Quick & Easy Banana Pudding

Banana pudding is a Southern potluck legend, and this no-bake version comes together in minutes with no stovetop custard required.

The pudding base is rich and foolproof: sweetened condensed milk and instant vanilla pudding mix, lightened with real whipped cream folded in. That fold is what makes it billowy and mousse-like instead of dense.

Layering is the heart of it. Vanilla wafers, banana slices, and pudding go down in thirds, three times over. As it chills, the wafers slowly soften against the pudding, turning cake-like, which is exactly the texture you want.

Don’t skip dipping the banana slices in lemon juice, as the recipe notes; a quick acid bath keeps them from browning so the layers stay pretty. And give it a good long chill, which both sets the pudding and lets the wafers soften through.

Kitchen Tips

• Dip the banana slices in lemon juice to keep them from browning between the layers.
• Fold the whipped cream in gently to keep the pudding light and airy.
• Chill it thoroughly, several hours or overnight, so the wafers soften into a cake-like layer.
• Add the bananas the same day you serve it, since they don’t hold well for days.

Variations

• Use chocolate pudding mix, or alternate vanilla and chocolate layers.
• Swap the vanilla wafers for shortbread or graham crackers.
• Top with crushed wafers, toasted coconut, or extra whipped cream.