This layered Banana Pudding Lush will make a stunning addition to your desserts menu. It’s a real crowd pleaser that’s ideal for casual family gatherings, picnics and special holiday celebrations.

Easy Layered Banana Pudding Lush Recipe

If you’ve been with me very long, you know I’m completely obsessed with banana pudding. In a good way. It’s one of the quintessential Southern desserts and rarely would you attend a gathering that it’s not being served in some form. My love of banana pudding is well represented here in the Recipe Index on my website in many forms. Stay tuned, I assure you there will be more to come.

How to Make the Best Banana Pudding Lush Recipe

What is Banana Pudding Lush? It’s a layered dessert that starts with a Nilla wafer crust, topped with a sweet cream cheese layer, then a banana pudding layer made with instant pudding. Add a layer of banana slices and lastly it’s frosted with whipped cream and garnished with banana slices and vanilla wafers.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe for Banana Pudding Lush: Crust: Crushed vanilla wafer crumbs, melted butter and granulated sugar. For the cream cheese layer you’ll need plain cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and thawed whipped topping. You’ll need fresh banana slices from about 6 medium bananas. The pudding layer is made with one box of instant vanilla pudding mix, one box of instant banana pudding mix and cold milk. The top layer is made with whipped topping that’s garnished with banana slices and whole Nilla wafers.
Kitchen tools you’ll need to make this banana pudding lush recipe: A 13 x 9 inch baking dish, an electric hand or stand mixer and large mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a knife to slice the bananas, a food processor to turn the vanilla wafer cookies into crumbs. You’ll also need a knife or offset spatula to spread the cool whip over the top.
When choosing bananas for this lush dessert recipe choose fresh ripe bananas, free of brown spots that are firm when gently squeezed.
To prevent oxidation of the bananas, make sure they’re fully covered with pudding. You could also toss them lightly with fresh lemon juice. Most often, I find it’s not necessary to do so if the bananas are well covered.
Should you choose to garnish with banana slices as I did, it’s best to do that just before serving so, they won’t turn brown. They do provide an added dimension in texture.
It’s important to plan ahead and allow ample time for all of the scratch made layers to chill before cutting. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and tuck into the refrigerator to chill.
This dessert can be made the day before serving, covered and chilled thoroughly in the refrigerator.
It’s best to wait until just before serving to garnish the top with fresh bananas.

How to Make Banana Pudding Lush

Scroll down for full printable recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spritz the bottom only of a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray.
Crust: Mix together vanilla wafer crumbs and sugar with butter. Press firmly onto the bottom of baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden and set. Cool completely.
Assemble:
Cream Cheese Layer: Using an electric mixer whip together cream cheese and powdered sugar with vanilla. Once combined add 8 oz container whipped topping. Beat on low just until combined. Spread over cooled crust. Arrange banana slices over cream cheese layer.
Pudding Layer: Using an electric mixer in the same bowl, whip together both packages of pudding with 3 cups cold milk. Beat for 3 minutes or until thickened but, still pourable. Pour over bananas. Spreading to cover completely.
Topping: Frost the top with remaining 8 oz container whipped topping. Sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers.
Chill for 4-6 hours before cutting. Garnish with additional whipped topping, whole vanilla wafers and banana slices just before serving, if desired.
Store any leftovers covered and chilled.

best ever Southern Banana Pudding recipes

More Banana Pudding Recipes to Make

When I say obsessed, I’m really not kidding. I dearly love banana pudding in any form and I’m constantly looking for more ways to make it. A few mentions you’ll find in the recipe index to try:

Meringue topped Old Fashioned Banana Pudding just like my Mom made.
A potluck favorite all over the South you’ll find in this recipe for Easy Banana Pudding made in a trifle bowl.
A fan favorite recipe that’s been knocked off all over the internet over the past decade is my original recipe for Banana Pudding Cupcakes with a filling made with sweetened condensed milk.
Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a signature cake that’s a fusion of two Southern classics
Banana Pudding Bread for a twist on banana bread.
See how to make Homemade Vanilla Wafers by Alton Brown on Food Network.

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