Name: Microwave Banana Pudding
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 h 7 min
Total time: 3 h 17 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2/3 cup granulated sugar (132 gr); 3 egg yolks from large eggs; 3 tablespoons flour (23 gr); 2 cups milk (skim, 1%, 2% or whole) (454 gr); 1/4 teaspoon salt (2 gr); 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use vanilla bean paste if feeling extravagant); 2 tablespoons butter (28 gr); 4 medium or 3 large bananas; 1 11 oz. box of vanilla wafers; 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (240 gr); 1/4 cup powdered sugar (57 gr); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Preview: Learn how to make Microwave Banana Pudding from scratch that tastes better than instant pudding and is almost as fast. No scorching, no double boiler, and no standing over a hot stove.

Make your microwave more than just a leftover warmer-upper. Instead, use it to make a great dessert-like this classic banana pudding. It will taste fabulously sweet and creamy without you breaking a sweat–literally!

The day I discovered I could make tasty vanilla pudding in my microwave changed my attitude about banana pudding—no more instant pudding mix or using Mom’s old-fashioned pudding custard recipe made on the stove.

A blender or food processor is a quick way to mix up this scratch pudding recipe. Then pour it into a microwave-safe Pyrex mixing bowl.

Cook your pudding in the microwave. Layer with vanilla wafers and bananas. Top with fresh whipped cream.

Finished Microwave Banana Pudding--ready to serve

Why you’ll love this simple banana pudding recipe:

Mix all the vanilla pudding ingredients in a flash with a blender or food processor.

No worries about lumps. The custard mixture will go into the microwave silky smooth. The cooked pudding should come out smooth, assuming you don’t forget to whisk it occasionally. Tempering the egg yolks is unnecessary.

This recipe is so uncomplicated, you can memorize it.

For me, this is a huge plus when I don’t feel like cooking.

Clean up is easy.

You no longer need to worry about scorching and then having to scrub the pan. The blender and pyrex bowl you use in the microwave will clean up easily. I throw mine in the dishwasher.

The microwave reduces cooking time.

My microwave is SLOW, but 7 minutes is all the time required to thicken the pudding. If your oven is relatively new and/or more powerful, the time may be less. Pay attention the first time or two you make the pudding to determine the proper cooking time.

Banana pudding showing the inside texture.

Ingredients and substitutions:

SUGAR: Use white granulated sugar. This recipe has not been tested for any substitutions of this ingredient.
EGG YOLKS: The egg yolks all come from large eggs. (50 grams per whole egg.)
FLOUR: The recipe is formulated for all-purpose flour. Bleached or unbleached doesn’t matter.
MILK: Any type of dairy milk from fat-free to whole milk will work. Of course, the higher the fat content, the richer the final product. I’m guessing non-dairy milk such as almond or cashew milk would work, but I haven’t tested it.
SALT: You don’t need much, but a little bit enhances the sweetness. I use sea salt but table salt or Kosher is also good.
VANILLA EXTRACT: This flavoring adds so much character to banana pudding. Try not to leave it out. If you have it, vanilla bean paste with the obvious black specks will take this recipe up a notch.
BUTTER: Butter smooths out the texture, firms the pudding as it chills, and adds flavor. Substitute margarine if you prefer.
BANANAS: The bananas you choose for this recipe should not be over or underripe. Use the “Goldilocks Rule.” Look for “just right” in the store, or buy underripe bananas and wait until they are perfect.
VANILLA WAFERS: We prefer “Nilla” wafers. Be sure they are fresher than fresh. I always have a few leftover cookies for the grandkids.
WHIPPING CREAM: Use heavy or whipping cream. Substitutes include non-dairy whipped topping or canned whipped cream. Some people prefer meringue on top of their banana pudding. We never do it that way.

Shortbread Variation:

Store-bought vanilla wafers are my go-to cookie for this dessert. But sometimes, I like to make my shortbread crumbles for a dessert that tastes like banana cream pie in a bowl. Oh, my! It’s wicked good!!

individual servings of banana pudding with homemade shortbread crumbles. — I made these individual portions of Microwave Banana Pudding with the shortbread crust found in this recipe instead of vanilla wafers. Store-bought shortbread would also work.

FAQ

Can I make banana pudding ahead of time?

Eat this pudding the same day you make it. Making it the night before is the next best option. However, it needs at least 2-3 hours to chill, so you must make it a little bit ahead of time. Once served, the remaining bananas will turn brown and quickly soften when exposed to oxygen.

Can I make this pudding on top of the stove?

Yes. The recipe will be the same, but the method is more complicated and time-consuming. You would be better off finding a stove-top recipe like this one copied from the back of the box of Nilla wafers.

What can I use if I don’t have a blender or food processor to mix the pudding ingredients?

Whisk the ingredients together as well as you can. Cook this mixture in the microwave as instructed. Whisk every 45 seconds once the mixture starts to thicken. If you have any lumps, pour it through a strainer immediately.

On the bright side, lumps get lost in the banana pudding because of everything else going on. Don’t sweat it.

How to make banana pudding in a microwave:

pudding ingredients in a blender. — Add sugar, egg yolks, flour, milk, and salt to a blender or food processor bowl.

using a blender to combine the ingredients so there will be no lumps. — Pulse 5 times until mixed well.

transferring the uncooked pudding mixture to a 2-qt Pyrex pitcher — *Pour into a 2-qt microwave-safe batter bowl.*

Uncooked pudding mixture in the microwave. — Microwave on HIGH for 3-1/2 to 5 minutes.

whisking pudding half way through cooking. — Stop and whisk well. Microwave for 2-3 more minutes, stopping to whisk when the pudding starts to rise in the bowl or a least once every minute.

spoon coated with pudding showing that it is done. — Don’t stop microwaving until the pudding mixture coats the back of a spoon.

adding vanilla extract and butter to pudding after it has been cooked.. — Add the vanilla extract and butter. Whisk the pudding until smooth.

Making layers. — Spread enough pudding on the bottom of your serving dish to cover it.

2nd layer: vanilla wafers — Place a layer of vanilla wafers.

3rd layer: bananas — Slice a banana or two to cover the wafers.

final layer. — Cover with half of the pudding. Repeat the layers ending with pudding. (Don’t worry if you got any of the layers out of order. It will still taste great and look fine. The main thing is that you end up with pudding on the top. Be sure all bananas are covered so they won’t turn brown too quickly.)

Covering the banana pudding with plastic wrap. — Cover your banana pudding with plastic wrap. Use your hands to rub over the top of the wrap to ensure there are no air bubbles underneath. Chill the pudding for at least two hours.

making the whipped cream topping — Before serving, prepare the whipped cream topping. Pour cold whipping cream into a small ball. Start mixing. As soon as the cream starts to get thick, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until the whipping cream will hold a peak.

Showing the last layer...whipped cream topping. — Cover the top of the banana pudding with whipped cream.

Pudding with a serving removed so you can see the inside texture. — Serve immediately. If desired, garnish with vanilla wafer crumbs, maraschino cherries, or sliced strawberries.

More cream pie recipes you can make in the microwave:

Amazing Microwave Custard for a Pie or Tart

A smooth and tasty vanilla custard cooked in a microwave oven.

Banana Cream Pie Made in the Microwave

Use a microwave to make this super-quick, super- easy banana cream pie...from scratch.

Chocolate Cream Tart (Made in a Microwave)

Chocolate cream pie filling (made in the microwave) in a graham cracker pie crust.

Zebra Cream Pie

Try this layered chocolate and vanilla cream pie nestled in a dark chocolate Oreo cookie crust. Directions for making the cream filling in the microwave.

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help others and me if you gave it a five-star rating inside the recipe card below. 🤩 No comment required. Thank you.

Hope to see you again soon!
Paula

p.s. Questions or suggestions? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com.

Yield: 8 servings

Microwave Banana Pudding

These instructions are for cooking the vanilla pudding in a microwave. Layer pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 7 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 17 minutes

Ingredients

2/3 cup granulated sugar (132 gr)
3 egg yolks from large eggs
3 tablespoons flour (23 gr)
2 cups milk (skim, 1%, 2% or whole) (454 gr)
1/4 teaspoon salt (2 gr)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use vanilla bean paste if feeling extravagant)
2 tablespoons butter (28 gr)
4 medium or 3 large bananas
1 11 oz. box of vanilla wafers

Whipped Cream

1 cup of heavy whipping cream (240 gr)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (57 gr)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Add sugar, egg yolks, flour, milk, and salt to a blender or food processor bowl. Pulse 5 times until mixed well. Pour into a 2-quart batter bowl.
Microwave on HIGH 4-5 minutes. Stop and whisk well. Microwave for 2-3 more minutes, stopping to whisk when pudding starts to rise in a bowl or at least once every minute. (Note: Microwaves vary in power. My microwave is older and slower. Check your pudding after 3 minutes. Yours could be done in as little as 5 minutes.)
When the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon (see picture), remove from the microwave. Whisk the pudding until smooth.
Add butter and vanilla to the pudding. Whisk well.

Assembly

Cover the bottom of a 1-1/2 quart dish with a thin layer of pudding.
Add a layer of vanilla wafers followed by a layer of sliced bananas.
Add 1/2 of the remaining pudding, followed by another layer of vanilla wafers and bananas.
End with a layer of pudding.
Cover with plastic wrap placed in a way that it touches the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream.

Whipped Cream

Pour whipping cream into a small ball. Use a small mixer to whip cream. When whipping cream starts to get thick, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
Continue beating until the cream will hold a fairly stiff peak. Don't beat too long or the whipping cream will turn into butter.
Spread over the chilled banana pudding and serve immediately.

Notes

1. If you decide to make your own shortbread, let it cool, then crumble and layer in the same way as vanilla wafers.

2. I don't use a sieve for this pudding. Mixing in a blender before microwaving prevents lumps. However, if the pudding does turn out lumpy, push it through a coarse sieve before it cools.

3. I also use this recipe to make banana cream pie, coconut cream pie, and chocolate cream pie.

4. Many people put meringue on top of their banana pudding, but I'm a whipped cream girl. Suit yourself.

How To Make Microwave Banana Pudding from Scratch

Why you’ll love this simple banana pudding recipe:

Mix all the vanilla pudding ingredients in a flash with a blender or food processor.