Introduction: Simply Amazing Banana Pudding

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Simply Amazing Banana Pudding features a cookie crust layer made up of vanilla wafers. If you want your dish to be the one that everyone's talking about at your next event.... I invite you to try this delicious and fun to make recipe. With each creation of this dish I continue to tweak it with small variations and creating personal touches. I'm always amazed with the results and it's truly a banana-lovers dream!!!

Step 1: Ingredients

Gather and measure out the following ingredients:
* 3 cups of cold milk
* 1 TSP of vanilla extract
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Additional ingredients required to set aside:

* 5 large bananas, sliced
* 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers

Servings: 12


Step 2: Mix It Up

Take the block of cream cheese and blend in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. After reaching a fluffy consistency, gather the additional ingredients that make up the filling: condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla extract into your large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Perfect the Mixture

Continue mixing until you notice a beautiful spreadable texture. I like to use a 5-Speed Hand Mixer and gradually go from a medium speed to high.

Step 4: Form the Crust

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. It's important to line the dish completely with wafers leaving very little open space. This bottom layer of wafers eventually serves as the crust upon the application of the additional layers to come.

Step 5: Fill It and Lay It

Take the filling from your large mixing bowl and slowly spread over the wafers with an even distribution from right to left.

Step 6: Now Whip It

Take the the other half of the remaining whipped topping and spread over the filling and for smooth results try using a cake spatula. After this layer is applied, there should still be a little whipped cream left over. Set aside the remaining whipped topping left in the container.

Step 7: Bring on the Bananas

Arrange sliced bananas evenly around the perimeter of the pan and place them row by row across the entire dish.

Step 8: Whip and Sprinkle

Finally take the last bit of whipped cream and spread across the layer of bananas. The bananas will tend to darken the second day so this coating is also protective. Additionally, everything tastes better with a little whipped cream on top. Next, you will need to take a handful of wafers crush them all the way up and sprinkle on top.

Quick Tip: I like to use my NutriBullet Blender for a refined cookie crumble.

Chill for three hours until serving.

*Additional Tips*

  • A friend told told me if you soak the bananas in acidulated water it prevents them from turning brown.
  • For a reduced fat version, you can also opt for light cream cheese, 1% milk, sugar free pudding and light whipped cream.

Step 9: Finished

Voilà, all done!