Southern Creamy Banana Pudding Recipe
This creamy banana pudding recipe with chessmen cookies is the ultimate no bake dessert. A magnolia copycat that's perfect for any occasion - ready in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies or high-quality shortbread
- 6 to 8 Bananas sliced into uniform rounds
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 1 pkg Instant French Vanilla Pudding mix 5 oz, (French vanilla offers a richer flavor than standard vanilla)
- 1 pkg Cream Cheese 8 oz, softened
- 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk 14 oz
- 1 container Whipped Topping 12 oz, (or 3 cups freshly whipped heavy cream for a cleaner finish)
- ½ tsp Flaky Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste adds those gourmet vanilla bean flecks
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish with a single layer of shortbread cookies.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until completely smooth. Stir in the flaky sea salt and vanilla paste. The salt is the "secret" that keeps this dessert from being cloying.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and the French vanilla pudding mix for 2 minutes. Once set, fold the pudding into the cream cheese mixture.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping (or fresh whipped cream) until the mixture is light, airy, and free of streaks.
- Place a layer of sliced bananas directly on top of the cookies. Pour half of the pudding mixture over the bananas. Repeat with another layer of bananas and the remaining pudding.
- Arrange the second bag of shortbread cookies in neat rows across the top of the pudding.
- While 4 hours is the minimum chill time, letting this sit for 12–24 hours is preferred. This allows the cookies to soften into a cake-like texture while the bananas slightly macerate into the cream.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!