Southern Banana Pudding with Chessman Cookies
Our Southern banana pudding recipe is a classic soul food dessert made with chessman cookies, condensed milk, and instant pudding mix. It's creamy and delicious, and perfect for when you want something quick! This easy banana pudding recipe is also great for the holidays and other special occasions!
Servings: 12
Calories: 499kcal
Equipment
- Large Bowl for mixing the pudding ingredients.
- Hand mixer or whisk to blend the pudding mix, milk, and condensed milk.
- A food processor or large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin to crush the vanilla wafer cookies into crumbs (if using).
Ingredients
- 1 (3.4-ounce) box of French vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 cups whole milk cold
- 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (8-ounce) Cool Whip thawed
- 3-4 ripe bananas sliced (toss in 1 teaspoon lemon juice to prevent browning if desired)
- 2 (7.25-ounce) packs of Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Butter Cookies
- 1 (11-ounce) box of Nilla Wafers crushed to a crumb consistency (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk together the pudding mix and cold milk until smooth, about 2-5 minutes.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until fully combined.
- Gently fold in the Cool Whip until the mixture is light and creamy.
- Chill the pudding mixture in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to allow it to thicken.
- In a serving dish, layer the ingredients: start with a layer of banana slices, followed by a layer of pudding, crushed vanilla wafer cookies, and Chessmen cookies. Repeat the layering process until all ingredients are used. Make sure when you're finished that you have a layer of Chessmen cookies on top of the pudding.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably for at least 4 hours.
Notes
- Add lemon to prevent bananas from turning brown. Lightly sprinkle the bananas with lemon juice before adding them to the dish. The lemon juice helps keep them fresh and looking bright.
- Make sure the milk and Cool Whip are chilled. This helps the pudding set properly.
- Choose bananas that are just ripe—yellow with few or no brown spots—for the best texture and flavor. Overripe bananas can become mushy in the layers.
- Refrigerate the assembled pudding for at least 4 hours or overnight. This allows the cookies to soften slightly and the flavors to meld, resulting in a creamier, more flavorful dessert.
- Top with crushed cookies, extra Cool Whip, or even caramel drizzle for extra razzle dazzle before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 369mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 0.2mg
