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A slice of layered Banana Pudding Lush dessert topped with whipped cream and crushed cookies on a white plate.
Daniel

Banana Pudding Lush

Creamy layers of vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, and a buttery Nilla wafer crust come together in this no-bake Southern dream dessert.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Crust
  • 2.5 cups Nilla wafers crushed, about 60 cookies
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
For the Cream Cheese Layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream cold, whipped to stiff peaks
For the Pudding Layer
  • 5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding mix two 3.4-oz boxes, or one large box
  • 3 cups whole milk cold
For Assembly
  • 4 large ripe bananas sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 cup Nilla wafers whole, for topping

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Electric Mixer
  • Medium saucepan

Method
 

Make the Crust
  1. Stir together crushed Nilla wafers and melted butter until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish. Chill while you prepare the filling.
Make the Cream Cheese Layer
  1. Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl once.
  2. In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold half the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain. Spread evenly over the chilled crust.
Make the Pudding Layer
  1. Whisk pudding mix and cold milk together for 2 minutes until thickened. Let stand 5 minutes to set up further. Spread over the cream cheese layer.
Assemble and Chill
  1. Arrange banana slices in a single layer over the pudding, pressing them in slightly. Top with whole Nilla wafers. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for the flavors to meld and the layers to set.

Notes

Use bananas that are ripe with brown spots but still firm - overripe bananas will turn mushy and weep. For the cleanest slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe clean between cuts. This keeps beautifully for 2 days; after that the bananas begin to darken though it still tastes great.