The dessert in your photo looks like a layered banana pudding parfait/trifle: creamy vanilla-banana pudding, banana slices, soft vanilla wafers/cake, and plenty of whipped cream, finished with fresh bananas. Traditional banana-pudding versions commonly use vanilla wafers, bananas, pudding/custard, and whipped cream or meringue.
F
Food Network
+1
Yield
6 generous parfaits or 1 large 8–9 inch trifle bowl
Prep: 25 minutes
Cooking: 10–15 minutes
Chilling: 2–4 hours
Total: about 3 hours
Ingredients
For the homemade vanilla pudding
3 cups (720 ml) whole milk
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
2 tbsp (28 g) butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
For the layers
4–5 ripe but firm bananas
30–36 vanilla wafer cookies
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional nutty topping
The pictured dessert doesn’t appear to require nuts, but nuts make an excellent crunchy variation:
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
Pinch of cinnamon
For a completely nut-free dessert, simply omit these.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the pudding
In a saucepan, whisk together:
sugar
cornstarch
salt.
Add about ½ cup of the milk and whisk until completely smooth.
Whisk in the remaining milk.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the 3 egg yolks.
Slowly pour about ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This tempers the eggs and prevents scrambling.
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium-low to medium heat, whisking continuously.
After approximately 5–8 minutes, the mixture should become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once it begins bubbling, cook for another 30–60 seconds, continuing to whisk.
Remove from the heat.
Whisk in the butter and vanilla.
Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly against the surface.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, approximately 1½–2 hours.
2. Prepare the bananas
Slice 4 bananas into approximately ¼-inch slices.
Keep the slices relatively uniform so the parfait looks attractive through the glass.
Preventing browning
For the bananas that will sit on top:
Toss very gently with a tiny amount of lemon juice.
Use approximately ½ teaspoon lemon juice per banana.
Don’t use too much—the dessert shouldn’t taste lemony.
3. Make the whipped cream
Place in a cold bowl:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Beat with a hand mixer until medium-stiff peaks form.
Don’t overbeat or it can become grainy.
4. Prepare the vanilla wafers
Crush about 20–24 wafers into coarse crumbs.
Don’t turn all of them into powder. A mixture of small pieces and crumbs gives the dessert better texture.
Reserve 6–12 whole wafers for decoration.
5. Optional toasted-nut layer
If using pecans or walnuts:
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a small skillet.
Add ½ cup chopped nuts.
Add 1 tbsp brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.
Toast over low-medium heat for about 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Cool completely.
This gives you a delicious banana–pecan pudding variation.
6. Assemble the parfait
For each glass, build approximately these layers:
Layer 1
Vanilla wafer crumbs
Layer 2
Vanilla pudding
Layer 3
Banana slices
Layer 4
A little whipped cream
Layer 5
More vanilla wafer crumbs
Layer 6
More pudding
Layer 7
More banana
Layer 8
Generous whipped cream topping
For the look in your photograph, make the final whipped cream layer tall and swirled.
Finish with:
banana slices
whole vanilla wafer
optional toasted pecans/walnuts
a tiny dusting of cinnamon
7. Chill
Cover the parfaits and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
For the best texture, serve within 4–8 hours.
The wafers soften slightly and become almost cake-like, while the pudding and whipped cream become beautifully integrated.
For the crunchiest result, add the final cookie/nut garnish immediately before serving. Make-ahead banana parfait recipes similarly recommend adding delicate toppings shortly before serving.
K
Kraft Heinz
+1
Approximate Nutrition
For 1 of 6 generous servings, without optional nuts:
Nutrient Approx.
Calories 500–550 kcal
Carbohydrates 65–70 g
Protein 7–9 g
Fat 25–28 g
Saturated fat 14–17 g
Fiber 3–4 g
Sugars 35–40 g
Sodium 250–350 mg
Calcium 180–220 mg
These are estimates and can vary considerably depending on the cookies, milk, cream, sugar, and portion size.
With pecans
Adding approximately ½ cup pecans to the whole recipe adds roughly 65–70 calories and 7 g fat per serving when divided into six servings.
ALLERGY / NUT INFORMATION
Is this recipe naturally nut-free?
Yes. The basic recipe contains no tree nuts or peanuts.
Are vanilla wafers always nut-free?
Not necessarily. Check the package for:
peanuts
tree nuts
“may contain”
shared-equipment warnings.
Can I add nuts?
Absolutely. Pecans are my first choice because they pair exceptionally well with banana and vanilla.
Walnuts also work.
What if someone has a severe nut allergy?
Don’t simply remove the nuts. Check every packaged ingredient, particularly the wafers and whipped topping, for allergen statements and cross-contact warnings.
Recipe Q&A
Q: Can I use instant pudding instead of homemade pudding?
Yes. For a quick version, use one 3.4-oz/96-g package of instant vanilla or banana pudding with 2 cups cold milk, then fold in some whipped topping. This is a common shortcut for banana-pudding parfaits.
K
Kraft Heinz
Q: Can I use banana pudding mix?
Yes. It gives you a stronger banana flavor. For a more elegant dessert like the photograph, I prefer vanilla pudding + fresh bananas, because the banana flavor comes naturally from the fruit.
Q: Why did my pudding become lumpy?
Usually because the cornstarch wasn’t fully dissolved or the eggs were added directly to hot liquid.
Fix: Always make a smooth cold slurry first and temper the egg yolks gradually.
Q: Why is my pudding too thin?
It either didn’t cook long enough or wasn’t cooled sufficiently.
Return it to the saucepan and gently cook while whisking until thickened. Remember that it becomes firmer when chilled.
Q: Why did my bananas turn brown?
Bananas oxidize after being cut. Use firm, fresh bananas and lightly coat the garnish slices with lemon juice.
Q: Can I make it the night before?
Yes, but ideally assemble the pudding and banana layers the night before and add the decorative banana slices, cookies and nuts shortly before serving.
Q: Can I freeze banana pudding?
I don’t recommend it. The bananas can become watery and the whipped cream/pudding texture can deteriorate after thawing.
Q: Can I use whipped topping instead of fresh whipped cream?
Yes. It is convenient and tends to hold its shape longer. Fresh whipped cream, however, gives the dessert a richer, fresher taste.
Q: Can I make this without eggs?
Yes. Simply use an egg-free cornstarch pudding. The Washington Post’s banana parfait variation, for example, uses cornstarch-thickened milk pudding without eggs.
T
The Washington Post
Q: Can I make it without dairy?
Yes. Use a plant-based milk that works well for pudding, plant-based butter, and dairy-free whipping cream. Coconut milk gives a particularly rich result, although it will add coconut flavor.
Q: What bananas are best?
Use yellow bananas with a few brown spots, but avoid very soft, heavily bruised fruit. You want sweetness without the slices falling apart.
Q: How do I get the beautiful tall whipped-cream swirl shown in the picture?
Put the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe upward in a spiral, finishing with a small peak.
Q: Why does my parfait look watery?
Common causes are:
overripe/watery bananas
pudding that wasn’t cooked sufficiently
assembling while pudding is warm
leaving it refrigerated for too many days.
Cool the pudding completely before assembly.
My recommended version for the pictured dessert
or the closest result, I’d use:
homemade vanilla pudding + vanilla wafers + ripe bananas + freshly whipped cream + a small amount of toasted pecans.
The contrast is excellent: silky pudding → soft banana → creamy whipped cream → slightly chewy wafers → crunchy pecans.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
- 🫐 Banana Berry Oat Bread — Full Recipe - September 9, 2026
- Creamy Banana Pudding Parfait — Full Recipe - September 9, 2026
- Crispy Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Creamy Dill Sauce, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Walnuts - August 30, 2026
