Strawberry Banana Pudding
This take on classic banana pudding is fresh and summery! With the richest, creamiest banana pudding base, fresh strawberries add such a deliciously fruity twist, you’ll never go back to plain banana pudding. Inspired by the ultra-creamy custard at Magnolia Bakery.
🍓 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- We’re huge fans of banana pudding here, and strawberry banana pudding takes that classic dessert and gives it a summery makeover! Layers of fresh strawberries are a simple addition, but they make a big difference.
- There’s ZERO cooking involved in strawberry banana pudding. You don’t even need to make the pudding base on the stovetop. Just add each ingredient to a large bowl and mix well!
- This layered dessert fills a 9×13 baking dish, so you’ve got plenty of pudding to feed everyone around the table, in the office, or at the cookout. Depending on your preferred portion sizes, this recipe yields anywhere from 12 to 20 servings easily.
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- Make sure your block of cream cheese is at room temperature before you get started. Cold cream cheese is a real pain to work with, and it just won’t give you the whipped consistency we’re looking for here.
- We made our strawberry banana pudding with vanilla-flavored instant pudding mix since that’s the typical pudding-of-choice for most banana puddings. You are more than welcome to use a different flavor pudding mix if you’d like, though! Banana, strawberry, or cheesecake flavors would all be delicious in this dish.
🍌 Other A-PEEL-ing Banana Recipes
- Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad
- Peanut Butter Banana Toast
- Banana Pudding Brownies
- Vegan Banana Pudding
- Caramelized Banana Oatmeal
- Southern-Style Banana Pudding Cups
- 4-Ingredient Banana Bread
- Banana Custard
- 3-Ingredient Banana Pudding
Strawberry Banana Pudding
Rich and creamy, sweet and fruity, fresh and summery – this dressed-up take on classic banana pudding is guaranteed to please everyone around the table.
- large mixing bowl
- hand mixer fitted with whisk attachment
- silicone spatula
- 9×13 baking dish
- plastic wrap
For the Vanilla Pudding
- 1 8-ounce block cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 5-ounce packet vanilla instant pudding mix
- 3 cups cold whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces frozen whipped topping (defrosted)
For the Strawberry Banana Pudding Layers
- 6 ounces vanilla wafers (half of [adjustable]1[/adjustable] 12-ounce box)
- 4 medium bananas (sliced)
- 2 cups thinly sliced strawberries (rinsed, patted dry)
- 4 ounces frozen whipped topping (defrosted)
For the Vanilla Pudding
Add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 8-ounce block cream cheese” uid=”0″] to large mixing bowl. Beat cream cheese with hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed until cream cheese is fluffy.
When cream cheese is fluffy, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk” uid=”2″] and continue beating ingredients until well incorporated.
Once condensed milk is incorporated into cream cheese, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 5-ounce packet vanilla instant pudding mix” uid=”3″] to bowl and beat ingredients on medium speed until pudding mix is incorporated.
Slowly add [wprm-ingredient text=”3 cups cold whole milk” uid=”4″] in increments, making sure to incorporate milk after each addition. After adding all 3 cups milk, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 teaspoon vanilla extract” uid=”5″] and continue mixing until pudding mixture is completely smooth.
Stop mixer and set aside. Using silicone spatula, gently fold in [wprm-ingredient text=”4 ounces frozen whipped topping” uid=”6″] until just incorporated. Set bowl aside.
For the Strawberry Banana Pudding Layers
Line bottom of 9×13 baking dish with [wprm-ingredient text=”6 ounces vanilla wafers” uid=”8″], covering bottom of dish completely.
Top layer of vanilla wafers with half of slices from [wprm-ingredient text=”4 medium bananas” uid=”9″] and half of [wprm-ingredient text=”2 cups thinly sliced strawberries” uid=”10″].
Transfer vanilla pudding mixture to baking dish and gently spread mixture out to cover strawberry and banana layer completely.
Top pudding layer with remaining [wprm-ingredient text=”4 ounces frozen whipped topping” uid=”11″], spreading whipped topping out to cover pudding layer completely.
Top whipped topping layer with remaining banana slices and sliced strawberries. If desired, sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers over top of whipped topping.
Cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and place dish in refrigerator. Chill pudding at least 3 hours or until pudding layer is thick and creamy, no longer thin or runny.
Serve strawberry banana pudding chilled.
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese will make the pudding layer super rich and creamy, but you can use reduced fat if you prefer it. Either way, make sure it’s at room temperature before starting the recipe. Cold cream cheese is hard to work with and won’t develop the texture you need here.
- Instant Pudding Mix: Feel free to use banana, strawberry, or cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix instead of vanilla.
