Magnolia Bakery Pudding Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2024)

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding is made with layers of creamy pudding, sliced bananas, and Nilla wafers that soften to a cake-like consistency in this easy, semi-homemade 6-ingredient no-bake dessert. It's exactly like the banana pudding you would get at Magnolia Bakery in NYC and perfect for potlucks, birthdays, and weekend entertaining!

We love banana desserts at our house! Whether that's an Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie, Soft Banana Pudding Cookies, or these irresistible Banana Bars with Penuche Frosting, you can't go wrong with these delicious treats!

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding is simply the best!

The amazingness of Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding will make you think this is a fancy homemade pudding that includes a lot of ingredients. While I pride myself in making most things from-scratch, this banana pudding recipe is actually one of the simplest desserts I've made that actually tastes as it came from a bakery.

The recipe comes straight from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook and the minimal ingredients alone give you a reason to keep this recipe on file and close by.

I actually have another favorite banana pudding recipe on my site that is a southern version complete with toasted meringue on top that I like to serve warm, but it's quite different from the version I'm sharing today that was popularized by the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York City.

When I can't travel to the Big Apple, I enjoy making some of their famous foods at home! Not only is it less expensive, but I don't have to wait in notoriously long lines that can literally wind around the block to get my fix of Levain chocolate chip cookies or Magnolia Bakery banana pudding!

This is a perfect recipe to whip up for a get-together, a quick after-dinner dessert, or just when you are craving some banana pudding. It doesn't take much: just some instant pudding, slightly under ripe bananas, heavy cream, condensed milk, and Nilla Wafers.

You can fancy it up in a trifle dish or layer it in individual cups. Or just throw it together in a big bowl or 9x13 baking dish and you'll have yourself a creamy tasty dessert in no time.

Magnolia Banana Pudding Ingredients

• Sweetened condensed milk: This pantry staple is thick and sweet and is perfect for sweetening the pudding just right.
• Vanilla instant pudding mix: The Jell-O brand works really well, but grab whatever you can find. I haven't tried other flavors like cheesecake or white chocolate, but I imagine they would work in a pinch.
• Bananas: Barely ripe bananas are what you want for this recipe because they won't brown as quickly. They can even be slightly green. This is not the recipe to use your spotty, overripe bananas. Save those for banana bread.
• Nilla Wafers: Because what is banana pudding without Nilla Wafers? We love those crunchy, lightly sweet little cookies and use them in a lot of desserts!

How to make Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding

1. Beat the sweetened condensed milk and water in a large bowl using a hand mixer until combined. Add the vanilla instant pudding mix and beat well for 2-3 minutes, then set in the refrigerator to chill completely and set up, at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the banana pudding with a spatula, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream too much but making sure everything gets mixed evenly.

3. Assemble. Arrange ⅓ of the Nilla wafers in the bottom of a trifle dish, 9x13-inch pan, or even individual mason jars or cups. Add ⅓ of the sliced bananas, then spoon ⅓ of the pudding over the top of these.
4. Repeat the layers 2 more times, reserving a few Nilla wafers and bananas for decorating the top.

5. Chill then serve. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours until set up and the Nilla Wafers have softened. You don't want to go much longer than 8 hours or the bananas will start to turn brown.

Magnolia Bakery Pudding Recipe Tips for Success

• Storage: This banana pudding will keep well covered in the fridge for only about a day, maybe two.
• Freezing: The bakery itself recommends not freezing this recipe. I haven't tried myself, but imagine it would be awfully watery and the bananas would be mushy and not good.
• Fluffy Pudding: To keep your pudding fluffy and creamy, carefully fold the whipped cream into the banana pudding with a spatula, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream too much but making sure everything gets mixed evenly.

How to keep bananas from turning brown in Banana Pudding

Selecting underripe bananas at the store helps keep them from turning brown too quickly once you slice them. To keep sliced bananas from turning brown, you can also try brushing them with a little lemon juice or club soda.

How long does it take vanilla wafers to soften in Banana Pudding?

In my experience, you need at LEAST 30 minutes for the vanilla wafers to start to soften in banana pudding, but it’s even better if they have at least 2 hours to ensure that they are softened.

How to serve this Magnolia Banana Pudding Recipe

One of the best things about banana pudding is that it lends itself to a rustic, homey presentation. You can assemble it in a trifle dish or in a baking dish and serve the whole thing on the table with plates or bowls and a large serving spoon so everyone can serve themselves. Or assembly it in individual mason jars, plastic cups, or other dessert bowls for a slightly more sophisticated presentation.

Banana Pudding Recipe (Magnolia Bakery version) FAQs

More Desserts You'll Love

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
• Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
• Frosted Brownies
• Classic Strawberry Shortcake

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