This no bake banana pudding trifle is filled with layers of pudding, fresh bananas, sweet whipped cream, and Nilla wafer cookies. Making it in a trifle dish adds a fun twist to the classic dessert and it’s pretty to look at too! The best part is that it’s made with 6 simple ingredients and only takes 20 minutes from start to finish.
Talk about a perfect dessert when you want something sweet that is no bake, easy to put together, and can be served year round. This easy recipe is also perfect for special occasions like a baby shower or family gathering because it’s so beautiful.
Normally trifles are made with chunks of pound cake or angel food cake (like my raspberry trifle), but the main goal is to present a layered dessert where you can see the different ingredients. If banans are your jam, too, try my banana buttermilk pancakes, tonga toast, and banana cream cheesecake.
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🍌 Ingredients:
- cream cheese – soften at room temperature for easy incorporation into the pudding
- milk – we used whole milk for richness, but you can use your preferred milk
- banana cream instant pudding mix – we like the extra banana flavor, using a vanilla pudding would also work fine, the banana flavor would just be more mellow
- whipped cream – see the tips section for how to make whipped cream, use Cool Whip if you need something pre-made.
- bananas – you want them to be ripe, but not brown. Toss peeled bananas in a bit of lemon juice to slow down oxidation (browning).
- Nilla wafers – this is a name brand and is our favorite. You could also use any vanilla cookies that are similar.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
We like adding slices of fresh bananas and crushed cookies on top of the homemade banana pudding.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cool Whip – if you prefer to skip the homemade whipped cream, use thawed whipped topping instead.
- Individual trifles – you can also make this layered banana pudding trifle in small glasses or mason jars for individual servings. This is a great idea if you don’t have a trifle dish or want a contained way to serve the dish at a party or event.
- Instant vanilla pudding – Instant vanilla or homemade vanilla pudding can be used in place of the banana cream pudding.
- Shortbread cookies – I have seen some banana pudding recipes use Chessmen cookies instead of the wafers.
- Top with toasted walnuts for crunch and added flavor.
- A drizzle of brown sugar caramel sauce would be delicious between the layers or over the top of the trifle.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese at medium speed in a large bowl until smooth.
Step 2: Slowly mix in the cold milk to the cream cheese. Add a little at a time. If the milk is closer to room temperature, it will combine more smoothly with the cream cheese. Then switch to a whisk to continue mixing to reduce the splatter.
Step 3: Sprinkle the banana cream pudding mix over top of the milk and mix until it thickens.
Step 4: Fold a cup of whipped cream in.
Pro Tip: Switching to a whisk will keep from making a mess and keep all of the ingredients in the bowl.
Step 5: Slice 2 ripe bananas and fold into the pudding mixture.
Step 6: Add ⅓ of the pudding mixture to the bottom of the trifle dish. Then layer the ⅓ of the leftover whipped cream on top of the pudding. Add a layer of vanilla wafers, crushed. We used about 1.5 cups. Place whole vanilla wafer cookies around the perimeter of the glass trifle bowl for a more decorative look after the first layer of whip cream and pudding. Continue with a second layer of pudding, whip cream, and cookies.
Step 7: Then place banana slices around the perimeter of the bowl. Layer the remaining portions of pudding and whipped cream.
SERVE: Decorate the top of the trifle with more banana slices and crushed vanilla wafers.
Recipe Tips for Banana Trifle
- The slices of banana that are mixed into the pudding will stay fresh for several days when refrigerated. For the layer of banana slices around the edges or those on top, I recommend tossing them in a teaspoon of lemon juice to prevent brown spots.
- If you don’t have a trifle dish, use a large glass bowl, punch bowl, or mixing bowl. You could also make it in a casserole dish, but trifles are the prettiest when you can see all of the layers.
- To make whipped cream, beat 32 ounces of heavy cream in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Add ¾ cups of sugar or powdered sugar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Do not overmix.
- If you plan to serve the trifle the next day, I recommend using the wafers around the sides versus the banana slices. Add fresh banana slices to the top just before serving.
Fun Fact
Banana pudding is considered a classic southern dessert because the fruit wasn’t always available in every state. But with the south being close to the ports of Latin America and the Caribbean, there was usually more of an influx in the this region. – Southern Living
Recipe FAQs
Cover the trifle dish with plastic wrap or transfer the dessert to an airtight container and into the refrigerator for 3 days.
Most trifle recipes can be made ahead of time, it really depends on the liquid ingredients because those that contain cake can become soggy.
More Beautiful and Delicious Trifle Recipes
If you tried this Banana Pudding Trifle Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Banana Pudding Trifle
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 cups whole milk
- 5.1 oz. banana cream instant pudding mix
- 8 cups whipped cream 32 oz. whipped and sweetened
- 3 large bananas
- 11 oz. box Nilla wafers
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Slowly begin beating the milk into the cream cheese. Mix in a little milk at a time until mixture is smooth and creamy. As you add more milk, switch to a whisk to mix in the rest to minimize splatter.
- Sprinkle pudding mix over the milk mixture and whisk for several minutes until mixture thickens.
- Fold in 1 cup whipped cream.
- Slice 2 bananas and fold the pieces into the pudding mixture.
- Build the trifle by layering ⅓ of the pudding mixture, ⅓ of the remaining whipped cream, and 1 ½ cups of crushed Nilla wafers per layer. We made three layers each of pudding and whipped cream and two layers of Nilla wafers.
- After the first layer of pudding and whipped cream, place whole Nilla wafers around the perimeter of the trifle bowl if you’d like a decorative look to the trifle. After the second layer of pudding, whipped cream, and cookies, place a circle of banana slices (use the remaining banana) for another decorative touch.
- Layer the third and final portions of pudding and whipped cream.
- Place a couple whole Nilla wafers and some crumbles on top for decoration.
Notes
Nutrition
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