Homemade Banana Pudding Cups
Banana pudding is a Southern US icon, but everyone can enjoy these rich, creamy, silky banana pudding cups made from scratch. We're using fresh ingredients with lots of variations to suit your tastes. Delicious!
Servings (change as needed): 6 -8
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup graham or cookie crumbs, Note 1 (plus 2 tsps butter)
Homemade vanilla pudding
- 3 cups milk, Note 2
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, rounded (a bit more) (or up to 3/4 cup/150 g if you like it sweeter)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 egg yolks in a cup, lightly beaten with fork have this ready
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- SCALD MILK: Pour milk into a medium sauce pan. Heat to medium heat until tiny bubbles/foam appear on side of pot and milk starts steaming. The temperature on an instant read thermometer should be about 180F/82C when done (which is before the boiling point). Note 3 for microwave directions.
- COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS: In another saucepan, mix together 1/2 cup sugar (or more for sweeter), 1/3 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- MAKE PUDDING: Slowly add scalded milk to dry ingredients in pot. Heat on medium until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. This will take about 6 minutes. Cover pot and cook 2 more minutes.
- TEMPER AND ADD EGG YOLKS: Scoop about 1/2 cup/118 ml of hot pudding mixture into cup with beaten egg yolks and stir to combine well. Then add egg mixture to pudding. Cook for 1 minute.
- FINISH PUDDING: Remove pudding from heat. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until smooth. Let it sit until lukewarm.
- ASSEMBLE PUDDING CUPS: Put about 1 tablespoon graham crumbs on bottom of each cup, pressing down with your fingers or back of a measuring spoon. Add a small amount of pudding. Place 2-3 banana slices on top. Repeat with pudding-bananas-pudding-bananas -pudding. Add toppings as desired e.g. sprinkle graham crumbs and a slice of banana. Note 4 for serving options.
Notes
- Graham crumb options: if you don't want to buy a whole bag of pre-made graham cracker crumbs, here are some options:
- Buy 5-6 graham crackers at a bulk food store, blend with an immersion blender for food processor with 2 teaspoons of soft or melted butter.
- Buy a $2-3 premade packaged graham crust and use the crumbs from that.
- Use any wafer or cookie - vanilla wafer cookies, shortbread, chocolate wafers - and crush with a rolling pin or in a food processor. You'll need about 10 wafers and 2 teaspoons soft or melted butter. Skip the butter if you like.
- Milk options:
- For richer pudding use whole milk. Or replace 1/4 cup/59 ml of the 2% milk with half-and-half or heavy cream.
- Use lactose free milk for a dairy-free version.
- Scalding milk in microwave (shortcut): Place milk in a microwave-safe bowl (glass or pyrex). Microwave on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes total, stirring in between every in 30-40 seconds to distribute the heat evenly.
- Serving options
- Layer just with banana slices
- Layer with bananas and mini vanilla wafers (these will turn into a cake texture)
- Serve in small glasses, espresso cups, mini mason jars or plastic cups. Or use mini cups – like shooters.
- Use a crumb bottom as per the recipe or leave it out.
- Topping options
- Layer just with banana slices
- Layer with bananas and mini vanilla wafers (these will turn into a cake texture)
- Serve in small glasses, espresso cups, mini mason jars or plastic cups. Or use mini cups - like shooters.
- Use a crumb bottom as per the recipe or leave it out.
- Variations:
- If you don't like bananas, try coconut pudding. Stir in 1 cup/80 grams shredded coconut while heating the milk (and skip the bananas).
- Skip the graham 'crust' and just make banana pudding.
- Make ahead
- The banana pudding cups can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge or covered in plastic wrap. Place wrap directly on top of pudding to avoid a skin forming.
- Top with extra banana slices just before serving. The bananas in the pudding will start turning softer and slightly discolored after a day. So the maximum fridge time is 2 days. One is better.
- The pudding can be frozen for a few months without the bananas.
Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 1mg