Layered Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding Recipe (No Bake)
This Layered Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding is a delicious and easy no-bake dessert! Sliced bananas, vanilla pudding, homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip, and a luscious sweet cream cheese mixture are layered on top of a buttery vanilla wafer crust for the best no bake banana pudding dessert you’ll ever eat!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 9-12 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Crust:
- 1 cup Nilla Wafer crumbs (about 1 1/2 cups of vanilla wafers, processed or crushed)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Mixture:
- 1 (8 oz.) package light cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Homemade Whipped Cream: *
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2–3 tbsp powdered sugar (use more or less based on preference – I used 2)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Banana Pudding Filling:
- 24–25 whole Nilla Wafers
- 2–3 medium bananas, sliced
- 1 small (3.4 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 1/2 c. cold milk
Topping
- Nilla Wafers (24-25 whole if you want it like mine, or crumbled up)
- Banana slices for garnish, if desired
Instructions
Vanilla Wafer Crust:
- Use a food processor or blender to finely crush Nilla Wafers into 1 cup of small crumbs. You can also use a gallon-size ziploc bag and a rolling pin.
- In a bowl, stir the vanilla wafer crumbs crumbs and melted butter until fully combined.
- Press crumb mixture with a fork into the bottom of a 8×8 glass baking dish that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Cream Cheese and Whipped Topping Mixture:
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer and cream together the softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate COLD mixing bowl, make the homemade whipped cream by combining heavy whipping cream, 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and whipping on medium-high speed with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. It usually only takes 1 minute or so.
- By hand, mix together the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture until well combined.
- Spread a little less than half the cream cheese/whipped cream mixture evenly over the crust by dropping small dollops and spreading gently outwards.
- Arrange 24-25 vanilla wafers in a layer on top of the cream cheese/whipped cream layer. Set aside while you prepare the banana pudding filling.
Banana Pudding Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, combine vanilla instant pudding powder and cold milk. Use an electric hand mixer and whisk until well combined and the pudding has thickened.
- Slice bananas into about 1/4-inch thick slices and arrange in a layer on top of the vanilla wafers.
- Next, carefully spread the vanilla pudding into a layer on top of the bananas, ensuring all the bananas are completely covered to prevent browning.
- Top vanilla pudding layer with the remaining cream cheese/whipped cream mixture. Gently spread it evenly over the pudding layer.
- Place 24-25 vanilla wafers (whole or crushed) on top of the whipped topping/cream cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight (preferred) before serving.
Notes
- You can also use 8 oz of Cool Whip if you don’t want to make the homemade whipped topping, but if you can I definitely recommend the homemade kind. It’s very easy and DE-LICIOUS!
- This recipe makes the perfect amount for an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with nice and tall layers. If you want to do it in a 9 x 13″ pan, please double the recipe.
- As bananas quickly turn brown once exposed to air, you’ll want to slice the bananas right before placing them in the dessert and make sure you cover them all the way with the vanilla pudding.
- This banana pudding dessert tastes even better the next day! If possible, refrigerate overnight before serving.
Find it online: https://www.kindlyunspoken.com/layered-banana-pudding-dessert/