Strawberry Banana Pudding
This recipe reminds me so much of the banana pudding my mom made for church picnics — cool, creamy, and always the first dessert gone. Adding strawberries brought a little extra brightness and sweetness that made it feel new again.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Separate bowl
- 9x13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
For the pudding mix
- 2 boxes Instant pudding mix (Vanilla or French Vanilla)
- 2 cups Cold milk (whole, oat or almond)
- 14 oz Sweet condensed milk
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened, room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 8 oz Cool Whip
- 2 boxes Vanilla wafers
- 2 Ripe bananas optional
- 1 box Chessman cookies optional
For the macerated strawberries
- 16 ounces Strawberries
- 2/3 cup Granulated sugar
Instructions
- Cut strawberries into small slices, add sugar, and mix. Allow them to sit for at least one hour to create syrup.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pudding mix and cold milk until smooth. Set this mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Slowly add two tablespoons of the strawberry syrup mixture. Slowly fold in the Cool Whip. Continue folding until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Add three additional tablespoons of syrup, then add two tablespoons of macerated strawberries.
- Gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pudding, making sure the consistency is smooth and uniform.
- Pour a layer of the pudding mixture over your cookies in the baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Add a layer of crushed vanilla wafer cookies, macerated strawberries, and sliced bananas. Add the pudding mixture and repeat this layering process until you have three layers, finishing with a layer of vanilla pudding on top.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the banana pudding overnight. Do not decorate until the next day. This extended refrigeration allows the flavors to set.
- Before serving, decorate your banana pudding with cookies, strawberries, and strawberry syrup.
Notes
This recipe is designed for families and dessert lovers who enjoy creamy layered treats with fresh fruit. If you skip the optional bananas, you can still make a wonderful strawberry pudding.
By Grace Williams, Contributor at Recipes by Betty.