If you’ve ever had a good old-fashioned banana pudding, you know the magic of creamy layers, sweet fruit, and soft vanilla wafers. But when you add fresh strawberries into the mix? Game changer. This Strawberry Banana Pudding is a fruity, luscious twist on a classic Southern favorite. It’s no-bake, easy to assemble, and absolutely perfect for potlucks, holidays, or those warm-weather days when you need something cool and indulgent.
It’s become one of my go-to desserts when I want to impress without a ton of effort—and it’s guaranteed to disappear fast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No baking required – just layer, chill, and enjoy
- Creamy texture with bursts of fresh fruit
- Classic banana pudding vibes with a berry-bright twist
- Feeds a crowd and keeps well in the fridge
- Easy to make ahead for stress-free entertaining
Ingredients
(Serves 10–12 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Chill Time: 2+ hours)
- 2 boxes Vanilla Wafers
- 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
- 2 cups milk (whole or 2% recommended)
- 1 (5 oz.) box French Vanilla pudding mix (instant)
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (or 3 cups sweetened whipped cream)
- 1 container fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
How I Make It (Step-by-Step)
1. Layer the Cookies and Bananas
In a 13×9-inch dish, line the bottom with one box of vanilla wafers.
Top with a single layer of sliced bananas. (I like to overlap them slightly so every bite gets banana.)
2. Make the Pudding Base
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and French vanilla pudding mix until smooth and starting to thicken. Set aside to finish setting while you make the filling.
3. Whip the Cream Cheese Mixture
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together until silky and smooth. No lumps—you want this base ultra-creamy.
Gently fold in the whipped topping (or homemade whipped cream) until fully combined.
4. Combine and Layer
Stir the pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture until well blended.
Pour this creamy filling over the banana and cookie layer, spreading evenly with a spatula.
Sprinkle a generous layer of chopped fresh strawberries over the top.
Then, add the remaining vanilla wafers in a single layer to finish it off. You can arrange them in a neat grid or just scatter them evenly.
5. Chill and Serve
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours—overnight is even better. This gives the wafers time to soften slightly and the flavors to come together.
When ready to serve, scoop into bowls or cut into squares, making sure each serving gets a bit of everything—pudding, banana, strawberry, and cookie.
Tips & Customizations
- Use firm, ripe bananas—they hold their shape better and won’t brown too quickly.
- Switch up the fruit: Blueberries, raspberries, or even mango chunks work beautifully.
- Make it extra-decadent with a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce on top.
- Want a showstopper look? Layer it in a trifle dish for a stunning centerpiece dessert.
Final Thoughts
This Strawberry Banana Pudding is the kind of dessert that turns heads and gets second helpings. It’s sweet, fruity, creamy, and nostalgic all at once. Whether you’re making it for Sunday dinner or your next backyard BBQ, you’ll want to save a scoop for yourself—because it goes fast.
Best part? You can make it the day before, so you can focus on everything else while this beauty chills in the fridge, waiting to steal the spotlight.
Strawberry Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas, sliced
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 (5 oz) package vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vanilla pudding mix and milk until smooth and thick.
- Fold in the whipped topping and vanilla extract until well combined.
- In a trifle dish or a large serving bowl, layer half of the vanilla wafers on the bottom.
- Add half of the sliced bananas and half of the sliced strawberries on top of the wafers.
- Spread half of the pudding mixture over the fruit layer.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining wafers, bananas, strawberries, and pudding mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.
- Garnish with fresh strawberries before serving.
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