Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding Recipe

Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding Recipe is a classic American dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. This chilled treat uses a stovetop custard base enriched with cream cheese and finished with billowy whipped cream.

If you do nothing else, make sure the custard base is completely cold before you start layering the pudding. I learned this the hard way when I rushed it once and the heat turned my whipped cream into a soupy mess. That’s the difference between a clean, layered dessert and a bowl of sweet liquid.

The cream cheese is doing more work than you’d think in this version of the recipe. It adds a slight tang that cuts through the sugar and helps the pudding hold its shape when you spoon it out. I usually make this for Sunday lunch because it tastes even better if you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.

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Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding Recipe Ingredients

For the Pudding

• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• 45g (1.5oz) plain flour
• 750ml (1.3 pints) full-fat milk
• 4 large egg yolks, beaten
• 45g (1.5oz) butter
• 60g (2oz) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Layers and Topping

• 200g (7oz) vanilla wafers (about 48 biscuits)
• 2 large ripe bananas, sliced
• 250ml (9fl oz) double cream
• 1 tsp caster sugar

How To Make Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding Recipe

1. Thicken the base: Whisk the caster sugar, plain flour, and full-fat milk together in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to stop it catching on the bottom of the pan. Keep heating until the liquid starts to bubble and becomes a thick, smooth sauce.
2. Temper the eggs: Pour about 125ml (4fl oz) of the hot milk mixture into the bowl with your beaten egg yolks whilst whisking quickly. Pour this thinned egg mixture back into the main saucepan and cook for 2 more minutes. Keep stirring until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Add richness and chill: Take the pan off the hob and stir in the butter, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract until the mixture is glossy. Transfer the pudding to a clean glass bowl and press a piece of clingfilm directly onto the surface. Put it in the fridge until it is stone cold to the touch.
4. Whip the cream: Pour the double cream and the teaspoon of sugar into a large chilled bowl and whisk until it forms soft peaks. Stop as soon as the whisk leaves a trail in the cream that holds its shape.
5. Layer and serve: Line the bottom of a glass dish with a third of the vanilla wafers and half of the banana slices. Spread half of the cold custard over the top and repeat the layers once more, finishing with the remaining biscuits and the whipped cream. Chill the dish in the fridge for at least 3 hours so the biscuits can soften.

Recipe Tips

• Choose the right bananas. Use fruit that has a few brown spots on the skin but is still firm to the touch. Green bananas are too starchy and hard, whilst overripe black ones will turn into mush and make the pudding watery.
• Beat the cream cheese first. If your cream cheese is even slightly cold, it will leave tiny white lumps in your smooth custard. Give it a quick whisk on its own before adding it to the hot pudding base to make sure it incorporates fully.
• Prevent a skin forming. Do not just cover the bowl with clingfilm; you must press the plastic right against the hot custard. This stops the air from reaching the surface and creating a chewy, rubbery layer on top of your pudding.
• Time your assembly. This dessert is best eaten between 4 and 12 hours after you build it. If you eat it too soon, the biscuits stay crunchy, but if you leave it longer than a day, the bananas will start to turn grey.
• Use a clear glass dish. Half the appeal of this recipe is seeing the distinct layers of biscuits, fruit, and cream. A glass trifle bowl or a deep rectangular Pyrex dish works best for showing off the construction.

What To Serve With Banana Pudding

This is a heavy, sweet dessert that works best after a salty main course like fried chicken or roast pork. It pairs well with a sharp cup of black coffee or a glass of cold full-fat milk to balance the sugar.

If you want to add more texture, serve it with a few extra crushed biscuits on top or some toasted pecans. A handful of fresh raspberries on the side adds a bit of acidity that helps cut through the thick custard.

How To Store Banana Pudding

• Fridge: Keep the pudding in the fridge at all times, covered tightly with clingfilm or a lid. It will stay fresh for up to 2 days, but the bananas will naturally soften and brown the longer they sit in the custard.
• Reheat: This dish must be served cold and should never be reheated. Heating the pudding will melt the whipped cream and cause the custard base to split into an oily mess.
• Freeze: Do not freeze this recipe. The custard will lose its smooth texture and become grainy when it thaws, and the bananas will turn black and slimy once they hit room temperature.

Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 425
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Sugar: 34g
• Sodium: 180mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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