This creamy banana pudding fluff is a perfect no-bake dessert for any occasion. An easy recipe that is simply made with instant banana pudding, cream cheese, whipped topping, fresh bananas, marshmallows, and vanilla wafers.
Traditional banana pudding is such a classic dessert! If you love it, then you must also try this banana pudding pie and these amazing banana pudding cookies and this cold and creamy dessert salad will take that love to new heights.
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Easy Banana Pudding Fluff Recipe
Fluff recipes are all the rave. I’ve made strawberry fluff salad before, so I knew this new twist would be a hit! As you can imagine, it can be made in different flavors with a simple swap of pudding flavor and added sweet bananas!
It’s a popular fluffy dessert salad that makes frequent appearances on potluck tables and it’s probably because this southern classic is so easy to make. It’s a combination of a dip, a dessert salad, and a light and airy pudding that comes together quickly in a pinch and gets rave reviews!
Ingredients/shopping list
- Banana Cream Instant Pudding Mix & Milk: The milk turns the powder into a creamy pudding. The milk turns the powder into a creamy pudding.
- Cream Cheese: You’ll need to bring it to room temperature about 30 minutes ahead of time so that it’s soft enough to cream without leaving lumps behind. It will also help to give the pudding a little extra creamy texture and tartness.
- Whipped Topping: I use thawed cool whip which is what helps make the creamy mixture nice and fluffy. It’s light and airy and lightens it up giving it the perfect balance of creamy and fluffy. You can also use homemade whipped cream if you’d like.
- Sliced Bananas: You’ll need about 3-4 medium ripe bananas that are ripe but not too ripe that they’re mushy
- Mini Vanilla Wafers: If you can’t find the mini wafers, use regular vanilla wafers and crumble them up.
- Mini Marshmallows: They’re the perfect pillowy addition to fluffy desserts!
Variations/ Substitutions
1. To dial down the banana flavor, or simply because you can’t find it, use instant vanilla pudding mix instead.
2. If you’re looking for a fluffier salad that isn’t as rich, use half the cream cheese and replace it with more whipped topping.
3. Swap the vanilla wafers with crumbled shortbread cookies or graham crackers.
4. For the sake of convenience and time I use instant pudding for this recipe. If you have a homemade pudding recipe you want to use, that would be great too.
5. Add in a few semisweet chocolate chips.
How to Make Banana Fluff Recipe
This fluff recipe will come together in a few simple steps and ready to eat once chilled! Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Add the pudding powder and cold milk to a medium mixing bowl.
Step 2: Use an electric hand mixer at medium-low speed until the pudding begins to thicken.
Step 3: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Step 4: Pour the pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture and blend together until combined.
Step 5: Fold in the whipped topping with a spatula until everything is incorporated. Do not overmix, you don’t want to lose the fluffy texture.
Step 6: Add the banana slices, cookies, and marshmallows to the mix and gently stir to combine.
Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, depending on how much crunch you like in your fluff!
Tips
- If you want your cookies to have a crunch to them, serve banana pudding fluff right away. If you like them a bit softer, chill the fluff in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
- This is best served the day it’s made. If it sits too long the bananas will turn brown and the cookies will become too soft.
- Use whole milk or low fat milk.
- Top with extra bananas and wafers just before serving.
- Drizzle with some chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or a bit of honey for some extra sweetness. All of them pair well with the flavor of banana.
- Top with crunchy nuts if you like a little extra crunch.
- To prevent bananas from turning brown, squirt a little lemon juice over them.
FAQ’s
If you want to whip the pudding together, that’s about as far as you can take it to prepare ahead of time. You want to assemble it within an hour or so before serving.
You can store any leftover pudding fluff for up to 48 hours in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It won’t have the same textures it once had. However, you and your family can dig right in and enjoy it all over again!
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Banana Pudding Fluff
Ingredients
- 5.1 ounce box instant banana cream pudding mix
- 1 ¾ cups cold milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed (Cool Whip)
- 3-4 medium bananas sliced
- 3 cups mini vanilla wafers or vanilla wafer crumbles
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the instant banana cream pudding powder and cold milk.5.1 ounce box instant banana cream pudding mix, 1 ¾ cups cold milk
- Blend with an electric hand mixer on medium-low speed until it begins to thicken.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and beat on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth. (scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times)8 ounces cream cheese
- Add the pudding mixture into the fluffy cream cheese and blend it together until combined.
- Add the whipped topping and gently stir with a spatula until completely combined.8 ounces frozen whipped topping
- Add in the sliced bananas, mini vanilla wafers, and mini marshmallows and gently stir them in until coated fully.3-4 medium bananas, 3 cups mini vanilla wafers, 2 cups mini marshmallows
- If you’d like the cookies to have some crunch, serve immediately topped with extra banana slices and nilla wafers.
- If you prefer the softer wafers, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes then garnish with extra banana slices and vanilla wafers just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Mary A Kaldahl
That Banana Pudding Fluff sounds delicious! It could easily be turned into a pie too! I would put it in a baked and cooled pie crust! No, better yet, a Nilla Wafer pie crust! Can’t wait to try it!
Sherri
Oh wonderful! Enjoy!!
Maria
So good recipes!!! Thanks Happy Easter to you and family blessings