Creamy Banana Pudding Cups Recipe — No-Bake Dessert Cups

This is a recipe I’ve made for years that never fails to please a crowd. We love it! Banana Pudding Cups are a classic Southern dessert: creamy banana pudding folded with sweetened whipped cream and layered with vanilla wafer cookies and banana slices.

Served in individual cups, this dessert is perfect for gatherings and makes serving easy and convenient.

Ingredients for Banana Pudding Cups

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these banana pudding cups.

Banana Pudding Mix

This recipe uses instant boxed pudding for convenience. It’s quick and reliable: whisk the mix with milk and let it set. If you prefer homemade pudding, you can substitute your favorite recipe, but the instant pudding keeps this dessert easy to prepare.

Milk

Use the milk of your choice. Whole milk will give the creamiest result, but lower-fat or plant-based milks can be used if preferred.

Heavy Whipping Cream

Whipped cream folded into the pudding makes the filling light and airy. It balances the richness of the pudding and adds a fluffy texture.

Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar is used to sweeten the whipped cream and help stabilize it slightly.

Bananas

Choose barely ripe or slightly underripe bananas so they stay firm and won’t brown or become mushy quickly. Bananas with a little green at the stem tend to hold up best when sliced for the cups.

Vanilla Wafer Cookies

Classic vanilla wafers are traditional in banana pudding. Use standard-sized wafers, or mini wafers for a different look. They add a crunchy contrast to the creamy layers.

How to Make Banana Pudding Cups

Make the Pudding

Prepare the instant pudding according to the package directions: whisk the pudding mix and milk together until combined. For instant pudding, whisking for a couple of minutes is usually sufficient.

Chill the Pudding

Refrigerate the pudding for at least 30 minutes so it firms up. If it isn’t chilled long enough it will be too soft to layer neatly.

Add the Whipped Cream

Whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and whip briefly to combine. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled pudding to create a light, fluffy filling.

Assemble the Banana Pudding Cups

Line up your cups. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the pudding mixture into the bottom of each cup. Slice two of the bananas thinly and add about five banana slices to each cup. Top the banana slices with four vanilla wafer cookies, then add another 1/3 cup of pudding on top.

Refrigerate

Cover the assembled cups and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours. Chilling helps the layers set and the flavors meld.

Top and Serve

Just before serving, garnish each cup with wafer crumbs, additional banana slices, and a whole vanilla wafer standing in the pudding for a finishing touch.

FAQ: Can I make this in a big serving dish?

Yes. This recipe is written for individual cups, which are convenient for parties, but you can layer the same ingredients in a trifle dish or a large bowl if you prefer a shared serving.

FAQ: What containers can I use?

Eight-ounce disposable plastic cups work well for single servings. Mini jam jars or any small container that holds at least 8 ounces are great alternatives.

FAQ: What pudding should I use?

The recipe uses a 5.1 oz box of instant banana cream pudding. If you have a favorite homemade pudding recipe, you can use that instead; you’ll need about 3 cups of finished pudding.

FAQ: How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe yields 10 generous individual servings. If you want to make smaller portions, use 1/4 cup of pudding per layer instead of 1/3 cup to stretch the yield.

More Easy Dessert Recipes

Biscoff Spice No-Bake Cheesecake Cups – a tasty single-serving dessert

Cake Mix Oreo Cookies – an easy cookie recipe made from a cake mix

Texas Sheet Cake – a classic treat that serves a crowd

Happy Cooking!

I hope you enjoy these Banana Pudding Cups. They’re a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for gatherings or a sweet treat at home.