Strawberry Banana Pudding

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Strawberry Banana Pudding adds bright strawberries and fluff to an old-fashioned favorite to create a tasty pudding cup for kids and grown-ups

Jar of Strawberry Banana Pudding with a spoon.

Pudding Cups for Big Kids

Lady Mae, our beautiful milk cow on the farm, makes sure we have lots of milk for most of the year.

So recipes that utilize milk are common go-to's here. I love the original recipe for homemade pudding using egg yolks and the whole deal, but this quick pudding recipe is a great dessert that whips up with very little effort.

Strawberry Banana Pudding uses up some milk and is fun for kids and grown-ups when made in pudding cup style.

Layer Nilla Wafers, banana slices, strawberry slices, and fluffy banana pudding.

Mason jar full of Strawberry Banana Pudding.

Pro Tips

I often make homemade whipped cream using heavy cream, to stir into the pudding, but using Cool Whip makes the recipe easier.

Eat this pudding quickly as the sliced bananas don't stay fresh for much more than a day or two.

Frozen or fresh strawberries work equally well. If it's in season, use fresh. Otherwise, save some money and use frozen.

Skip the hand mixer for this recipe. A mixing bowl and rubber spatula is all the tools you will need.

Ingredients

Simple ingredients for a quick and lovable dessert that's ready in minutes.

Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix--Use the instant variety for the quickest results.
Whole Milk--Cow milk is our go-to, but use the variety you prefer.
Whipped Topping or Homemade Whipped Cream
Bananas--Slice right before building your pudding cups for freshest results.
Strawberries--Real strawberries make this dish a standout next to traditional banana pudding.
Vanilla Wafers--The old-fashioned standard.
Small clear plastic cups or jelly jars--six to 8-ounce size is ideal

How to Make Banana Strawberry Pudding

For this crowd pleaser, follow this simple recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cold milk into the instant vanilla pudding mix as directed on the pudding box.

Allow the pudding to set up in the refrigerator for 5 minutes or so.

Gently fold the whipped topping into the pudding. Being careful not to eliminate the fluffiness.

Slice the bananas and the strawberries.

Mixing whipped topping into pudding mixture.

In a small clear plastic or glass cup layer the dessert in the following order:

Vanilla Wafer Cookies
Banana slices
Strawberry slices
Creamy pudding

Then repeat the layer. Make sure you end with fluffy pudding and place a cookie on top of the pudding.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to cool and set up.

Pudding in a plastic cup topped with a vanilla wafer, banana slice, and strawberry.

FAQ

How do I keep bananas from turning brown in my banana pudding?

Eat it fast! Well... that's the easiest way, but you should cut your bananas as close to serving time as possible. You can dip your bananas in a lemon juice bath, but they can sometimes get soggy then.

Completely covering the banana slices with pudding does help the bananas stay fresh longer. But eat this dessert quickly.

Is it ok to eat brown bananas in banana pudding?

Yes, the quality does diminish, but the bananas are safe to eat when they are brown.

How long does banana pudding last in the fridge?

Eat these little pudding cups up quickly as the bananas don't hold up well for very long. They are really best eaten the same day.

Can I make this easy strawberry banana pudding recipe in a square pan?

Sure! You can make it in one 9x9 baking dish if you prefer. I like the clear plastic cups for individual servings because I think the look of pudding layers topped with ripe bananas and graham crackers.

Variations

The strawberry and banana mixed with vanilla pudding is delicious. However, get creative on the layers to fit your taste and many different ways to make pudding cups.

Vary the fruit--Mix it up with blueberries or blackberries in place of the strawberries.

Vary the pudding mix--Cheesecake, chocolate, banana cream, coconut cream, etc. Use your imagination!

Vary the cookies--Any crunchy cookie would work including Oreos, Lorna Doone, Biscoff, etc.

Equipment

If you're taking these pudding cups to go, consider grabbing plastic cups with lids. This helps contain the mess of an accidental tip over while delivering.

I like mixing this recipe up by hand using my favorite whisk and mixing bowl.

Storage

Eat these little pudding cups up quickly as the bananas don't hold up well for very long. They are really best eaten the same day.

Serving Ideas

Strawberry Banana Pudding is one of my daughter's favorite things to share. They are perfect for a picnic or take-along to a BBQ. Or a fun weeknight dessert.

The updated old-fashioned flavors pair nicely with our Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burgers or Porky Burgers.

Related Recipes

A few other fast and easy desserts to give a try:

Oreo Mug Cake

Applesauce Jello

DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?

Lastly, if you made Strawberry Banana Pudding following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag me on Instagram! Seeing your photos is my favorite thing!

FOOD SAFETY

Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.