Banana Pudding Trifle

Nothing says comfort food more than this yummy Banana Pudding Trifle. This dessert is a super easy treat to share with a crowd. Bring this trifle to a party, potluck or just indulge in it all week long in your own home! I snagged this recipe from Paula Deen years ago and I’ve never looked back.

This dessert is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S! I can guarantee you Gwen Stefani would definitely “Hollaback” at me if she took one bite of this Banana Pudding Trifle. This beauty has comfort written all over it and is one of my go-to desserts when feeding a crowd. The fact that this trifle is super easy to prepare is just an added bonus.

I would love to take credit for this banana pudding trifle recipe but unfortunately, I can’t. In the case of this recipe, I have to applaud Paula Deen for creating this masterpiece. I came across this recipe years and years ago when she was still on the Food Network. If you click over to the recipe you’ll be amazed to see it has 5 stars and over 2,000 reviews. Holy cow!

Although I can’t take credit for the actual banana pudding recipe, I can take credit for the presentation of this dessert. Paula Deen serves this in a regular 9×13 baking dish but I wanted to spruce it up and make it just a tad bit prettier. I love the way a dessert looks in a trifle bowl. There’s just a “WOW” factor about it! They say we eat with our eyes first so presentation is always key.

I promise you this dessert doesn’t disappoint. People who have had it before at one of our gatherings beg me to make it again and again. Those who’ve tried it for the first time can’t get enough! I just made this banana pudding trifle for our Super Bowl/Chili Cook-Off Party and there was not a morsel left. Seriously.

Here’s what is left of the trifle I made for this post. “The Boys” and I had a big helping for dessert last night and then I sent the rest with Patrick to work today. They devoured it!

True Story. I made this recipe for Patrick’s Holiday Potluck that his job threw back in December. He made it all the way to work and right in front of his job the banana pudding went flying off the seat and onto the floor. Before throwing it in the garbage one of his friends actually came outside and skimmed some of the pudding off the top with a cookie because she thought it was too good to waste. Really, it’s that delicious!

 So what do I need to make this Banana Pudding Trifle?

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies, 8 bananas, 2 cups milk, 3.4 oz Instant French vanilla pudding, 8 oz cream cheese (softened), 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 8 oz frozen whipped topping (thawed)

Measure 2 cups of milk and stir in your French vanilla pudding. Set aside and allow the pudding to thicken.

Peel and slice your 8 bananas so they are ready for assembling your trifle.

In a stand-up mixer, place your softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Mix together until smooth.

Gently fold in the thawed whipped cream topping into your cream cheese mixture.

Combine the thickened pudding into your cream cheese mixture and set your filling aside.

Begin building your trifle by placing a single layer of the Chessman cookies on the bottom of your bowl.

Scatter ½ of the banana slices on top of your cookies.

Pour ½ of the pudding mixture on top of your bananas and cookies.

For the next layer, I stood up some of the Chessmen cookies around the border of the trifle bowl so they were visible from the outside. I also added a layer of the cookies in the center of the bowl like I did with the first layer. *Don’t use all the cookies. Save a few cookies to break and sprinkle on the top.

Add the second half of your sliced bananas and then the remaining 1/2 of the pudding mixture on top.

Crumble a few cookies and sprinkle them on the top.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably 3 hours or more.

This Banana Pudding Trifle is good for any and all occasions. I’ve made it for luncheons, baby showers, Easter, Chili Cook-Offs and “just because”. Every single time it was a hit! All my family and friends love this recipe and I know yours will too!

Want to remember this? Post this Banana Pudding Trifle recipe to your favorite Pinterest board!