We’re bananas for this recipe. If you’ve ever wanted the ultimate old-fashioned banana pudding, here it is. This is a true Southern banana pudding recipe from scratch: creamy vanilla custard layered with fresh bananas and cookies, topped with meringue and baked until golden brown. Adapted from Maya Angelou.
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For more classic Southern desserts and baked goods, be sure to get the recipe for Hummingbird Layer Cake (my all-time favorite), Buttermilk Cornbread, and Southern Peach Cobbler. Something Southern and savory? Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits, naturally.
Meet Maya Angelou’s Southern Banana Pudding Recipe
This isn’t the instant-pudding variety of banana pudding. It’s authentic, made with care, and adapted from the kitchen of the legendary Maya Angelou. (Plus: pro tips on fixing lumpy custard, how to whip meringue, and more.) It still seems surreal to write this, but I was actually a student of poet, author, and phenomenal woman Maya Angelou. She is one big reason I attended college at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, where she was a professor. My senior year, I finally got to take her poetry seminar. And guess what else? At the end of the term, Dr. Angelou invited the entire class to her house for a big meal of home-cooked Southern food.
Like I said, surreal.
Studying under Maya Angelou in North Carolina, I learned not just about poetry, but about how much meaning, care, and tradition go into Southern food. This from-scratch banana pudding captures that authenticity, with my pastry chef tweaks for ease and clarity. This recipe is adapted from the homemade banana pudding recipe in her cookbook, Hallelujah!: The Welcome Table, which I highly recommend for the stories, vignettes, and wisdom in its pages — and, of course, the recipes. (The story she tells about this banana pudding is a real doozy.)
Why This Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding Recipe Works
Many banana puddings today rely on instant pudding or whipped cream, but making it from scratch gives you:
- Silky, rich vanilla custard that sets perfectly
- Layers of fresh bananas that add that signature flavor
- A baked meringue topping that’s golden crisp on the outside, but light and fluffy inside — a hallmark of classic Southern banana pudding with meringue
This is perfect for family gatherings, holidays, or any occasion that deserves a true Southern dessert, especially around the holidays.
Another good holiday recipe: This white chocolate coconut bundt cake, inspired by the one Tom Cruise sends to his friends each December. And for another custardy dessert, this creamy stovetop Arborio rice pudding is delicious.
Ingredients for Southern Banana Pudding From Scratch
This recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together easily. You will need:
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Milk
- Eggs
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Bananas: make sure they’re ripe for the best flavor
- Vanilla wafer cookies, such as Nilla
- Cream of tartar or lemon juice to help build and stabilize the meringue
How to Make Southern Banana Pudding From Scratch
1. Make the Custard
In a medium saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Temper the egg yolks with some of the custard, return to the heat for about two to four minutes, then stir in butter and vanilla off the heat.
2. Layer the Pudding
Butter a baking dish or casserole. Layer pudding, vanilla wafers, and banana slices. Repeat until all is used, ending with custard. This is the foundation of a true old fashioned banana pudding.
3. Prepare the Meringue
Beat the egg whites and sugar until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over pudding in big, fluffy clouds, going all the way to the edge.
4. Bake
Bake on the center rack of the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for one hour on the countertop, then in the refrigerator for four hours or overnight, uncovered. Serve your Southern banana pudding chilled with more vanilla wafers, whole or crumbled on top.
You’ll also like: Authentic English Scones Recipe and Homemade Caramel Apple Pie. For another banana bake, you can’t beat this classic Banana Bread recipe.
Tips for the Best Banana Pudding From Scratch
Here are my best, important pro tips for banana pudding success:
Preparing in Advance
This old-fashioned banana pudding can be prepared up to one day in advance, and stored in the refrigerator, uncovered to prevent weeping. This will soften the vanilla wafers, though, and the meringue will deflate a bit.
My favorite way to make banana pudding in advance is to make the pudding in advance and store it, covered, in the fridge since this is the most time-consuming part. The next day, give the pudding a good stir until it’s creamy again, then layer it in the casserole with bananas and wafers, top with fresh meringue, and bake. This is an especially good method for those who like crisp wafers.
General Tips: How to Serve, Ingredient Notes
- Use ripe bananas. Green or underripe bananas will be starchy and flavorless
- How to serve Southern banana pudding: Serve at cool room temperature or straight from the fridge.
- Decoration: It’s traditional to garnish Southern banana pudding with fresh vanilla wafer crumbs. This crisp texture is especially nice if the custard has sat overnight, which makes the “interior” wafers soft.
This old-fashioned banana pudding recipe isn’t just dessert—it’s a taste of Southern tradition, adapted from Maya Angelou’s kitchen. With homemade custard, fresh bananas, and baked meringue, it’s the ultimate old-fashioned dessert for holidays, gatherings, or any day that calls for something homey and sweet.
Banana Pudding F.A.Q.s
This recipe is inspired by Maya Angelou’s kitchen in North Carolina, and is made entirely from scratch, with rich custard, fresh bananas, and a golden baked meringue topping (unlike instant pudding versions). It’s a true old fashioned Southern dessert.
Yes. You can assemble the layers a day in advance, but bake the meringue just before serving to maintain its golden, fluffy texture. The wafers will soften overnight. If you want crisp wafers, just make the vanilla custard in advance, store it in the fridge, then assemble and do the meringue the day-of.
Meringue weeps when the protein denatures over time, or has been exposed to too much moisture. Cream of tartar helps keep the meringue stable. Serve it fresh, and never cover meringue in the fridge, which will cause condensation.
There’s an easy way to fix lumpy custard, which occurs when the egg congeals too quickly and does not fully emulsify. Simply strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer, using a spatula to help it go through the mesh. Perfect!
Love this pudding recipe? You’ll also love these sweet, old-fashioned desserts:
Southern Banana Pudding Recipe (With Meringue)
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Custard
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- 3 cups milk
- 8 room-temperature eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Meringue and to Assemble
- 4 ripe bananas, thinly sliced
- 4 cups vanilla wafer cookies (such as Nilla)
- 8 egg whites (from separated eggs, above)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or a little squeeze of lemon juice)
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
For the Vanilla Custard
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a shallow 2-quart casserole. In a large saucepan, mix together 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the milk and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and boiling, about five minutes. Boil one minute, and remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the 8 egg yolks. Temper the yolks by adding in about 1/2 cup of the thickened, hot milk mixture. Pour the egg yolk and milk mixture back into the pot. Whisk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, for two minutes, until thickened and thick, lazy bubbles appear. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla. PRO TIP: As the eggs cook into the custard, it is important to constantly stir the custard, scraping the sides and bottom of the pot, so you don't get lumps. But if you do get lumps, don't worry! Just pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer.
For the Meringue and to Assemble
- Layer half the vanilla wafers into the bottom of the casserole. Top with half the bananas, then evenly spread half of the custard on top. Repeat: wafers, bananas, pudding.
- Using a whisk or whisk attachment of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl until frothy. Add the cream of tartar or a squeeze of lemon juice. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. PRO TIP: The bowl of the mixer and whisk must be very clean and free from any fats or oils, which will deflate the meringue. Room-temperature egg whites beat better than cold. Acid helps stabilize the meringue.
- Spoon the meringue all over the warm custard, making sure the meringue touches all sides of the baking dish. Don't smooth the meringue too much; make some peaks and swoops. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool on the countertop for one hour, and refrigerate at least four hours (uncovered) before serving. Serve on its own or with crumbled vanilla wafers. This will keep for up to two days, but is best the first day.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
1 comment
Lisa Ruland
I hope you love this banana pudding as much as I do! It’s one of those “simple pleasures” desserts that everyone loves, from kids to adults–even better thanks to the homemade custard and fresh, fluffy meringue.