24 Really Delicious Ways to Make Banana Pudding

While banana bread may get all the glory as the best way to use up any leftover fruit, we’re here to tell you that slicing a few bananas and adding them to a combination of vanilla pudding and cookies is never a bad ideas — especially when you top the craveworthy creation with a bit of whipped cream! Whether you’re looking for a dessert that can feed a crowd or simply need an easy-to-make treat that can satisfy your sweet tooth, banana pudding fits the bill. Magnolia’s Famous Banana Pudding may have put this dessert on the map but there are so many other delicious ways to reinvent this classic, starting with our absolute best recipe. It’s piled high with layers of just-ripe bananas, rich vanilla pudding and tender cookies. We used vanilla bean paste instead of extract for a bold flavor and then topped everything with swirls of freshly whipped cream. When it all comes together, it’s dreamy, luscious and perfect for any occasion!

Trisha whips up a perfectly airy and light meringue to top off her banana pudding — making a few decorative peaks on the surface, and baking it until the meringue is lightly browned and golden.

We turned a classic vanilla cake into a banana-flavored dream with the simple addition of banana pudding mix. The pudding mix does more than just add flavor. The cornstarch and sugar in it make the cake moist and tender. Plus, the mix sweetens the frosting without requiring any additional sugar and keeps it particularly light and fluffy. The result is a truly delicious snacking cake with a uniquely pudding-like frosting that’s a cinch to make.

Banana pudding — a sweet creamy confection that's been around for ages — is making a comeback. We're jumping on this old treat as a new trend and combining it with our love of decadent cakes and cheesecake to create this impressive dessert mashup. Did we mention it's entirely no-bake? We make the crust from vanilla wafer cookies, then sandwich the instant banana pudding, which is studded throughout with sliced bananas, between two layers of no-bake cheesecake. You can assemble it up to two days in advance (without the final decoration), so it’s the perfect dessert for entertaining a crowd at your next summer gathering.