Let me first clarify that I don’t like banana pudding. I know, I know that a good Southern girl should like it, but I just don’t. For the record, I don’t like sweet tea or watermelon, either.
So, how is it that I’m sharing this recipe with you? I probably wouldn’t be if not for a friend and former co-worker who introduced me to it. She just swore that I would like it, despite my dislike of banana pudding in general.
And, oh, was she right! This tastes unlike any banana pudding you’ve ever eaten. I figure that has a lot to do with the cream cheese. How can you go wrong with cream cheese? Of course, the recipe comes from Paula Deen, too, and she seems to know her desserts.
My sister requested that I make this banana pudding for our Easter dinner, and that was enthusiastically seconded by my daddy. We returned from Quinn’s business trip to New York on Friday night. After I worked on Saturday, I was very glad that my contribution was going to be this simple dessert. I did also make another batch of Black & White Cupcakes, because I felt the need for some chocolate at the table. I got those into the oven and had the banana pudding made before the cupcakes were done.
I have made this dessert many times, but I’ve somehow never shared it with you. It’s beyond simple. In fact, I feel a little guilty making it because the hardest thing I have to do is clean up the three or four bowls I manage to use in making it.
I sometimes feel a bit guilty about making it because it’s really just assembly. The cookies are store-bought. The pudding comes from a mix. The whipped cream is frozen. However, there is certainly something to be said for a delicious dessert that’s quick and easy.
Ingredients
- 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies
- 6 to 8 bananas sliced*
- 2 cups milk
- 1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding**
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
Instructions
Line the bottom of a 13″x 9″x 2″dish with 1 bag of cookies. Place bananas on top.
Blend milk with pudding mix. Beat cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Add this mixture to the pudding and stir until blended. Pour over bananas.
Cover the top with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
*I usually use 2-3 bananas sliced very thinly. If you’re a big banana fan, though, you may want to use more.
**I’ve never found this size box at my grocery store. I only find the 3+ ounce size and use 1 & 1/2 boxes for the recipe.
Recipe adapted from The Lady & Sons Just Desserts.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I too have experienced the wonder that is Paula’s “Not yo mama’s banana pudding.” And I am really enjoying your blog (this is my first comment.) If you like lemony desserts, try her lemon blossoms……delish!
March 26th, 2008 at 3:16 am
amen–there should always be a chocolate option for dessert! however, the southern girl in me finds this banana pudding mighty tempting. i guess i’d be forced to eat some of both.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:52 am
I love everything about bananas and this pudding looks so good even if it comes from a box. the cookies make it so pretty too. This is the kind of dessert my husband likes, probably much more than my gianduja macaroons! LOL>
March 26th, 2008 at 6:30 am
I’ve never made this because there are only two of us. Any suggestions for making a smaller batch? I’d love to have a banana pudding for say four (that’s three for me and one for DH – hehe). I can’t imagine that you could freeze this yummy dessert.
julia ward
a BLINDING heart – a writer’s blog – http://www.ablindingheart.com
March 26th, 2008 at 7:20 am
I love banana pudding…the simpler the better!
March 26th, 2008 at 7:51 am
This made me a banana pudding convert as well. My husband always requests banana pudding for his birthday (which sort of disappointed me at first because I do NOT like the classic Southern rendition and would rather bake a cake!). I like to make a different one each year…except the year I made this one I was definitely tempted to quit looking for recipes.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:53 am
While I have not made this particular recipe, I have made a no bake banana pudding. It’s really good, too! Your Dad might like it as well, Jennifer. And I agree, dessert should ALWAYS include chocolate!
March 26th, 2008 at 7:54 am
i made this for my fil’s birthday last year and it was a hit. i ended up using less sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping to try and cut the sweetness. and as i’m sure you know, they don’t make that size pudding in sugar-free either!
March 26th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Thanks, Olivia! I’ll have to check out those lemon blossoms.
a.grace, we all had some of both. How could we not?
Aran, it’s very good – even from all those boxes!
Julia, I think this would certainly half or quarter well. I’m sure you could scale it down easily for the two of you.
Sarah, as much as you like banana pudding, you should give this one a try!
Kimberly, it’s the only recipe I use!
Cindy, Daddy actually jokingly requested that I make two of these so he could take one home. I did send him some leftovers!
Susan, this is a great recipe for making lighter. All of the components come in a lighter or fat free version, and the cookies aren’t bad to begin with.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:21 am
It looks really beautiful, Jen.
March 26th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Jennifer, so glad you liked the recipe. Great write up and I’ll make sure Paula gets a look at it. We’ve just put a new recipe search function on the site to make things easier to find, and we’ve added quite a few recipes. A.Grace, for a chocolate fix, try the double chocolate gooey butter cake. Should be enough there to satiate your cravings for quite some time.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Thanks, Patricia!
Phil, thanks so much for dropping by! The new recipe search is great. I’ll definitely be putting that to use.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
It looks really great! I also do not understand the appeal of sweet tea or watermelon.
March 26th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Oh some friends from church were just telling me I needed to look up this recipe the other day. I like banana pudding as long as it is VANILLA pudding WITH bananas. None of that yucky banana flavored junk for me.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
It sounds delicious, and those cookies actually look really delicious!
March 26th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Oh, yes. My beloved Banana Pudding. So Southern and so classy!
Thank you for making this for Easter! This is the BEST Banana Pudding I have ever had, and you know we all love it! The left-overs are great, too!
…and I’ll be asking for this again!!
March 26th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Oh, I love the recipes that Paula Deen comes up with. But I usually have to lighten them up ;d
I love Banana Pudding. Great time of year for it to ;]
March 26th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Katie, it’s good to know I’m not alone.
Courtney, you should definitely try it. Let me know what you think!
Thanks, Debrah!
Nan, I know this is one recipe I will be repeating for a while.
Tarah, this is a very easy recipe to lighten up. Most everything is available as light or fat-free.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
There is something to be said for making an easy recipe sometimes. I don’t care for Paula recipes in general, but I do like her Pumpkin Trifle. I made that quickie back in the fall and it was well received too.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
You totally got me hooked on this recipe. It appeals to both banana pudding lovers and non-lovers. Now, when are you going to make the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding recipe? Feel free to try it out the next time we visit:)
March 26th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
This looks really good! I will have to save the recipe for when I want an easy and delicious dessert! I really love the look of those cookies.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Well, I feel really old. Before the world had fallen in love with Paula Deen Linda Stevens of Tupelo High School Band fame made this for me. She used the traditional Nilla Wafers but everything else was the same. For years she got me back to do free rehearsals just at the mention of this simple but oh so sumptuous delight.
Now Paula adds the store bought cookies and it’s a national wonder of the confectionery world.
I’m stunned that no one has mentioned the fact that anything with “Eagle Brand” in it stands in the fabulous category…uncontested.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Could you suggest a substitute for cream cheese?
I’d love to try this, but my husband doesn’t like the taste.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:33 am
RecipeGirl, I am not a pumpkin fan so I’ll skip the trifle. Paula does have some great, easy desserts.
Nuwanda, I’m not sure about the Krispy Kreme bread pudding. Maybe you and I can make that next time we visit. Maybe a small batch. I’m afraid of having leftovers.
Ashley, the cookies make this a very cute dessert. Pepperidge Farm makes miniature versions, too.
Tim, I had no idea. Paula even admits that this isn’t her original recipe, so no telling how long it’s been around. As for Eagle Brand, it’s definitely a staple in my pantry.
Midge, I’m not sure what I’d be willing to substitute for the cream cheese. Maybe plain yogurt that has been strained. There really isn’t an overwhelming cream cheese flavor, though. My brother-in-law doesn’t much like cream cheese, but he eats this.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
When we don’t drink sweet tea, that means you can have extra desserts!! YUM!
March 27th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Patty, that is pure genius! I’ll be sticking to water and diet drinks for sure.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I have seen Paula make this before. I have never made it nor tried but secretly I am dying to make it. It just looks so sinfully delicious!
March 29th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I too have my hesitations about desserts that appear to easy but, embrace it! If it’s delicious (and it does look so!), enjoy it.
March 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Gigi, it is wonderful! Definitely worth a try.
Sara, I agree. I try not to let myself be overly suspicious of easy recipes. Sometimes those are some of the best.
March 29th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
This looks delicious. I will have to add it to my list of things to try
Bananas are great and easy banana recipes are the best.
March 30th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I have made both the Not Yo Mamma’s Banana Pudding and the Pecan Dreams from Paula Deen (both on the same episode) and both are so YUMMY! Makes me want some now! Hmmm, I have bananas that need to get used up, I have pudding, cream cheese, but none of those yummy cookies. Hmmm.
Oh, and the Lemon Blossoms ARE killer. They are made mini muffin size and so easy to just pop one after another in your mouth. They are kind of crispy glazed on the outside and so yummy. Again, kind of a cupcake though, so look out for another one! ; )
I enjoy your blogs.
March 30th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Oh yum! I make this every year for Easter…..except this year because my MIL supplied dessert..and OH how I missed it! I may make it soon now that you had to show it to me and make me miss it that much more!!!!!
March 30th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Maggie, I hope you like it!
Katrina, I think I’m going to have to try those Lemon Blossoms. They sound delicious!
Tiffany, it’s a great Easter dessert. Glad to hear it has another fan!
April 1st, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Oh, wow. This looks great ESPECIALLY with the Chessmen cookies on top!
April 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Thanks, Marq!
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:43 pm
This sounds incredible, I love the Chessmen on top. I’ve never had banana pudding but have been meaning to make it for a while now. I love bananas. I love pudding. I just need to incorporate peanut butter into it somehow. Only problem is that I have a feeling Paula Deen’s version is unhealthy times 10.
- The Peanut Butter Boy
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
Nick, while Paula doesn’t usually have much regard for calories, you can easily lighten this one up with lighter versions of the ingredients.
April 16th, 2008 at 6:38 am
I love this recipe! I used this same pudding as the basis for my “Seductive Strawberry-Banana Trifle” a few weeks ago. It’s even better mixed with cake and fresh berries!
April 16th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Susan, that does sound good!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
This is the prettiest banana pudding I have ever seen! Wow. Thanks for posting. I will have to try it out!
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Thanks, Janna! It’s the only banana pudding I’ve ever liked. It is so, so good.
October 19th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Where is the recipe???? Everyone says how wonderful it is, but nobody puts the recipe here for me to make the banana pudding??
October 19th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
jim, there’s a link to the recipe under the title of the post. Here’s another link: Banana Pudding Recipe.
March 9th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I LOVE Paula Deen!! I also LOVE this banana pudding! It is by far the best!! It is super rich and extra yummy!!!
March 19th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
This is wonderful if you cut up a little strawberry it too.it make it more yummy.Thought I would share.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 pm
how how how did you serve it so beautifully? i see you made it in a regular dish… does this recipe result in a thicker, sturdier pudding? it looks perfect – no pudding on the top cookies, perfect sides… i am jealous.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Thanks, minnie! I don’t do anything special. Just refrigerate overnight and it sets beautifully!
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
HI there! I realize this is a late question for this entry, but I am making this pudding for a cookout tomorrow. Yours is a STUNNING rendition. How long did you let it set up before serving? Thank you much!
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:59 pm
A, I usually leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
April 30th, 2010 at 8:06 am
Like you, traditional bananna pudding is not my favorite. This recipe,however,is absolutely wonderful and I love that it is quick and easy!
September 18th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Recipe sounds good – Paula is usually on her game. I am a Good Ole Southern Girl though and I would put my recipe up against it any day and even though it doesn’t have little chessmen on the top it has a beautiful meringue that looks pretty darn good! I would like to try this one though because I agree can’t go wrong with cream cheese and condensed milk!!! Love any of the ooey gooey recipes – I DON’T like pumpkin and the ooey gooey pumpkin made me a convert!!!!!
May 6th, 2013 at 10:49 pm
I’ll have to try this.