Timeless Southern Banana Pudding Recipe | Add a Pinch

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Throughout the South, this banana pudding holds a place as both a treasured comfort food and a beloved sweet treat. Folks can hardly wait to scoop up a serving, chasing that flawless harmony of golden wafers, creamy custard, and ripe bananas.

My grandmother always crowned hers with a sky-high meringue that floated as light as a cloud, pairing beautifully with the deep, luscious pudding beneath. Time and again during our childhood, she would invite my sister and me to lend a hand preparing her signature banana pudding for the evening meal. Honestly, I cannot recall a single moment when that invitation grew old. One of us would be tasked with gently arranging the wafers along the inside of the glass bowl, while the other took charge of slicing the bananas. Each role carried real weight, and somehow the dessert never seemed to come together unless both of us gave our tasks the attention they deserved.

At the very least, that's what she always led us to believe.

While the two of us stayed focused on our assignments, Grandmother tended to the custard over her stove. Cooking always made her talkative — she'd inquire about our school day, share stories of helping her own mother in the kitchen, or describe a bird that had caught her eye during her morning trip to the garden. The warmth in her tone matched the silky smoothness of the pudding she was constantly stirring.

After the wafers and banana rounds were tucked neatly into place exactly as she had shown us, Grandmother would motion us aside so she could stream the warm custard across the top. Mere moments later, she would have the egg whites whipped into gleaming, stiff peaks, ready to be smoothed carefully over the surface of the pudding. The dish would slide into the oven, and my sister and I would race over to peer through the oven's glass panel, mesmerized as the meringue slowly transformed into a golden brown.

Come dinnertime that evening, we could hardly contain our excitement for everyone to sample "our" banana pudding, confident it turned out every bit as delicious as Grandmother's own.

Below is her treasured Southern Banana Pudding recipe — I have no doubt you'll fall for it just like we did!

Southern-Style Banana Pudding Recipe

A time-honored Southern classic, this homemade banana pudding recipe has been passed down through the family and shows up at countless holidays, gatherings, and special occasions throughout the year.

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• pinch salt
• 3 large eggs separated (you'll need whites later for meringue)
• 3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 box vanilla wafers approximately 45 wafers
• 5-6 bananas
• 3 egg whites reserved from above
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Set your oven to 325º F and allow it to preheat.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. In a separate large bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the egg yolks gently before stirring in the milk. Pour this wet mixture into the saucepan with the dry ingredients. Set the pan over low to medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens into a silky, smooth custard. Take the saucepan off the heat and blend in the vanilla.
4. Start building your banana pudding by arranging a layer of vanilla wafers across the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish, a glass serving bowl, or any 3-quart vessel you prefer.
5. Cut the bananas into rounds and scatter them over the wafer layer.
6. Spoon roughly one-third of the warm custard evenly across the wafers and bananas.
7. Continue the layering sequence two more times, working through the remaining wafers, bananas, and custard. Cap the dessert with a final layer of wafers for a pretty finishing touch.

Preparing the Meringue

1. Beat the egg whites with a handheld or stand mixer running on high.

1. Once the whites become foamy, sprinkle in the cream of tartar, then slowly add the sugar one tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat.
2. Keep beating until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture looks glossy.
3. When stiff, glossy peaks form, pour in the vanilla and give it a final whip until everything is incorporated.
4. Dollop the meringue across the top of the banana pudding, sweeping it all the way out to the edges of the dish to seal in the filling.
5. Slide the dish into the oven and bake for roughly 25 minutes, or until the meringue has turned a pale, golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

Southern Banana Pudding Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 343 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5g 8%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 78mg 26%

Sodium 89mg 4%

Potassium 436mg 12%

Total Carbohydrates 68g 23%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 57g

Protein 7g 14%

Vitamin A 5.9%

Vitamin C 7.8%

Calcium 11.8%

Iron 4%

• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All photographs and written content © Robyn Stone for Add a Pinch

Dig in! Robyn xo

Sourced from the Add a Pinch recipe archives, first shared in 2011.