Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding – Hands down the best Banana Pudding recipe you will ever make!! 
The title of this recipe is so fitting! This is the best banana pudding I’ve ever had! Ever! This comes from Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons Just Desserts cookbook. Decadent! Delicious! Divine!
It’s perfect all year long for any gathering! Plus, you make it ahead of time which is even better!
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Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding - Hands down the best Banana Pudding recipe you will ever make!!
Ingredients
- 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman Cookies
- 6 to 7 bananas, sliced
- 2 cups milk
- 5 oz. box instant French vanilla pudding
- 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 12 oz. container of Cool Whip
Instructions
- Line bottom of 9 x 13 with 1 bag of cookies.
- Layer sliced bananas on top.
- Blend milk and pudding mix with a whisk for about a minute. It will thicken.
- In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Add to pudding mixture, stirring well.
- Pour over cookies and bananas.
- Top with layer of cookies.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. *Allow at least 4 hours to chill before serving. Works great made the night before.
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This is my family’s favorite banana pudding and no other can compare! I like to make it more tasty and combine a small french vanilla pudding with a cheesecake pudding. It takes it to another level! Thanks for reminding me of this great recipe!
I made this tonight. It was amazing and my family went nuts over it!!!! I will be making this often
Awesome Jamie! Thanks for visiting!
It’s a great recipe. Really good.
Whip cream on top and shred
Chcolate bar sprinkles on top.
Serve next day. Taste even better.
I actually used two cans of evaporated milk (for it’s richer taste) instead of regular milk, used less bananas added is pinch of sugar and a touch of vanilla extract and I get tons of compliments. It keeps getting requested, especially for parties. Once those home made flavors merge together…. You can also level up by adding cinnamon…. I also use the extra creamy cool whip.
Sounds nice and fattening, but that you.
it is!!!!!!!
How can I print some recipes from your site?
Gail
PS love your recipes
Hi Gail! Thanks so much!! You should see a print button right next to the photo in the recipe. There are actually two buttons. One is a “Save” option and one says “Print” Let me know if you still don’t see it. I checked to make sure it is still working from my computer, my phone, and my tablet.
Gail, I just realized this recipe was not updated into my new recipe format. I updated it now, and you should see the print button! Thanks!
How far in advance can I make this?
I would say you could make it 24 hours before and you’d be fine. Thanks Charlotte!
this sounds very good, but I don’t use package pudding. Think I will make my old home-made vanilla pudding. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Pamela! That sounds great too! Thanks for visiting!
‘Instant’ French Vanilla Pudding?
Hi Kay! Yes use instant. Hope you love it!
I can’t eat bananas or dairy but made this for my family as they love banana pudding. They just about went insane over it. So guess what when we have a get together it is mom PLEASE make banana pudding And I do. Love making my family happy. So glad I found this recipe 🥰🥰🥰
My instant pudding is not thicking up
Did you get it to work, Liza? Once it sets for 5 minutes and you whisk it, it should thicken. I’ve never had a problem. The only reasons it wouldn’t thicken is if the mix were expired or if you put more milk.
it’s amazing!!
I messed up this recipe a lot and still not sure how it will taste. I would like to say it would have been helpful if in the actual printable recipe part it would have mentioned that this is best prepared an entire day before. For some reason I ridiculously thought I could make this, make dinner, and then it would be ready for dessert.
Hi Katie! In my experience with this recipe, I have not always made it the day before. While it is one of those recipes that works best as the pudding mixture sets up and the cookies soak in the moisture, you do not have to make it an entire day before. I would, though, suggest making it at least 4 hours in advance or in the morning. This is one of my older blog posts that needs a little TLC, so I updated the recipe portion with your suggestion. Thanks for the input!! Have a great day!
Thank you Jaren! It looks really amazing. i just made so many tiny errors…. I misread the recipe while at the store with three kids in tow…and bought the too small box of instant pudding. When I got home I thought a correct-sized vanilla pudding I had in my cupboard would work… noticing later it was not instant. Blurb. Next, I don’t keep cow’s milk in my house and it was the one thing I forgot to grab at the store. So I improvised 1/2 & 1/2… which again, i have NO idea if it will actually work. Can report back in a few hours after my son’s birthday dinner.
I tried this today it looks delicious I found the recipe easy to follow can’t wait to dig in (lm taking your 4 hour advice)
Oh I just love that recipe! Hope you enjoy too!! Thanks for visiting!
i would like to try this for an upcoming party. do you think it would be okay made in a trifle bowl?
Hi Elizabeth! I do think it would be okay, and I love a good trifle dessert! They are so elegant! You might have a bit leftover which you can just put into individual bowls or maybe some to-go cups 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
I brought this to a party several years ago and had many requests for the recipe and also have been repeatedly asked to bring this to get-togethers. I usually put it in a trifle bowl, layering everything twice and doubling the recipe. However you use this this recipe,
it’s a winner!
(I also whip heavy cream instead of using cool whip, but it’s good either way).
I love this dessert! Thanks for sharing Barbara!
2 days and its still like water i guess i didn’t use “instant” pudding throwing it out:(
Oh man! Sorry to hear that! I’ve never had that happen before using the instant pudding.
This will be my first year making your recipe I’ve always made it the old fashioned way I’ll let you know how it goes wanted to shake things up this year lol
I love this recipe….. I use banana cream, instant pudding, a little bit more sweet and condensed milk and double the recipe. Works every time family ask for it over and over……
Is plain Jell-O brand vanilla instant pudding o.k. I could not find any French vanilla-is there a brand I shold be loooking for or does it come in a carton? Thank you-looks yummy, can’t wait to prepare.
Hi Shelly! Plain Jello brand vanilla is fine! The French Vanilla was the Jello brand, but perhaps they changed the name or no longer have that specific one. Thanks for visiting!
Amazing one with banana .Its such a nutritious recipe with banana.My kids love it.
I’ve been making this for about 12 years and I make this ALL the time! It’s always a huge hit. I can’t find French Vanilla pudding or 12 oz containers of Cool Whip (8 or 16 only) so I use regular vanilla and a 16 oz tub of Cool Whip. I’ve also expanded this and added strawberries in with the bananas….If you haven’t tried this yet, it’s an absolute must! I’m thinking about trying this with chocolate pudding as well….So many possibilities!
Hi! This is one of my favorite recipes too! I love the idea of adding strawberries!
I used evaporated milk by accident will it still be ok
Hi Sylvia! It should be fine 🙂
Love this recipe! I made it for my husband whose favorite dessert is banana pudding. Let’s just say it’s his new favorite recipe!
Hi Tina! Yes, it’s definitely a keeper! Thanks for visiting!
I make a similar one with a mixture of chocolate fudge and french vanilla pudding. Wonder how that would be.
Hi Cindy! That sounds really good too!!
I don’t think Jell-O makes 5 oz packets of French Vanilla Instant Pudding. Maybe they used to, but not anymore. I found 5 oz packets of regular vanilla. I found 3.4 oz packets of French Vanilla.
I have never used instant pudding from a mix before, so I’m not sure about the chemistry. I wonder if I can just combine two packets of French Vanilla 3.4 oz and use two cups of milk with 6.8 oz pudding mix instead of 5 oz. Do you think that will mess things up too much? I’d be doing that to be lazy and keep things easy. Otherwise, I could measure everything and take out 1.8 oz from my combined two packets. Do you think it would matter much at all if I did the former rather than the latter?
It may sound like a silly concern, but I don’t know if instant pudding mix behaves like cornstarch or other thickeners where if you add a little too much you can make things too thick, gooey, or gloppy.
You can use the regular 5 oz vanilla instead of french vanilla. If you do 2 of the 3.4 oz packets, that is almost 2 more ounces of pudding mix. This would require an increase in milk. You would need to use another 3/4 cup of milk for a total of 2 3/4 cups. You can set aside some of this pudding mix for another use because it will make more than needed. Hope this helps!
I didn’t think to just make both packets. I would never have figured out the extra 3/4 cup of milk…poor math skills. Thanks for the tip.
Do you think it really makes no difference to use French Vanilla vs. regular Vanilla flavored pudding?
I think using regular vanilla would be just fine! And I teach middle school math all day 🙂 so I love it!
Wow! I just made it with sugar-free pudding and cool whip to save on sugar. I put the cookies on top only. It was amazing! I will definitely make for my adult kids when they come to town. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Hi Tara! That’s a great idea! Thanks for stopping by!
I buy 2 store brand French vanilla instant pudding and measure to 5oz. I save the left over for the next time I make this. Just made it for the 3rd time and it’s always a hit!
I made this recipe but with mostly sugar free ingredients only ingredient that wasn’t sugar free was the sweetened condensed milk. I also used sugar free banana creme instant pudding. Absolutely delicious. C’est si bon!
Hi. I am allergic to Cool Whip but I’ve heard this recipe is amazing & I’ve been looking for a banana pudding recipe with cream cheese in it. Would you have any suggestions on a substitute for the Cool Whip or what if I just left it out completely?
Thank you for any assistance you can give me!
Monique
Hi Monique! The only thing I can think to substitute is making a homemade whipped cream. If that doesn’t work, you could try leaving it out. It may not make as much and the texture of the pudding will not be as light, but it should still taste good.
We loved the custard and would just make just that in the future. One cookie (and no bananas) tucked in we decided would be enough and less rich. I traded the French vanilla and used Coconut Cream pudding instead.
I tried this wonderful recipe and it came out so yummy and delicious and all my friends loved it. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe with such detailed steps.
Hello,
is it possible to make the pudding part ahead and assemble it all the next day? We have a luncheon on Friday and I wanted to mix the pudding Thursday night and bring everything into work Friday morning and put it all together. Will this give the cookies enough time to soak in the pudding? Assemble by 8 and lunch at 12. Thank you.
Maria
Hi Maria! Yes, that should be fine. Enjoy and thanks for visiting!
Made this, although I used banana flavored pudding. Excellent. Plus it set up nice and tall when served
I love the recipe. Can I use banana pudding.
Yes, you sure can Lucy! Sorry for the delayed response!!
Everyone loves this, I have to make it on every occasion and holiday now! Always make 2 batches! Can eat this for every meal it’s so delicious!
Oh my gosh, this was delicious! So easy to make and my kids already requested I make more this weekend. Definitely a hit! It’s so cute with the chessmen cookies on top too.
We love this recipe too, Callie! Thanks for visiting!
Everyone loves this, I have to make it on every occasion and holiday now! Can eat this for every meal it’s so delicious!
This is the best banana pudding I’ve ever had!
Awesome to hear, Emily!
So easy and delicious! I don’t like cool whip, so I substituted 2 1/4 cups of heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks. I also used two 3.4 oz packages of pudding, which helped make up for the fact that whip cream is looser than cool whip. I also used only 5 bananas and waited to layer the cookies on top until the last minute. It’s my go to Easter dessert!
Excellent recipe, very easy to make, and everyone loved it. Thank you
great recipe thank you
I have searched the stores for 12 ounce Cool Whip. Only 8 ounce or 16 ounce in my area.
Also no French Vanilla pudding in the size you specified. Only plain vanilla.
Will it turn out the same with these substitutions?
Yes, that should be fine. Sometimes I have trouble finding 12 oz, so I just by a 16 oz and estimate.
I couldn’t find the 1.5 oz French vanilla pudding. The store only had 3.4 oz and 5.1 oz. I used one 3.4 oz pack but my dessert didn’t set. Should I have used the 5.1 oz?
That was (1) 5 oz. pudding package, so yes, 5.1 oz. Sorry about that. I’ve adjusted it to make it more clear.
How does this only have 3 stars?!? It’s so yummy! Layer if my up like a lasagna and then top with cookies. So so good!
This is my most favorite banana pudding recipe ever. I’ve used this for over 17 years (before my oldest was born!). But am I doing something wrong? No matter where I go I’ve never seen a 5os package of Instant French Vanilla Pudding only 3.4 oz and I’ve never seen a 12oz package of whipped topping Only 8 oz. Where do you all get 5oz French vanilla pudding and 12 oz packages of French Vanilla pudding? Lol!
Hi Michelle! They may only make regular vanilla pudding in the 5 oz packages, so you can just use that. I usually buy a 16 oz whipped topping and use 3/4 of the container.