudding Trifle Recipe: Banana Pudding Trifle A trifle, or a layered dessert with cake, custard, and whipped topping, is the perfect low-fuss, high-impact dessert. It looks elegant and difficult, but it couldn't be more simple to pull off. This banana pudding-inspired trifle is built with vanilla wafers, homemade pudding, and freshly whipped cream. For a bit of interest, sprinkle crushed English toffee candy bars throughout the trifle layers. 13 of 14 Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis If you love the luscious texture of banana pudding but wish it could be a bit more like cheesecake, you're in luck. These cheesecake bars capture the warm, custardy richness of banana pudding and the silky richness of cheesecake, all with the decadence of a brown butter-vanilla wafer crust. 14 of 14 Get More Dessert Inspiration Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Browse Pudding Recipes. 35 Vintage Church Desserts Worth Praising 25 Best-Ever Banana Recipes You Need To Bookmark Immediately Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit