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Old Fashioned Banana Pudding (Baked and From Scratch)

This oven baked banana pudding is a nostalgic, homemade dessert layered with vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and silky custard, topped with golden meringue. It’s a cozy Southern classic that’s perfect warm or chilled.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Custard Base
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Assembly
  • 4 bananas ripe but firm, sliced
  • 1 box vanilla wafers
Meringue Topping
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, salt, milk, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  3. In a baking dish, layer vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and warm custard. Repeat layers, finishing with custard on top.
  4. In a bowl, beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the pudding, sealing to the edges.
  5. Bake for 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Let cool slightly before serving, or chill before serving if desired.

Notes

  • To keep bananas from browning, toss them in a bit of lemon juice before layering.
  • Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • For a twist, add caramel drizzle or crushed pecans between layers.