Chocolate Banana Pudding

This easy Chocolate Banana Pudding recipe layers homemade chocolate pudding, fresh bananas, and vanilla wafers for a rich twist on classic Southern banana pudding. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, and family gatherings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chocolate-banana-pudding, southern-banana-pudding-recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 4

Total Time 4 40

Servings servings

Calories 481kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

1 16 oz box vanilla wafers plus additional as needed
2 cups bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp butter divided
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
6 large egg yolks beaten
6 cups half and half
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 16 oz frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip) thawed
5 medium bananas sliced

Instructions

Melt the chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp butter in a double boiler over simmering water until smooth. Alternately, melt In a microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Use the melt function or heat in 20 second increments, stopping to stir each time. Repeat until smooth.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk beaten yolks into cornstarch-sugar mixture until fully combined. The mixture will be thick.
Meanwhile, Add half and half and remaining 2 Tbsp butter to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the half and half is hot, don't boil.
Whisk the sugar-egg mixture into the half and half then bring to a boil. Immediately, lower the temperature to medium to prevent scorching, whisking constantly for 1 minute after thickened.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Pour into a glass bowl, and press plastic wrap directly on top of the chocolate custard to prevent a film from forming. Chill for 2 hours.
Assemble in a 3 or 4 quart bowl beginning with a layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom of the dish, top with 1/3 sliced bananas then 1/3 chocolate custard. Repeat layers, vanilla wafers, banana slices and chocolate custard.
Next, spread 2 cups whipped cream over the chocolate custard. Top whipped topping with a layer of vanilla wafers and banana slices and you can also line the side of the bowl with standing wafers, if desired. Top it with the final 1/3 chocolate custard.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Frost the top with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with grated chocolate just before serving.

Notes

Chocolate - You can use semi sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
Half and Half - You can use heavy cream for an even richer flavor. Likewise, you could use whole milk.
Cookies - You could use another variety of cookies in place of vanilla wafers. Create layers with chocolate cookies, Biscoff cookies or Chessmen cookies.
Use a Large Bowl - To make this dessert as pictured, you'll need at least a 3 or 4 quart glass bowl or trifle bowl. When in doubt, go bigger so you can use all of the ingredients.
Alternate Dish - If you choose to make this in a 13x9-inch dish, you will need to reduce the vanilla wafer, chocolate custard and banana layers to 2 instead of 3 as pictured. Use all of the whipped cream on top.
Extra Ingredients - No two banana puddings look alike, so have extra bananas and vanilla wafers on hand just in case they're needed. I like the look of standing vanilla wafers around the edge but, if you're using a bowl where the layers aren't visible, you can improvise that step
Chill Time - Allow apple chill time in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly for the custard to set.

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