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If you love the sweet and creamy flavor of banana pudding, but don't want to deal with baking or layering then give this easy banana pudding fluff a try. You only need about 10 minutes and 5 ingredients to stir up this delicious dessert.
This easy to make banana pudding fluff is a delicious and creamy combination of Nilla wafers, whipped topping, banana instant pudding, milk and sliced bananas. It is a sweet and fruity twist on a southern classic.
Dessert fluffs are actually really popular no-bake desserts. They come in a wide variety of other flavors too, like hot chocolate fluff, Oreo fluff and peanut butter fluff.
This super fast dessert is perfect for a wide variety of occasions, especially summertime ones, like 4th of July, barbecue and pool parties. But, you can certainly serve it during any season.
It is also super great to make and serve at larger get togethers or potlucks due to how fast it is to make and how you can make a large batch easily.
🧁Why To Try This Recipe
Creamy & Sweet - it is such a creamy and sweet dessert. It is the perfect texture and has a little crunch added in from the cookies.
Quick to make - you only need 10 minutes to whip this together. It is so fast and easy to make, just a little mixing and chopping.
Perfect for a crowd - this dessert is great for a large crowd or gathering. It is easy and inexpensive. And, you can double or triple the batch.
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🥄Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cup
- Whisk
- Ziplock bag
- Spoon or Spatula
- Knife
📋Ingredients
- Banana Pudding
- Sliced Bananas
- Crushed Vanilla Wafers
- Milk
- Whipped Topping
See recipe card for quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
Check out these ideas for ingredient substitutions and flavor variations.
- Add mini marshmallows - fold in 2 cups of mini marshmallows for an added fluffy texture and a little more sweetness.
- Use Vanilla pudding - dial the banana flavor back just a smidge by using vanilla pudding instead of banana pudding.
- Mix in cream cheese - add in 4 - 8 oz of cream cheese for a thicker, richer texture and flavor.
- Other mix-ins - change it up with additional flavors by adding in things like chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or maraschino cherries.
- Chocolate drizzle - add some chocolate by melting chocolate or using chocolate syrup to drizzle on top of each serving.
- Go sugar free - use sugar free whipped topping, cookies and pudding for a sugarless dessert.
- Add marshmallow fluff - if you want a little fluffier salad, then you can add in 8 oz of marshmallow fluff.
If you want a more traditional layered version of this dessert, try out this cold banana pudding.
⏲️Instructions
Follow these easy step-by-step instructions and photos to whip up a batch of this yummy banana pudding fluff.
Step one: Dump a package of banana instant pudding into the mixing bowl.
Step two: Pour the milk into the bowl with the pudding mix.
Step three: Whisk the pudding mix and milk together until well combined. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to thicken.
Step four: Stir in the thawed whipped topping until well combined.
Step five: Slice bananas into medium sized slices and add them to the mixture.
Step six: Crumble vanilla wafers into medium sized chunks. Mix everything together well.
Hint: to crumble the vanilla wafers, you can simply snap the into 3 - 4 pieces by hand as you add them in. Or, do it faster by putting them in a ziplock bag and breaking them apart with a rolling pin or back of a spoon.
⭐Recipe Tips for Success
- Whisk the pudding - you want to make sure you get a nice, thick textured pudding. To do that, make sure you use a whisk to combine the pudding mix and milk.
- Thaw the whipped topping - most whipped topping comes frozen. Make sure that you thaw it at room temperature for 60 minutes or in the refrigerator for a few hours before mixing it in.
- No brown bananas - if you aren't eating it immediately, toss the bananas in a little lemon juice before mixing them in. This will help to keep them from turning brown.
Storage
You can store this covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 - 3 days. Do be aware that the vanilla wafers may get a little soggy and the bananas may turn a little brown overtime.
You can freeze it by putting cling wrap over the top of the container and sealing it in an airtight container for up to a month. Defrost it in the refrigerator over night.
💭FAQ
Yes, you can make banana pudding fluff ahead of time for a few hours. But, after a few hours, the vanilla wafers can start to get a little soggy, so you don't want to make it too far in advance.
Any store-bought whipped topping such as cool whip is perfect for this banana pudding fluff. You don't want to use regular whipped cream or homemade whipped cream as it will be too thin to mix well.
We like to use reduced fat milk, but any milk works fine in this recipe. You can even use a dairy free milk if you want.
Banana Pudding Fluff
Equipment
- Measuring Cup
- Whisk
- Knife
- Mixing bowl
- Large spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 3.4 oz box Banana Instant Pudding
- 8 oz Whipped topping
- 2 Cups Vanilla Wafers Crushed
- 1.5 Cups Milk
- 2 Sliced Medium Bananas
Instructions
- Dump the 3.4 oz box of banana instant pudding into the mixing bowl.
- Pour in 1.5 cups of milk and whisk pudding mix and milk together until combined.
- Allow pudding to sit for a few minutes to set and thicken up.
- Scoop in 8 oz of thawed whipped topping and stir into the pudding.
- Slice up 2 medium bananas and toss them into the mixing bowl.
- Place 2 cups of vanilla wafers into a ziplock back and crush them up with a wooden spoon. Then pour into the mixing bowl.
- Use a spoon or spatula to mix the bananas and wafers into the pudding mix.
Notes
- Whisk - make sure to use a whisk when mixing the pudding. This will help it to thicken properly.
- Thaw - thaw the whipped topping before using it otherwise it does not mix in well. 60 minutes at room temperature or a few hours in the fridge should do it.
- Prevent browning - if not serving right away, splash the banana slices with a little lemon juice to stop them from turning brown.
- Mix-ins - ramp up the flavor by mixing in mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries, pineapple chunks, chocolate chips or your other favorite flavors.
- Add marshmallow fluff or cream cheese - crank the creamy texture up by mixing in 4 - 8 oz of marshmallow fluff and/or cream cheese.
- Go sugarless - make a sugar free dessert by using sugar free whipped topping, instant pudding and cookies.
- Best served within a few hours. But can be kept wrapped in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 - 3 days.
- Can be frozen up to a month. Package with cling wrap over top and in an airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
