Classic banana pudding is a thing of beauty: Creamy custard dotted with ripe bananas and softened wafers creates a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. In this recipe, chef Sam Fore sticks to the winning combination of vanilla pudding and bananas, but swaps out the wafer cookies for sturdier, crunchier Marie biscuits (sold in foil sleeves in almost every grocery store). She carefully layers each component into small jars that can be assembled days before serving. As the pudding sits, the cookies soften into a cake-like texture yet remain just the slightest bit crisp. Throw the jars in a cooler, take them to any tailgate or summer party, and watch as your guests beam with nostalgia. Just don’t forget the whipped cream!
What you’ll need
8-Oz. Glass Mason Jars
$10 At Amazon
Stand Mixer
$400 $380 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes (plus 2 hours for chilling)
Yield
Makes 8
Ingredients
Special equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Stir together 1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Cut 5 medium ripe bananas, peeled, lengthwise into quarters, then cut into ¼"-thick pieces. Add to bowl and gently toss to coat (make sure all of the pieces get coated to prevent excess browning). Set banana mixture aside.
Step 2
Beat one 3.4-oz. box instant vanilla pudding and pie filling and 2 cups whole milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until well combined, about 3 minutes. With motor running, add one 8-oz. package cream cheese, room temperature, about 2 oz. at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding more; beat until smooth, about 4 minutes total. Scrape pudding into a large piping bag without a tip. (Or, scrape into a large resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.)
Step 3
Line up jars on counter. Working one at a time, spoon about 1 Tbsp. reserved banana mixture into each. Pipe a thin layer of pudding over, then top with 1 whole biscuit from one 7-oz. package Marie biscuits. (If jar is too small to fit a whole cookie, break into 2 or 3 pieces and layer in.) Repeat layering process, starting with banana mixture followed by pudding and biscuit and ending with a final layer of pudding, until pudding is used up. Crush any leftover biscuits and set aside for serving. Cover jars with lids and chill at least 2 hours.
Step 4
When ready to serve, uncover and top each pudding jar with whipped cream and reserved biscuits.
Do Ahead: Pudding jars can be assembled 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Recipe notes
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