Homemade 4 Ingredient Banana Pudding (Easy Recipe) 

Creamy banana pudding made with simple ingredients. This homemade 4 ingredient banana pudding is a delicious dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.  

Why You’ll Love This Easy Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe

Real Ingredients: Every “easy banana pudding recipe” I could find was made with instant pudding mix and cool whip. And sure, if you want an easy no-bake banana pudding recipe, there are loads of them out there to choose from.

However, this recipe is made with real ingredients: sugar, banana simple syrup, milk, and cornstarch. You know exactly what’s in this creamy pudding and don’t have to worry about any fake stuff that comes with a box of pudding. (Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against boxed pudding, I just prefer to make it myself if I can!) 

Real Banana Flavor: You want to know one of my least favorite flavors? FAKE banana. No, thank you. I’m barely a real banana fan, let alone a fake banana flavor fan. But I love homemade banana cream pudding. It’s slowly becoming one of my favorite desserts. This banana pudding tastes like real bananas!  

Easy to Make Classic Southern Dessert: Banana pudding is such a classic Southern dessert. You can find it everywhere. And every place has its own signature recipe. Some use sweetened condensed milk, some use egg whites—it can get pretty intense, and all super delicious. This version allows you to make a simple version of this great dessert at home.  

Looking for more low-ingredient desserts? Check out this 2 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse or this 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Banana Simple Syrup –  This is the key ingredient to give you that real banana flavor. It’s a separate step but it really is the star of the show. Plus, it stores well in the fridge if you want to add it to milkshakes, ice cream, or other desserts, like this Nutella Banana Cream Pie.

Cornstarch – Cornstarch is the main thickening agent used in the pudding mixture. This recipe calls for a quarter of a cup which, combined with the fat from the milk, allows the pudding to set while giving it a creamy, smooth texture. It’s similar to the chocolate pudding used in these Chocolate Trifles.

Variations & Substitutions

Milk: You can use any type of milk to make pudding. I used 2% milk to make this recipe, but I’ve also used non-dairy milk before. A couple of things to note about the type of milk you use. Whole milk will create a rich-tasting pudding and will easily set in the fridge. Using 2%, 1% or even skim milk will also work without adding any additional thickening agents.

If using non-dairy milk, like almond milk or oat milk, you will want to up the cornstarch to 1/3 of a cup to help the pudding keep its shape. You could also use coconut milk but be aware that it will give your pudding a coconut flavor. 

Additional toppings: While this pudding recipe only has four ingredients, it doesn’t mean you only have to use four when assembling! Add a layer of vanilla wafers, a layer of banana slices, and top with homemade whipped cream. I mean, that’s pretty much the perfect dessert in my opinion. 😉 

How to Make 4 Ingredient Banana Pudding

Step 1: Whisk together the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cornstarch in a large bowl. Stir in the 2 cups of cold milk and the 1/4 of cooled banana simple syrup. 

Step 2: Pour the pudding mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken, stirring constantly. The pudding should coat the back of a spoon. 

Pro tip: When cooking pudding or custard, you need to be patient. The pudding will be thin until it isn’t and it once it starts to thicken it only needs about 2-3 more minutes. Don’t worry! It will get thick!  

Step 3: Pour the cooked pudding into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator to cool. It will be ready to go in about 2 hours. 

This is the perfect make-ahead dessert for parties or family gatherings because you can make the pudding the night before and not have to worry about over-ripe bananas. Assemble it on the day of the event and you are good to go! 

How to Make Banana Simple Syrup

This banana simple syrup recipe is from I Am Baker and it is so easy to make. Plus, it creates a seriously delicious banana pudding. 

First, in a small saucepan, add the sugar and the water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Then, add those sweet banana slices, cover, and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes. This process infuses the banana flavor into the syrup. 

Finally, strain out the pieces of banana so you’re left with only the syrup. You make get a stay piece of banana or two in the syrup and that’s okay. Be sure to store it in an airtight container and it will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.  

Yield

This recipe makes 4 cups of the best banana pudding. Or two large servings. 😉 It will also fill one banana cream pie. 

Storage Tips

Cover with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and it will keep for 2-3 days. 

Frequently Asked Questions