This creamy Pumpkin Banana Pudding with Gingersnaps and Vanilla Wafers makes the perfect fall dessert. It’s a no bake banana pudding recipe flavored with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices.
It’s been 7 years since I’ve stepped foot in my favorite city in the world.
I left my heart in the Big Apple, and I’ve been counting down the days until I’m able to go back. I had plans to visit last fall (I was desperately waiting for my Kathleen Kelly NYC fall moment), but that trip is on hold for a bit.
When I was in NYC last, my sister introduced me to Magnolia Bakery and their incredible Banana Pudding recipe (it is THE banana pudding recipe of all time). I follow them on social media, and I have seen over the years their seasonal flavors, all of which I’ve been dying to try.
So, since I can’t be in Central Park, I can at least eat like I would if I was in Central Park. And that begins with this Pumpkin Banana Pudding that is absolutely heavenly. If Magnolia Bakery’s version tastes anything like this recipe, I can see why it’s a best seller. 😉
What Makes This Recipe So Special:
- No Bake: This recipe is very simple with easy-to-find ingredients. Nothing is baked in the oven or on the stove so it’s easy as pie.
- Flavor: For the pumpkin lovers, the flavor of this pudding is unmatched. It’s full of sweet pumpkin pie spices (like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves), pumpkin puree, and gingersnaps.
- Texture: The pudding is lightned up with homemade whipped cream so it’s incredibly light and creamy. The gingersnaps soften a bit, but they still have a nice bite to them. It’s perfect.
- Make Ahead: You can make this ahead of time, or you can make parts of it ahead of time and assemble it before serving. I give lots of tips below!
Banana Pumpkin Pudding Ingredients:
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Cold Water
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Make sure you use instant *not* stovetop.
- Pumpkin Puree
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Cinnamon
- Allspice
- Cardamom
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Bananas
- Gingersnaps
- Vanilla Wafers
Let’s Make This Pumpkin Pie Banana Pudding!
- Step 1: Mix cold water and sweetened condensed milk together until frothy. Then add in instant pudding. Mix until combined. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
- Step 2: Whisk heavy whipping cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Step 3: Mix pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices into the pudding.
- Step 4: Gently fold 1/2 of the whipped cream into the pumpkin pudding mix.
- Step 5: In a large baking dish, put down a layer of gingersnaps. Top with a layer of vanilla wafers. Top with slices of bananas. Then spread half of the pudding on top. Repeat.
- Step 6: Spread remaining whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with crushed gingersnaps and vanilla wafers, if desired.
- Step 7: Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
How To Make This Ahead of Time!
One of the great things about this pumpkin pudding is that you can make it all ahead of time or pieces of it ahead of time. If you want to make this ahead of time, you can make it the night before and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
I personally prefer to assemble it about an hour before serving, because I prefer the cookies and bananas to still have a bit of crunch to them. Making and assembling everything the night before will make everything in the pudding very soft.
Partial Make Ahead Tips:
- Pudding: The mixture of cold water, sweetened condensed milk, and instant pudding needs to chill for at least 4 hours. Once that has been chilled, you can add in the pumpkin puree, the spices, and whipped cream. That mixture can be chilled overnight. And, the remaining whipped cream can be chilled overnight.
- Assembly: You can assemble right before serving, and serve it immediately. Or you can assemble it and let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour (this lets the gingersnaps soften a bit as it soaks up some of the pudding).
Quick and Easy Baking Tips:
- Cookies: I use a combination of gingersnaps and vanilla wafers, but you can use all gingersnaps or all vanilla wafers.
- Assembly: If you don’t want to make it in a baking dish, you can assemble it in a bowl or a large trifle dish. Or, you can even turn it into individual trifles by layer the mixture in small glasses.
- Bananas: I suggest using bananas that are not overly ripe. If the bananas are a little bit firmer, they will hold up to the cream a little better.
- Pumpkin Puree: You don’t use the whole can of pumpkin. There will be come leftover pumpkin, but I’ll share some recipes below that you can use that pumpkin on.
Leftover Pumpkin Puree? Here are some recipes to use it up:
- Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donut Holes
- Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Latte
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pass me a spoon!
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups gingersnaps
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 4-5 bananas sliced
- With a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat cold water and sweetened condensed milk until combined.
- Add in instant vanilla pudding mix, and beat until well combined (about 2 minutes).
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 4 hours (the pudding must be chilled otherwise it won’t set up properly).
- After the pudding is set, add in the pumpkin puree and spices. Mix until combined.
- With the a standing mixer or a hand mixer, whisk the heavy whipping cream until it reaches stiff peaks.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream to spread on top (or, if you don’t want to spread it on top, you can mix all of it into the pudding).
- Fold the remaining whipped cream into the pudding, gently folding until fully incorporated.
- In your serving dish, layer gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and half of the pudding. Repeat the layers.
- Lastly, top with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed gingernsaps and vanilla wafers, if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Recipe adapted from Magnolia Bakery.
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