Instant Pot Banana Pudding (Printer-friendly)

Creamy pudding, ripe bananas, and wafers make a comforting treat with easy Instant Pot convenience.

# What You Need:

→ Pudding Base

01 - 2 cups whole milk
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Assembly

08 - 40 vanilla wafer cookies
09 - 3 ripe bananas, sliced
10 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
11 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

# How to Make It:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Transfer the pudding mixture to a heatproof bowl suitable for pot-in-pot cooking. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil.
03 - Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot insert. Position a trivet inside, then place the covered bowl onto the trivet.
04 - Secure the Instant Pot lid. Cook using Manual or Pressure Cook setting for 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. Complete with a careful quick release if pressure remains.
05 - Remove the bowl from the Instant Pot. Whisk the pudding until silky. Blend in butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Allow the cooked pudding to rest and cool for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
07 - In a trifle dish or individual cups, create alternating layers of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and warm pudding. Continue layering, ending with a pudding layer on top.
08 - Refrigerate the assembled pudding for at least 1 hour for optimal texture and flavor development.
09 - With an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the chilled pudding.
10 - Just before serving, decorate with additional banana slices and vanilla wafers as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Uses basic pantry ingredients with items you probably have on hand
  • No constant whisking thanks to the Instant Pot so less hands on time
  • A perfect balance of creamy custard cold bananas and crisp cookies in every bite
  • Crowd pleaser for potlucks family barbecues or weeknight desserts
02 -
  • Layered textures with cool pudding and crisp cookies make every spoonful special
  • Kid approved and easy to double for parties and potlucks
  • Hands off cooking means less cleanup
03 -
  • Use ripe but still firm bananas so your layers hold their shape and do not go mushy
  • Do not skip covering your pudding bowl with foil as it keeps your custard smooth and prevents a watery top
  • Let the pudding cool before adding the whipped cream or you will melt your topping and lose those airy swirls

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