This Healthy Banana Pudding is one of those recipes that everyone will ask you for after the first bite. It’s creamy, fluffy, made with just 5 simple ingredients and has all the nostalgic flavor of classic banana pudding with a few lighter swaps! Also, it only takes about 15 minutes to throw together before the fridge takes over, and can easily be made gluten free and/or dairy free so everyone can enjoy it. A must-have for those hot summer days!
My Dad is so obsessed with banana pudding that one of the restaurants he frequents added “Steve’s banana pudding” to the menu for a limited time, simply because he asked for it so many times. Recently, we tried it out and Kyle has honestly been thinking about it ever since. So naturally, I wanted to come up with a homemade, slightly healthier banana pudding to satisfy all those cravings.
I tried a few different variations here but the one that I kept coming back to was incredibly simple, with just 5 ingredients and a bit of patience. And although everyone’s definition of “healthy” is a bit different, the goal here was just to make it lighter in calories and sugar than the classic banana pudding. It’s still a dessert — but one you can indulge in without as drastic of a blood sugar spike!
And there’s no better time to make this healthy banana pudding than the depths of summer, when the last thing you want to do is turn your oven on. Luckily for you, this is a no-bake recipe that takes all of 15 minutes to prep. The hardest part is letting it chill so that the vanilla wafer cookies can soften up…but I promise it’s worth it. Hope you love this healthy banana pudding as much as we did!
Why You’ll Love this Healthy Banana Pudding
- It tastes just like classic banana pudding with a few lighter ingredient swaps!
- Only 5 simple ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time required.
- No baking necessary, making this perfect for hot summer days!
- It’s a fabulous make-ahead dessert option for all your hosting needs.
- This can easily be made gluten free with one small swap.
What You Need to Make this Healthy Banana Pudding
- Sugar Free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix: The base of the creamy filling is, of course, pudding. I prefer to use the Jello brand for its smooth consistency and slightly yellow color but a brand with slightly “cleaner” ingredients is Simply Desserts. If you’re banana-obsessed, try using sugar free banana pudding mix instead.
- Milk: To prepare the pudding mix with. I typically use 2%, but you can use whatever you have on hand, including a dairy-free option if needed.
- Truwhip: As a substitute for traditional whipped cream, we are using 1 tub of thawed Truwhip (a slightly healthier alternative to Cool Whip). I use their original whipped topping, but they also have vegan options, zero sugar options, etc.
- Vanilla Wafer Cookies: No banana pudding recipe is complete without layers of vanilla wafer cookies. I kept it classic by using the Nilla brand, but some great gluten free options are Kinnikinnick or Partake.
- Bananas: It’s best to use just-ripe bananas that are sweet, but still firm enough to hold their shape.
How To Make this Healthy Banana Pudding
Prepare Instant Pudding & Fold in Whipped Topping:
First, whisk together the pudding mix with milk for 2 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes in the fridge to thicken. Then, switch to a spatula & gently fold in the whipped topping until combined.
Assemble Healthy Banana Pudding:
Next, assemble the banana pudding in your trifle dish (I used this 1.5qt glass bowl), starting with a layer of wafer cookies, followed by about ¼ of the pudding mixture. Then, add another layer of wafer cookies followed by banana slices and another ¼ of the pudding mixture. Repeat this layering, finishing off with a layer of the pudding mixture.
Cover, Chill & Enjoy:
Finally, cover the trifle dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, top with a few more crushed wafer cookies & banana slices. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! In fact, I recommend it. Chilling gives the pudding time to set and allows the vanilla wafers to soften into that classic banana pudding texture. Overnight is ideal.
- Can I make this healthy banana pudding gluten free? You can easily make this gluten free by substituting gluten free vanilla wafer cookies, such as Kinnikinnick or Partake.
- Can I make it dairy free? To make this healthy banana pudding dairy free, be sure to use a dairy-free pudding mix such as Simply Desserts prepared with your favorite dairy-free milk, and then swap in Truwhip vegan whipped topping. Nilla wafers also contain whey, so you’ll want to choose a different brand such as Kinnikinnick or Partake.
Expert Tips & Tricks:
- Don’t skip the 5 minute rest after whisking the pudding: It really needs that time to fully set and thicken. Otherwise, you’ll be left with a soup-y pudding mixture!
- Fold in the Truwhip gently: Truwhip provides that light and airy consistency to the pudding mixture, so mix gently to avoid removing all the air bubbles.
- Chill overnight if you can: While this healthy banana pudding may technically be ready around 4 hours, it gets even better if you let it chill overnight.
- Wait to add garnish until serving: If you add banana slices to the top too soon, they’ll just get brown!
- Use a clear trifle dish: If you have one, a clear glass dish of some sort (either a standard trifle dish or a bowl like I used) is beautiful so that you can see the layers of pudding, banana slices and wafer cookies.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
You can store leftover healthy banana pudding tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the bananas may continue to soften and brown slightly over time, although the pudding will still taste delicious.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Dessert Recipes?
- Maple Dot Cakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gluten Free Blueberry Lemon Muffins
- No Churn Cinnamon Roll Ice Cream
- Key Lime Pie Cookies
- Honey Lemon Raspberry Cake
Healthy Banana Pudding
Equipment
- whisk
- spatula
- trifle dish
- plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 1 box sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix (1oz)*
- 2 cups cold milk of choice (I use 2%)
- 1 tub Truwhip original whipped topping thawed (9oz)
- 42 vanilla wafer cookies + more for garnish**
- 3 medium just-ripe bananas sliced into coins + more for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together the pudding mix with milk for 2 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes in the fridge to thicken. Then, switch to a spatula & gently fold in the whipped topping until combined.1 box sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix, 2 cups cold milk of choice, 1 tub Truwhip original whipped topping
- Assemble the banana pudding in your trifle dish (I actually used this 1.5qt glass bowl), starting with a layer of wafer cookies, followed by about ¼ of the pudding mixture. Then, add another layer of wafer cookies followed by banana slices and another ¼ of the pudding mixture. Repeat this layering, finishing off with a layer of the pudding mixture.42 vanilla wafer cookies, 3 medium just-ripe bananas
- Cover the trifle dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, top with a few more crushed wafer cookies & banana slices. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.