This simple homemade Banana Pudding recipe is easy to make and it’s gluten free! Hands down, it’s the best banana pudding recipe!

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Gluten Free Banana Pudding Recipe

An old fashioned banana pudding recipe gets a modern take by serving it in individual jars! It’s just as delicious as always without having a potluck-sized dessert.

Topping banana pudding with meringue is the classic way to serve it while using the egg whites to reduce kitchen waste. It’s a delicious win-win situation!

I used gluten free Vanilla Wafers instead of the traditional Nilla Wafers and that’s the only swap you’ll have to make if you want to make this dessert gluten free. All of the other ingredients are naturally gluten free.

What You Need To Know About This Simple Banana Pudding Recipe:

This isn’t the Paula Deen Banana Pudding recipe (aka Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding) that’s been popular in recent years. While that recipe is delicious, I wanted to go more traditional.

So there isn’t any cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, frozen whipped topping, or instant pudding involved. Just simple sweet layers of homemade vanilla pudding, banana slices, vanilla wafer cookies, and toasty meringue.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.

Is Banana Pudding Gluten Free?

No. Traditionally, banana pudding isn’t gluten free because of the cookies.

However, it’s easy to swap the Nilla Wafers with gluten free vanilla wafers or gluten free vanilla cookies to make a gluten free banana pudding.

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Banana Pudding Ingredients

Whole Milk
Heavy Cream
Eggs – the yolks and whites are separated and both are used.
Granulated Sugar
Cornstarch
Fine Sea Salt
Vanilla Extract
Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers – I recommend using Kinnikinnick Vanilla Wafers or Homefree Vanilla Mini Cookies.
Ripe Bananas

Equipment Needed to Make Banana Pudding from Scratch

Sauce Pan
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Whisk
Heat Proof Bowls (Pyrex Glass Bowl)
Fine Mesh Strainer
Plastic Wrap
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer – to make the meringue
Individual Glass Jars
Kitchen Torch

How to Make Banana Pudding

Step 1. Make the Vanilla Pudding. Pass the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer and transfer it into a heat-proof bowl.

Step 2. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Step 3. Make the meringue. Set aside until ready to serve.

Step 4. Assemble the individual banana puddings. Cover the bottom of your serving dish with vanilla wafers. Cover with a layer of pudding followed by a layer of sliced bananas. Repeat until all components are completely used, making sure the last layer is pudding.

Step 5. Spread or pipe the meringue evenly over the custard layer. Toast the top of the meringue with a kitchen torch until golden brown– about 10 seconds.

Step 6. Serve immediately or store the pudding in the fridge until ready to enjoy– up to four hours in advance.

Tips for Making the Best Banana Pudding

You can assemble the pudding up to 24 hours in advance — assemble through step 2 and then make and toast the meringue right before you plan to serve it! The meringue tends to become runny when stored in the fridge overnight so it’s best to make it right before you serve it.
Don’t stop whisking the pudding for longer than a few seconds at a time. Pudding that cooks to the bottom of the pan will create lumps and can get rubbery.
Use bananas that are ripe but not overripe.
Make the homemade vanilla pudding as instructed below. Storebought or boxed pudding mix just doesn’t have as much flavor.

Other Homemade Pudding Recipes To Try

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ready to serve gluten free banana pudding recipe in an individual Weck tulip jar

Easy Gluten Free Banana Pudding Recipe

4.82 from 11 ratings

This simple homemade Banana Pudding recipe is easy to make and it’s gluten free! Hands down, it’s the best banana pudding recipe!

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 20

Additional Time: 1

Total Time: 1 50

Servings: 4

By: Sharon Lachendro

Print Rate Pin

Ingredients

For the Pudding

1 ½ cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks save the whites for the meringue below
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Meringue

2 large egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Assemble

2 cups gluten free vanilla wafers see notes
3 ripe bananas sliced

Instructions

Make the Vanilla Pudding
Add the milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon-- about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the vanilla extract and whisk the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer as you transfer the pudding to a heat-proof bowl. This step is optional but it will remove any lumps in the pudding.
Cover the pudding with plastic wrap by pressing the plastic wrap directly to the surface of the pudding. Transfer it to the fridge until chilled-- about 1 hour.
Make the Meringue
Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl and whisk constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved-- about 2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form-- about 8 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and mix just until combined. Set aside until ready to use.
Assemble
Cover the bottom of your serving dish with Nilla Wafers (you can either do one big serving dish or individual cups-- up to you).
Cover with a layer of pudding followed by a layer of sliced bananas. Repeat until all components are completely used, making sure the last layer is pudding.
Spread or pipe the meringue evenly over the custard layer. Toast the top of the meringue with a kitchen torch until golden brown-- about 10 seconds.
Serve immediately or store the pudding in the fridge until ready to enjoy-- up to four hours in advance.
You can assemble the pudding up to 24 hours in advance-- assemble through step 2 and then make and toast the meringue right before you plan to serve it! The meringue tends to become runny when stored in the fridge overnight so it’s best to make it right before you serve it.

Notes

2 cups of Half & Half can be used in place of the whole milk and heavy cream, just be sure you don't use Fat Free.
I recommend using Kinnikinnick Vanilla Wafers or Homefree Vanilla Mini Cookies for gluten free.
If you're skipping the meringue, you can use 1 whole egg in place of the 2 egg whites. Just be sure to strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps.