Copycat Magnolia Pudding

Have you ever had Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding? If you have, you know what we’re talking about. If you haven’t, we’re pretty sure it’s what heaven is made of! With this Copycat Magnolia Pudding recipe you will get the best layers of creamy vanilla pudding with a layer of banana slices all placed in a wide glass bowl. 

The different textures of the fresh banana slices, crunchy wafer crumbs, and creamy pudding made with instant pudding mix make for a delicious dessert recipe and a great copycat recipe of the original recipe.

Whether you’ve had the original world-famous banana pudding or just simple love pudding recipes, this is a recipe you need to make!

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our copycat Magnolia pudding recipe, you need the following ingredients:

• Liquid: for this pudding recipe you will need can of sweetened condensed milk from the baking aisle, ice water, and heavy cream or heavy whipping cream 
• Pudding: pick a pack of instant vanilla pudding mix to get the creamy pudding texture, not to be confused with the pudding that needs to be cooked
• Cookies: to get the perfect texture of this trifle dish you will need a box of Nilla wafers (or something similar)
• Fruit: you will need ripe bananas that are sliced to add the delicious banana flavor of this banana pudding
• Seasoning: cinnamon is a great way to add even more flavor like the famous magnolia pudding recipe

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• Mixing Bowl (Medium)
• Mixing Bowl (Large)
• Mixer (Hand)
• Spatula

How to Make Copycat Magnolia Pudding

1. Combine. Beat the sweetened condensed milk and ice water on medium speed with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla pudding mix and beat for another 5 minutes until the pudding has totally dissolved. 
2. Chill. Cover the pudding mixture and chill in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. You can also let it chill overnight and finish it in the morning. 
3. Make the whipped cream. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. 
4. Put it all together. Gently fold the pudding into the whipped cream until thoroughly combined (no streaks left behind). 
5. Assemble. Spread 1/3 of the pudding into the bottom of a 4-5 quart trifle bowl. Arrange a layer of Nilla wafers (laid flat) over the pudding. Follow the wafers with a single layer of sliced bananas. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Repeat and then spread a final layer of pudding over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon. 
6. Chill. Cover the pudding and chill in the fridge for 4 hours. 
7. Serve. Pull the pudding out of the fridge and uncover it. Add a couple of Nilla wafers and extra slices of banana to the top, if desired. Serve chilled.

Recipe Notes

• Substitutions for vanilla wafers: If you don’t have any vanilla wafers on hand, you can also use graham crackers in their place. 
• Type of pudding to use: Use instant vanilla pudding mix for this recipe. The instant pudding mix is much easier to make and does not require cooking. If you love chocolate, you could also use chocolate pudding in place of the vanilla pudding mix.

Storage Instructions

Place the trifle dish in the fridge and store the banana pudding for up to 3 days. Beyond this the fresh bananas will not be as tasty and the wafers will be extra mushy.

Enjoy More Delicious Pudding and Trifle Recipes

Puddings are easy enough for home cooks at any level, and they make a great dessert for any occasion. Check out our comprehensive list of all our pudding recipes!

• Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert Cups
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna
• Copycat Magnolia Pudding
• Easter Bunny Pudding Dirt Cake
• Fluffy Cream Cheese Dessert
• Halloween Graveyard Pudding Cups
• Layered Brownie Pudding Dessert
• Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Dessert
• Layered Lemon Dessert