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    Home » Recipe Archive » No Bake

    Published: Apr 28, 2022 by Sloane · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Banana Pudding Jars

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    These easy banana pudding jars are made up of mini nilla wafers, fresh banana slices, vanilla bean pastry cream, and homemade whipped cream!

    banana pudding jar with spoon on top of stacked plates
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQ
    • Other pastry cream recipes you'll love
    • Baking in grams
    • 💬 Reviews

    These banana pudding jars are the perfect no bake dessert! They're layered with mini nilla wafers, fresh banana slices, my master pastry cream filling recipe, and homemade whipped cream. They're creamy, subtly sweet, and just so so good! Though they don't last too long in the fridge, the pastry cream can be made well in advance, so all you have to do is make the whipped cream and assemble a few hours before serving! 

    banana pudding jar on stacked plates with spoon, nilla wafers spread around, and open banana.

    Ingredients

    • Egg Yolks: You'll need 4 large egg yolks for this recipe. 
    • Sugar: Just enough granulated sugar is added to sweeten this pastry cream. You'll also need a tiny bit for the whipped cream. 
    • Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to thicken the pastry cream to the perfect consistency.
    • Milk: I recommend using whole milk for optimum flavor. 
    • Butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter. 
    • Vanilla: For best flavor, add a touch of vanilla bean paste. It also adds those beautiful vanilla bean specks! Alternatively, add an equal amount of vanilla extract.
    • Heavy Cream: Use cold heavy cream for the homemade whipped cream!
    • Nilla Wafers: Since these jars are single servings, I used mini nilla wafers!
    • Banana: You'll need 1-2 bananas, depending on the size.
    ingredients for pastry cream
    For the pastry cream
    ingredients for whipped cream and assembly
    For the whipped cream & assembly

    Instructions

    This is truly the easiest and most delicious no bake dessert! Start by making my master pastry cream recipe, then a simple homemade whipped cream, and finally assemble the jars with mini nilla wafers and fresh banana slices. 

    pastry cream filling recipe in white bowl
    Make the pastry cream
    whipped cream in glass bowl
    Make the whipped cream just before assembling
    layer of nilla wafers in jar
    Start with a layer of nilla wafers
    layer of banana slices in jar
    Add a layer of banana slices
    layer of pastry cream added in jar
    Add a layer of pastry cream
    whipped cream layer added in jar
    Top with whipped cream
    banana pudding jar on stacked plate with two jars in background

    FAQ

    How to make pastry cream:

    Pastry cream is surprisingly simple to make. It involves whisking egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch, then tempering the mixture with simmering whole milk. The mixture is then transferred back to the stove and heated until thick, then butter and vanilla are stirred in. It's best to make the pastry cream the day before you need it, so it can chill in the fridge overnight.

    How to store pastry cream:

    Pastry cream is best stored in the fridge up to 5 days. Be sure to press plastic wrap up against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

    How long do these banana pudding jars last?

    Store left-overs in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can make the pastry cream well in advance before assembling and serving them.

    banana pudding jars lined up

    Other pastry cream recipes you'll love

    • pastry cream filling recipe in white bowl
      Master Pastry Cream Filling Recipe
    • slice of lemon blueberry jam cake on white plate with fork
      Lemon Blueberry Jam Cake
    • strawberry cheesecake cookies stacked
      Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
    • boston cream whoopie pies in white bowl
      Boston Cream Whoopie Pies
    spoonful taken out of banana pudding jar

    Baking in grams

    All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed to create incredibly delicious baked goods that you can easily recreate in your own kitchen with success. The only way this is possible is to standardize the way ingredients are measured - by weight. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), I can ensure that you can make the recipe accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

    If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

    But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

    Happy baking! x

    banana pudding jar with spoon on top of stacked plates
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    Banana Pudding Jars

    These easy banana pudding jars are made up of mini nilla wafers, fresh banana slices, vanilla bean pastry cream, and homemade whipped cream!
    Prep Time 1 hour hr
    Servings4 jars
    Courseno bake dessert
    CuisineAmerican
    AuthorSloane
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the pastry cream:

    • 4 egg yolks
    • 100 g ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 16 g 2 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 227 g 1 cup whole milk
    • 28 g 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (room temp)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

    For the whipped cream:

    • 227 g 1 cup heavy cream (cold)
    • 30 g 2 tablespoon granulated sugar

    For assembly:

    • 65 g 1 cup mini nilla wafers
    • 1-2 medium bananas

    Instructions

    For the pastry cream:

    • In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together for 2-3 minutes until light in color.
    • Heat the milk in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer or about 200 degrees F.*
    • Once the milk is simmering, slowly pour half into the egg-sugar mixture, whisking at the same time to temper the eggs.
    • Pour everything back into the saucepan and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly as it thickens.
    • Once the pastry cream is thick and a few big bubbles come to the surface, continue whisking for one more minute, then remove from heat.
    • Immediately stir in the butter and vanilla.
    • Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap up against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
    • Chill in the fridge (preferably) overnight or until ready to use.

    For the whipped cream:

    • Just before you are ready to assemble the jars, make the whipped cream.
    • In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer while slowly pouring in the granulated sugar.
    • Beat until soft peaks form, and no more! It can be easy to over-whip, so watch carefully.

    For assembly:

    • In four small jars (I used WECK jars), start with a layer of mini nilla wafers, then a layer of sliced bananas.
    • Spread the pastry cream into a smooth layer, then add a layer of whipped cream.
    • Repeat these layers one more time (or however many you can fit).
    • Chill the jars in the fridge until ready to serve.*

    Notes

    • It can be difficult to tell when milk is simmering sometimes, so it's best to go by temperature (200 degrees F).
    • You can make these jars up to one day in advance. Store left-overs for 1-2 days.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @sloanes.table on Instagram and write a star review below!
    « Master Pastry Cream Filling Recipe
    Chocolate Cherry Brownies »

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    Hi, I'm Sloane! Welcome to Sloane’s Table! I am a Dartmouth College alumna, professional baker, recipe developer, and food photographer. Here, you will find tried & true bakery-worthy recipes ranging from simple sweets to technical pastries.

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