Simple Banana Pudding Cups
Banana pudding is a Southern US icon, but everyone can enjoy these homemade rich, creamy, silky banana pudding cups . 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 teaspoons butter)
Homemade vanilla pudding
- 3 cups milk, Note 2
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, rounded (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 faster microwave directions.
- COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS: In another saucepan, mix together the dry ingredients.1/2 cup granulated sugar, rounded, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 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, gingersnaps, 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.
- How to scald 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
- Serve in small glasses, espresso cups, mini mason jars or plastic cups. Or use mini cups – like shooters.
- Layer just with banana slices (or go super decadent and caramelized bananas!)
- Layer with bananas and mini vanilla wafers (these will turn into a cake texture)
- Use a crumb bottom as per the recipe or leave it out.
- Topping options
- Layer just with banana slices or fresh berries.
- Layer with bananas and mini vanilla wafers (these will turn into a cake texture)
- Drizzle with caramel sauce or chocolate sauce
- Extra sliced bananas or fresh berries
- Sprinkle with toasted shredded coconut or toasted nuts
- Sprinkle with ground cinnamon or nutmeg
- 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.
- Gluten-free version: Either leave out the cookie crumbs or crush up gluten-free cookies. And use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute that contains xanthan gum or a similar binder.
- 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