This creamy no-bake dessert stars classic banana pudding, layered with freshly sliced bananas, crunchy vanilla wafers and homemade salted caramel sauce, which adds the perfect twist to this southern-inspired sweet.
Layer into a large trifle dish for a stunning centerpiece or portion it into individual parfait glasses for an elegant touch.
Table of Contents
This Banana Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce is my husband’s all-time favorite dessert. It’s his #1 request for his birthday every year. The combination of the creamy banana pudding and the sweet and salty caramel sauce is a match made in heaven.
I’ve been making this recipe for over a decade and it’s always a hit!
This Banana Pudding Recipe Is:
- No-bake.
- Incredibly easy.
- Sweet and salty.
- Cool and creamy.
- Elevated to gourmet status with the addition of a silky salted caramel sauce.
- Easily customizable with your favorite toppings, such as homemade whipped cream or toasted nuts.
- Make-ahead friendly.
For the salted caramel sauce:
- Sugar: Unlike butterscotch sauce that is made with brown sugar, traditional caramel sauce is made with white sugar.
- Unsalted butter: Bring your butter to room temp and cut it into cubes before adding it to the caramel mixture. This helps with the emulsification process, where the fat in the butter combines with the sugar and cream to create a silky-smooth texture.
- Heavy cream: Adding cold heavy cream to hot caramel can cause the mixture to bubble vigorously, so I recommend bringing your cream to room temp to help reduce bubbling and ensure smoother incorporation.
- Sea salt: I originally developed this recipe with large-flake sea salt, however, if you prefer to use kosher salt, I’d recommend starting with ½ teaspoon. Note: Table salt is much finer than large-flake salt, so you’ll need to use much, much less otherwise your caramel sauce will be WAY TOO SALTY.
For the banana pudding:
- Whole milk: Creates a rich and creamy base for the pudding. You can probably substitute other milks, but I can’t guarantee you’ll have the same results.
- Instant pudding: I like to use one box of vanilla and one box of instant banana pudding. Make sure to use instant pudding mix rather than cook-and-serve pudding for this recipe.
- Cream cheese: This needs to be fully at room temp before using to avoid a lumpy pudding.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and creaminess to the pudding, making it lusciously thick and rich.
- Cold heavy cream: Whip it until stiff peaks form, then gently fold it into the pudding mixture. This adds lightness and airiness to the dessert. Pro Tip: Chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator before whipping the cream to help it whip faster and achieve stiff peaks.
- Bananas: For the best flavor and sweetness, I recommend using just ripe bananas that are yellow and have minimal brown spots. Overripe bananas are great for moist banana bread, but they’ll be too soft here.
- Nilla Wafers: You can use any type of vanilla wafer or shortbread cookie for this recipe, or even graham crackers for a different twist.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This recipe consists of two parts – the salted caramel sauce and the homemade banana pudding.
1. Make the Salted Caramel Sauce
Just like when making homemade caramels, it’s important to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan made of a material that conducts heat evenly, like stainless steel or copper. Avoid using a nonstick pan as the high temperature required to make the sauce could ruin it.
- Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the sugar until it begins to melt and darken in color, about 10 minutes. If chunks form, continue stirring until they dissolve.
Pro Tip: Avoid vigorous stirring, as this can cause sugar crystals to form and result in a grainy texture. Keep a close eye on the sugar as it caramelizes, as it can quickly go from golden to burnt. The color should turn amber, indicating it’s ready.
- Stop stirring and let the sugar cook, undisturbed, until it turns amber in color, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the melted sugar from the heat and whisk in the butter until combined, then slowly and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. It will bubble vigorously. Stir in the sea salt then transfer the caramel to a glass container to cool while you prepare the pudding.
2. Make the Banana Pudding
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk with the instant vanilla and banana pudding mixes.
- In a separate medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and condensed milk.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. You can do this with a hand mixer, too.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
Pro Tip: Be gentle! A light touch helps keep the whipped cream nice and airy, giving your pudding that dreamy texture we all love.
- Stir the cream cheese mixture into the pudding until well combined. Refrigerate the pudding until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, place a layer of Nilla Wafers on the bottom of your serving dish, and then top the wafers with a layer of the pudding, followed by a layer of sliced bananas and a drizzle of the salted caramel sauce. Repeat the layers as needed.
- When making caramel, it’s really important to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and to never turn your back on the sugar. It can change from amber to black in a second!
- This recipe will yield about 1 cup of caramel. Use a portion of it with the pudding and save the rest, stored in an airtight container in the fridge, for vanilla ice cream sundaes … or for eating by the spoonful.
- The amount of Nilla Wafers you will need depends on how you serve the pudding. You can serve the pudding in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, or make individual banana puddings in your desired serving dishes, such as mason jars, tall glasses or ramekins.
- While the pudding can technically be served immediately, it tastes best when chilled for a minimum of 1 hour.
You can easily make this dessert ahead of time by preparing the components separately and assembling them just before serving. I repeat: DO NOT assemble the layers until just before serving or you’ll end up with soggy Nilla Wafers and brown bananas.
- Salted caramel sauce – this can be made up to two weeks in advance. Store it in an airtight container (I like to use a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid) in your refrigerator. I recommend gently reheating the sauce in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until warm and pourable.
- Banana pudding – this can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Common Questions
Separation can occur if the sauce goes through a quick temperature change. For example, it could be that the sauce was too warm when it was transferred to the fridge. However, the sauce should re-emulsify when it is warmed.
In banana pudding, the bananas are typically coated with a layer of pudding, which helps to prevent them from turning brown. Alternatively, you can toss the bananas in a little lemon juice or pineapple juice. These acidic ingredients slow down the browning process by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for browning in bananas when they are exposed to air.
Sure! The flavor will differ from making the whipped cream from scratch, but Cool Whip is a suitable swap to save a few minutes.
Sure! Shortbread cookies, graham crackers, animal crackers or butter cookies would all be delicious swaps for the Nilla Wafers.
Ingredients
For the salted caramel:
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
For the banana pudding:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 (3.4-oz.) box instant vanilla pudding
- 1 (3.4-oz.) box instant banana pudding
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 6 large bananas, sliced
- Nilla Wafers or shortbread cookies (See Kelly’s Notes)
Instructions
Make the salted caramel:
- Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the sugar until it begins to melt and darken in color, about 10 minutes. (If chunks form, continue stirring until they dissolve.) Stop stirring and let the sugar cook, undisturbed, until it turns amber in color, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the melted sugar from the heat and whisk in the butter until combined, then slowly and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. (It will bubble vigorously.) Stir in the sea salt then transfer the caramel to a glass container to cool while you prepare the pudding.
Make the banana pudding:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk with the instant vanilla and banana pudding mixes.
- In a separate medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and condensed milk.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Stir the cream cheese mixture into the pudding until well combined. Refrigerate the pudding until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, place a layer of Nilla Wafers on the bottom of your serving dish, and then top the wafers with a layer of the pudding, followed by a layer of sliced bananas and a drizzle of the salted caramel sauce. Repeat the layers as needed. (See Kelly’s Notes.)
Kelly’s Notes
- The amount of Nilla Wafers you will need depends on how you serve the pudding. You can serve the pudding in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, or make individual banana puddings in your desired serving dishes, such as mason jars, tall glasses or ramekins.
- When making caramel, it’s really important to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and to never turn your back on the sugar. It can change from amber to black in a second!
- This recipe will yield about 1 cup of caramel. Use a portion of it with the pudding and save the rest, stored in an airtight container in the fridge, for sundaes … or for eating by the spoonful.
- While the pudding can technically be served immediately, it tastes best when chilled for a minimum of 1 hour.
-
Make-Ahead: You can easily make this dessert ahead of time by preparing the components separately and assembling them just before serving.
- Salted caramel sauce – this can be made up to two weeks in advance. Store it in an airtight container (I like to use a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid) in your refrigerator. I recommend gently reheating the sauce in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until warm and pourable.
- Banana pudding – this can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Pudding recipe adapted from Food Network.
Thank you for this recipe.
How can I substitute banana pudding, as I can’t get it where I live.
Thank you,
Ingrid
Hi Ingrid – Are you able to get instant vanilla pudding?
Yes, I can.
Great! Just substitute that for the instant banana pudding. :)
Hello pregnancy craving #355! I halved the recipe since I will be eating this entirely by myself. Omitted the sweetened condensed milk for same reason as just stated and to not have half a can left. And just used 1 box of banana pudding mix and left out the box of vanilla. Curious your thought behind 1 box banana and 1 box vanilla? Seems like it would take away from the bananainess although perhaps that’s why some of the other commenters really enjoyed it! Thanks for the recipe ❤️
Hi Renee! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I personally prefer that balance of banana AND vanilla but you could absolutely go with the banana flavor for both packets, if you prefer!
Oh my gosh! This is delicious! Homemade whipped cream instead of cool whip is the best idea ever! I’ve never liked cool whip & banana pudding tastes so much better with the whipped cream! Love it! Thank you!
YESSSS! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Maude!
The banana bread with cream cheese swirl in the middle looks amazing thanks for the recipe.
You are so welcome, Rhonda! I hope you enjoy it!
Made this last night and loved it! Of course anything salted caramel I’m instantly addicted to…
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Patti!
That looks so good, especially the sauce! I’m pinning it!
my son loves banana cream pie and I begrudgingly make it for him on Thanksgiving but I don’t care for it and sadly most of it gets thrown out, but this actually sounds delish! Will try, thanks!
Hi Kelly! I had a hard time with the caramel, along with the others above. Perhaps a 6 on my electric stove was too hot? It looks a bit lighter in color than yours, but has a bitter taste. Out of butter so will serve without caramel. No problem! My question is, do you have any tips for cleaning my saucepan? Thanks!!
Hi Ashley! I’m sorry you had an issue with the caramel. Yes, there’s a chance the electric burner was a bit hot, but in terms of cleaning the pan, you can add very hot water to the sugar and boil it slightly until it melts then carefully discard it. Hope that helps!
Made this tonight…the pudding is delicious and went together a lot quicker than I had imagined. The caramel wasn’t difficult…or so I thought. It looks great, perfect consistency, but has quite a bitter after taste. Any ideas as to why or troubleshooting suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Hello! There’s a chance the sugar may have cooked a bit long if it’s tasting bitter, as it may be slightly burned (which is causing that aftertaste).
Hi Leslie – I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipes. I’ve made both many times and never experienced that flavor or the burning. Did you use a heavy-bottomed saucepan?
Merry Christmas! It was awesome. New favorite!
Just finished making this for Christmas dinner. Can’t wait to eat it! Put a little bourbon in the caramel sauce-I’m from Kentucky, couldn’t resist. I’m going to use pepperidge farms bourdeaux cookies instead of vanilla wafers. May just skip dinner. Yum:)
Love the addition of the bourbon, Lisa! Merry Christmas!
Oh, that looks excellent. I love the miniature jars as serving dishes. I think I might try this in champagne glasses, with carefully layered wafers and pudding. :)
I’ve never tried banana pudding but I LOVE salted caramel. Anything with salted caramel has got to be good.
What a dessert! Awesome, beautiful pics, we cannot miss it with his caramel salted sauce, thank you, some people will be happy, have a nice evening, liên
kelly, that looks divine!
Have to admit, this post made me a little bit weak in the knees. Especially when I got to the picture where the butter is melting in the caramel sauce….*drool*
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow