For my family, this is hands-down the most delicious Banana Pudding! Best of all, this Magnolia Bakery’s famous banana pudding is super easy to make and can also be made ahead! Just mix then layer the pudding with vanilla wafer cookies and bananas and you have one fantastic-tasting dessert that everyone will rave about!
We live about 78 miles away from New York City. If you’re an American, that’s not too far at all. Time-wise and assuming there’s not too much traffic, that’s only about 1 1/2 hours by car.
There was a time when we managed to reach Manhattan in exactly 1 hour! No we didn’t disobey traffic rules and went over the speed limit – in fact we carried on as usual? Guess what, it was even in the middle of winter!
Do you know why we managed to do so? Well, because the weather forecasters got the weather prediction totally wrong that day! They forecasted that there would be tons of snow over that weekend and advised everyone to stay at home. Saturday and Sunday came and not a single drop of snow came! Can you believe that? So off we went to New York that Sunday and since we were pretty much the only ones on the road – there was zero traffic and we arrived in Manhattan in one hour!
Now, that is one for the record books!
Anyway, let me get back to the topic of this post.
Since we’re often in New York City it was inevitable that we got acquainted with the world-famous Magnolia Bakery. Yes, it’s so popular that they even have a branch in my own city – Manila (technically outside Manila in Taguig City but that is part of Metro Manila anyway!).
The iconic product that they are famous for is their banana pudding! People from around the world wait in line for this creamy and delicious dessert!
I know because we once lined for nearly an hour for this. I initially thought, what’s the big fuss here?
Then I finally got to taste this totally scrumptious pudding and my tastebuds were blown away! Ever since that day, my family and I, whenever we’re in New York, we never fail to get a tub or two of this magnificent and famous – Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding!
I googled the recipe and boy was I glad that they actually have shared their yummy Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding publicly!
And now, I share it with you so you can enjoy it anytime you crave a fluffy, delicious and oh-s0-creamy banana pudding! Enjoy!
Why You Would Love This Recipe
You would love the famous Magnolia Bakery recipe for Banana Pudding because it is a decadent and creamy dessert with layers of sweet vanilla pudding, fresh banana slices, and crisp vanilla wafer cookies. The combination of textures and flavors from the rich pudding, ripe bananas, and crunchy wafers creates an irresistible treat. It’s a classic Southern dessert that Magnolia Bakery has perfected and made famous, with its version being praised for its perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess. The pudding is made with sweetened condensed milk instead of regular milk, giving it an extra luscious and indulgent taste. Overall, it’s a crowd-pleasing, nostalgic dessert that showcases simple but delicious flavors in an addictive layered format.
INGREDIENTS for Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ cups ice cold water
- 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix (Jell-O brand is recommended)
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 11 oz box vanilla wafers (Nabisco Nilla Wafers are recommended)
- 5 ripe bananas, sliced
HOW TO MAKE Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
Whisk together the cold water and sweetened condensed milk in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl, pour in the pudding mix and begin to slowly whisk in the liquid mixture (water with condensed milk), until it is smooth with no lumps, about one minute. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour until it’s firm, or leave overnight.
Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken, then increase the speed until stiff peaks form. Add your pudding mixture to the whipped cream and whisk until there are no streaks of pudding in the mixture.
In a trifle or wide glass bowl, spread one-quarter of the pudding over the bottom and place a layer with one-third of the cookies as well as about 1 to 1 1⁄2 of the sliced bananas to cover the full layer. Continue the process until complete, ending with one final layer of pudding and a garnish of some of the remaining wafers.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for four to six hours. It’s recommended to serve the dessert within 12 hours.
Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ cups ice cold water
- 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix (Jell-O brand is recommended)
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 11 oz box vanilla wafers (Nabisco Nilla Wafers are recommended)
- 5 ripe bananas, sliced
Instructions
- Whisk together the cold water and sweetened condensed milk in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl, pour in the pudding mix and begin to slowly whisk in the liquid mixture (water with condensed milk), until it is smooth with no lumps, about one minute. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour until it's firm, or leave overnight.
- Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken, then increase the speed until stiff peaks form.
- Add your pudding mixture to the whipped cream and whisk until there are no streaks of pudding in the mixture.
- In a trifle or wide glass bowl, spread one-quarter of the pudding over the bottom and place a layer with one-third of the cookies as well as about 1 to 1 1⁄2 of the sliced bananas to cover the full layer. Continue the process until complete, ending with one final layer of pudding and a garnish of some of the remaining wafers.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for four to six hours. It's recommended to serve the dessert within 12 hours.
Last updated on June 4th, 2024 at 07:36 am
If it has sweetened condensed milk it MUST be delicious! One of my favorite things is called “Negrionhos” or “Brigadeiros”–depending of what part of Brazil you are from. It is made with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate (powder) and a bit of butter. To die for! I must try this recipe very, very soon. Thank you for sharing.
I would love that recipe.
I would love that recipe! Sounds yummy
Author
Please check the recipe card – you can print that if you wish. Enjoy.
Is it HEAVY whipping cream you are talking about?
Author
Yes. Or double cream.
Would love to have your recipe!
Author
Please either use the jump to recipe button on top or scroll to the end to get to the recipe print card. It’s right there. Enjoy.
This sounds amazing! My husband is from the south and has requested banana pudding for Father’s Day this weekend. He was telling me I have to use banana pudding. Will it ruin this to supplement with banana pudding?
Author
I would suggest just follow the recipe as is. I cannot guarantee success with any changes as I have always just done it the way the bakery has done it and we are so happy with that. Bearing that in mind, you can experiment with the instant banana pudding cream if you like (to replace the vanilla pudding in the recipe) and see how it goes. If you do that, please let us know – I would be interested to know if that works. Thank you for stopping by.
Does Magnolia use boxed instant pudding? I’ve had it and I don’t think they do. Just asking …
Author
Darlene, this is their recipe and not mine. It says they use instant pudding – yup that’s true. There’s nothing wrong with it. New York City is not too far from where I live so I’ve had many of their banana pudding and love it. We’ve made this recipe a few times already, too. Enjoy!
I make my banana pudding with banana instant pudding. My family prefers it this way
Author
Sounds good, too!
I followed the recipe to a tea but felt like the pudding needed a little more flavor. I mushed two bananas and mixed them in as a last step. It was the little oomph this recipe needed!
Author
This isn’t my recipe but glad you were able to adjust it to your liking. Thank you for the tip!
Super easy and delicious! My friends loved it!
This looks amazing but is so easy to make too. So creamy and delicious!
Oh wow so rich and decadent. I love that addition of heavy cream and condensed milk. Terrific recipe.
What a delicious + gorgeous looking banana pudding recipe; am so eager to give this a try! Thanks so much for sharing.
Just like grandma used to make but a more elevated, elegant version. So tasty!
Is there a version with “regular “ pudding instead of instant? “Cooked” pudding tastes so much better than instant.
Author
This actually tastes really good using instant pudding but if you wish to use a recipe from scratch you can do so.
I don’t know about Magnolia Bakery but i’ve been making this banana pudding forever. At least 50 years. I only put mine in the refrigerator 15 minutes though before I mix in the cream. It’s everybody’s favourite and easy to make. And you must use for vanilla pudding. This is a family favorite.
Hi I have a problem. I made up the pudding and I mixed it with the condensed milk/ Most water combination and it never set. I’m not sure what to do now. Should I add cream cheese? Would that thicken it up nice? I know I could do a cornstarch slurry, but I really don’t wanna go that route if I don’t have to. Any suggestions?
Author
Did you follow the exact recipe as written? Many have made this including us and we’ve never had any issue with the recipe made exactly as is. This is the recipe from the bakery itself and it is exactly as they shared it. Sorry, that it didn’t work out for you. I don’t know what went wrong and my advice is just to make it exactly as stated.
Don’t fix the pudding like the box says. Just add dry pudding to the milk and water mixture.
If you get the cook n serve on accident, you have to cook it. Otherwise, you need instant. Learned the hard way.
If won’t to be lazy could we use cool whip?
Author
I would follow the recipe to the letter and not change it so it doesn’t collapse or turn into mush or become watery. The whipped cream would hold its shape and consistency better. It doesn’t take that long to whip.
Should I whip the heavy cream by hand with a whisk? Or does it need the power of a hand mixer?
Author
For the heavy cream, you need to use an electric mixer. Enjoy!
This is to die for, I switched out the Nilla wafers and used peak freaks shortbread cookies
Author
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for letting us know!
You just can’t go wrong with banana pudding – it’s such a classic recipe! This one was a huge hit!
This was absolutely amazing. I lived in the South for about 7 years and this is hands down the best banana pudding I’ve had! Well done.
You need to make this recipe for your next summer party! This is a classic for a good reason. Such a nostalgic dessert, my family loved it!
Whipped this up over the weekend and it does not disappoint! Quick, easy, and delicious; exactly what I needed for my sweet tooth!
Banana pudding is my favorite. This looks absolutely unreal. Cannot wait to make for Mother’s Day!
This was such an easy and creamy dessert that not only comes together in a snap, but is perfect for spring! My whole family loved it!
Oh yay! this is so good, more fresh bananas than the last time I got some at Magnolia bakery. Your recipe is better. 🙂
The fact that the pudding can be made ahead of time makes it a convenient option for entertaining!
The best ever banana pudding. Never any leftovers no matter where I bring it!
Can I use milk instead of water?
Author
Please just follow the recipe as written to make sure it comes out perfectly. Thank you!
Why is it recommended to serve with 12 hours? What if you make the night before to serve the next day?
Author
That’s the minimum so it sets up nicely but you can certainly make it a day ahead if you like.
I followed this recipe step by step and it came out runny after refrigerating for a whole day ?
Author
Sorry to hear that. We actually just made this for some friends yesterday and it came out great and we’ve done this several times already and didn’t have issues. This isn’t my recipe but this one is actually from Magnolia Bakery itself. If it didn’t work out – there must have been some misstep along the way – did you use the right amount and suggested pudding? How about the amount of water added? Did you ensure the pudding was firm and thickened already prior to using? Did you make sure the cream reached stiff peak stage? Perhaps if you can recall what might have been a misstep then going forward it would be a more successful attempt.
Absolutely delicious!
Author
So glad you enjoyed this and thank you for letting us know!
To double the recipe, do I double all of the ingredients?!
Author
Hi Taylor! I haven’t doubled it myself but if you go to the recipe card (end of post) near the ingredients section – if you click on 2x – it should guide you how to double it. Thank you!
I just served this for Thanksgiving and my family lost their minds over it. Sooo good. To cut back on the sugar a bit and add a little more banana flavor I used sugar free jello (1 whole package of vanilla and 1/2 of the banana creme since the measurements were slightly off due to being sugar free). Everything else was the same and it came out perfect. I only did 1 layer of actual bananas because though the fam loves the flavor, they don’t like the actual fruit. Perfection! Thanks for sharing.
Author
I am so glad you all enjoyed it and was able to adjust based on taste preference! Thank you for letting us know!
I made this for Thanksgiving dessert. It was to die for! So many of us couldn’t get enough of it. Hands down, the BEST BANANA PUDDING RECIPE. Ever.
Author
You totally made my day! I’m so happy you all enjoyed this pudding, it’s absolutely delicious! Thank you for letting us know.
I’ve have been making this recipe for years and everyone loves it. It’s absolutely delicious!
Author
Delicious indeed! Thank you!
The ABSOLUTELY BEST banana pudding recipe EVER!!! I substituted the vanilla flavor for banana creme. It came out AMAZING!!!
Author
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for letting us know.
You have such a great website. I normal NEVER subscribe to website, but I did to yours. I live in NYC, and I also have waited in line for this heaven in a dish treat. Once I almost missed my LIRR train at Moynihan Train Hall just to get banana pudding for the ride out to Long Island. Thankfully I just made the train. The conductor saw me running and saw the Magnolia bag in my hand. He said “Only reason I opened the door is because I saw the bag. You must be late because you were getting banana pudding.” I said “Thank you for opening back up. Yep it’s the best!”
So Cheers on sharing the recipe!
I’m about to start making it here in a few minutes.
Author
Awesome! Hope you enjoy the recipe and thank you for stopping by.
I used eagle brand fat free sweetened condensed milk, and sugar free pudding. And added a tsp of banana flavoring to the whipped cream. It was amazing! A new favorite.
Author
So glad you loved this! Such a yummy recipe!
I made this and it was the best bananas pudding!!!
Author
It’s absolutely our favorite and so glad you enjoyed this!