Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding

The Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding reminds you of home, creamy homemade vanilla pudding, with fresh bananas, crunchy vanilla wafers.  Serving traditional banana pudding in individual Mason jars is the perfect way to upgrade your banana pudding. This will soon become one of your family’s favorite desserts.

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Homemade Banana Pudding

This easy classic banana pudding is cold, creamy, lightly sweetened, and with a bit of crunch. Cracker barrel banana pudding is a favorite way for many diners to top off their meals at the restaurant. But you can make a homemade banana pudding of your own, which is, dare I say, maybe even better than the original. Well, if not better, then undoubtedly much, much cuter.

Why this Banana Pudding Recipe is the Best

The presentation of this recipe definitely increases the adorability factor by serving up the old-fashioned banana pudding in small mason jars for convenient single-portion servings. Enjoy this southern banana pudding at your family gatherings.

You can prepare the homemade banana pudding beforehand, and they will keep covered in the fridge for a day or two with no problem. That makes this recipe a perfect party dessert or an ideal afterschool snack.

Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need to make this old-fashioned banana pudding recipe:

• Sugar – this is for the sweetness of the pudding
• All-purpose flour – this is what thickens this pudding
• Whole milk – whole milk will give you the best flavor
• Eggs – I make this recipe with large eggs
• Butter – you can use either salted or unsalted butter
• Cream cheese – you can use either full fat or low fat cream cheese
• Vanilla extract – this adds an extra layer of flavors to your dish
• Vanilla wafer cookies – I love the Nabisco Nilla wafers
• Heavy whipping cream – don’t use milk for this recipe, the full fat cream will help you store the pudding for an extra day or two.
• Bananas – use ripe, but not overly ripe bananas, you want them yellow with only a few brown spots

Treat the Bananas Like the Stars They Are

You can’t have a really good banana pudding without truly amazing bananas. When making this recipe, use ripe, but still firm, bananas. This will help you to create a contrast in textures between the smooth homemade pudding and the vanilla wafers.

One problem you may run into when making banana pudding ahead of time is that the bananas will tend to turn brown. Bananas start to brown as soon as they come in contact with the air.

Help prevent this from happening by placing a kitchen towel on the counter and gently tapping the bottom of the mason jar as you make the alternating layers of vanilla pudding, vanilla wafer crumbles, and sliced bananas. The tapping will force out any trapped air and help to stop oxidation.

Leave the sliced bananas off the top of the pudding until just before serving. When you do add them, help slow down the browning by lightly brushing each banana slice with lemon juice.

How to Make Banana Pudding from Scratch

1. Make the vanilla pudding: In a heavy large saucepan combine sugar, flour, and milk. Cook and stir continually over medium heat until the mixture is thickened and bubbly, then for an additional two minutes.
2. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and beat them until they are lighter in color.
3. While whisking constantly, drizzle a cup of the hot pudding mixture slowly into the egg yolks.
4. Slowly stir the egg yolk mixture into the remaining pudding and cook until it just begins to bubble, stirring constantly.
5. Add butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth.
6. Pour the pudding into a large bowl and place plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding. Chill the pudding by placing it in the refrigerator leave it in there until the pudding until it is cool.
7. Make whipped cream by whipping heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.
8. Break vanilla wafers into small mason jars.
9. Slice the bananas and place a few slices in each jar, you want a nice layer of banana slices on top of the broken vanilla wafers.
10. Add a pudding layer on top of the bananas.
11. Repeat adding vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding twice.
12. Top with whipped cream and garnish with banana slices, a vanilla wafer, and vanilla wafer crumbs.

Cooking and Serving Tips For Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding

Stay away from the store-bought vanilla pudding. Preparing pudding from a box may be easier, but it won’t taste fabulous. Making vanilla pudding from scratch isn’t quick, but it is well worth the time and effort. It’s easy to make homemade pudding, I bet one bite of this pudding, and you won’t buy a box of pudding again.

Make your own whipped cream. Topping your banana pudding with homemade whipped cream is the only way to go. If you have an electric or stand mixer, making your whipped cream is fast.

1. Pour one cup of cold heavy whipping cream into the bowl. Then add two tablespoons of confectioner sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract.
2. Run the mixer at medium-low for about 3 minutes until soft peaks form.
3. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.

Add the finishing touches. Just before serving, place a large dollop of whipped on top, a few slices of banana, and a light sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Nut lovers can top with a few cracked walnuts.

How to store leftover banana pudding

After serving up your banana pudding, you may have some leftover, for best results you will want to store any leftover pudding in an airtight dish in the refrigerator. This classic recipe tastes just as good the next day.

Is your sweet tooth craving more desserts? Try these recipes:

• Angel Food Cake Pineapple Recipe
• Banana Cake
• Banana Cream Pie
• Best Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe
• Brownie Recipe with Hershey Cocoa Powder
• Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe
• Funnel Cakes
• Hot Apple Pie
• Layered Jello Recipe
• Rice Pudding
• Simple Pistachio Cake Recipe

Top Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipes

• Easy Meatloaf Recipe with Crackers
• Hashbrown Casserole Cracker Barrel Recipe
• Sweet Baby Carrots Recipe

Check out more of my easy dessert recipes and the best Cracker Barrel recipes here on CopyKat!

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