Southern Vegan Banana Pudding (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)

A 100% homemade, from-scratch, Southern Vegan Banana Pudding! This gluten-free, allergy-free, sugar-free twist on the old-fashioned classic dessert is too easy not to make! A no-bake recipe with layers of vanilla wafers, banana slices, vanilla pudding, and sweet creamy fluff!

Not to be confused with banana cream pie; banana pudding holds its own in cool, creamy sweet Southern desserts! Crunchy sweet vanilla wafer cookies, slices of fresh banana, creamy vanilla pudding, and sweet whipped cream. Let the layers mingle together in the fridge, the cookies soften, and you have a dreamy scoop of no-bake heaven to serve up to your guests. Here’s a twist…let’s take the old-fashioned classic and make it vegan, gluten-free, and top allergen-free!

What is banana pudding?

This no-bake dessert is a staple down south. It’s similar to a trifle, typically served in a trifle or casserole dish too. Depending on your family’s preferences, you may have grown-up with your Southern grandma baking the assembled pudding or taking on the refrigerator method. It really is simple to make. Classicly with Nilla Wafers (the specific brand that made this dessert popular!) or ladyfingers, bananas, vanilla pudding or custard, and homemade whipped topping or meringue. These components are layered up to fill the serving dish and either baked or broiled for a browned top or left to soften and infuse in the fridge. The earliest iteration of the recipe dates back to 1903 in “The Kentucky Receipt Book,” by Mary Harris Frazer, but didn’t have any cookies.

Is banana pudding served hot or cold?

Depending on the method you chose, it can be either. If you opted for a meringue top and gave it a quick broil to brown or poped the assembled dish in the oven for 10-15 minutes (essentially roasted the bananas and making the layers one creamy mash, eating it warm works! Some say that’s the “traditional Southern way” to eat it, but the most popular method, beyond the South, is eating it cool from the fridge! Serving it cold allows you to make it ahead of time and gives more time for the cookies to soften and flavors to infuse.

How to make vegan banana pudding

Since we’re taking the classic and making it vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-free, this banana pudding is going to be 100% from-scratch. While it may take a bit more prep work, it’s still such an easy recipe! Believe me, you will LOVE the end result (even if you’re not vegan!)

Ingredients for vegan banana pudding:

• Homemade Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafer Cookies
• Ripe (not too ripe) Bananas
• Homemade Vanilla Pudding
• Homemade Fluff Topping

Prepping these essential components ahead of time works best. Then the night before you’d like to serve your vegan banana pudding, layer it all up minus the topping of crumbles cookie and exposed banana slices.

How to layer banana pudding

Start with a layer of vanilla cookies, then banana slices, then a layer of vanilla pudding. Repeat this 3 layer order until you get to just about the top of your serving dish. The final layer will be your whipped cream topping. For the final touch, add extra crumbled vanilla cookies and fresh banana slices!

How to keep your bananas from browning

When I say use “not too ripe” bananas, I mean use bananas like a perfectly yellow without tons of browning peel. Of course, the moment you peel and slice a banana, exposing it to air, it will brown (unless you treat it with citric acid of citrus!). The bananas “in” the pudding gets covered by the vanilla pudding keeping them from being completely brown and slowing the process. To keep the “garnish” top layer of banans prime for serving, just keep one unpeeled banana on hand and add those slices right before serving!

How to make quick and easy pudding for southern banana pudding

Now, you can’t have a southern banana pudding without a good pudding! Did you know that the pudding isn’t banana flavor? The only banana flavor this dessert gets is from the actual banana slices…who knew? The over-arching flavor is vanilla, but when the dish is fully assembled and allows to “marinate” that’s when the banana flavor infuses throughout the entire dish. It’s even more pronounced if you go with the baking method.

Vegan Vanilla Pudding:

• Carton Non-Dairy Milk (Something like coconut or thicker nut milk will work; whatever you typically buy at the store for your family. You can use sweetened or unsweetened. If you use sweetened, you can cut down on the additional sweetener used in the pudding).
• Granulated Sweetener
• Cornstarch OR Arrowroot Starch (if you can’t do corn)
• Pure Vanilla Extract

Super simple ingredients for a dairy-free and egg-free pudding (I was shocked too!). Bring it all to a boil on the stove, then simmer it for a good 10ish minutes until it thickens up (whisking it frequently). Let it cool a bit before cooling it completely in the fridge. This allows it to thicken up even more, so don’t be worried if your pudding seems a bit thin and runny. It will thicken over time.

Options for topping banana pudding

A 100% homemade banana pudding, meaning everything is from scratch, calls for some homemade whipped topping! To do that we’re breaking out the sugar-free vegan marshmallow fluff recipe. This is always my go-to for a whipped topping (s’mores parfait, anyone?). However, if you don’t want to use aquafaba or you don’t have a good mixer, then you have some other options…

• Homemade Sugar-Free Vegan Fluff
• Homemade Whipped Coconut Topping
• Store-Bought Cocowhip (So Delicious brand)
• Store-Bought Vegan Whipped Cream (many brands and options)

What is banana pudding served in?

You have some options here. And by options, I mean you can use almost anything you have in the pantry! It all depends on how you want to serve it up. All in one: use a fancy glass trifle dish, vintage ceramic/glass square/round bakeware. Single-serve: ramekins, mason jars, or mini glass trifle or pudding dishes.

How long does banana pudding last?

Storing your finished vegan banana pudding in the fridge, covered, it should last a good 3-4 days. If you bake it and forgo our no-bake method, then quality-wise it should be eaten within 2 days (and warmed).

Gluten-Free Banana Pudding

A perfect, no-bake Southern dessert…minus the baking of homemade gluten-free vanilla wafers! These cookies are so easy to bake ahead of time, so don’t worry (plus, they’re only 6 ingredients!) These gluten-free “Nilla Wafers” get perfectly soft over time and soak up all the delicious fresh banana flavor. SO good! Add the slight crunch of the cookie with the soft creaminess of the bananas and vegan pudding; it’s heaven!

More No-Bake Desserts:

• No-Bake Gluten-Free S’mores Parfait
• Homemade Gluten-Free Rice Krispie Treats
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Skewers
• 2-Ingredient No-Bake Cupcakes
• 3-Ingredient Maple Tahini Freezer Fudge

Southern Vegan Banana Pudding

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Dive right in…I know you want to! Vegan banana pudding is great for serving to a crowd or just to a small few! That’s the beauty of being able to make this Southern dessert in any serving vessel and/or scoop out just the amount you want to eat (which will be a lot…trust me!)

So tell me:

+ What’s your favorite no-bake dessert (ice cream doesn’t count!)

 

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