Who doesn’t love this old-fashioned childhood treat?! I don’t think any recipe collection would be complete without this creamy, banana, Nilla Wafer dessert! I hadn’t had it many years, and it was still just as good as I remembered! I don’t follow the recipe on the box, though. I suppose we all have our own ways of making it, so I decided to go ahead and share my version!

The main differences that I do, are that I use banana pudding for extra flavor, two boxes instead of one for extra creaminess, and I only add about half the Nilla Wafers that the original recipe calls for. This also makes it so much more creamy!

An extra boost of flavor comes from a little “ripe banana” extract in addition to the vanilla. Still have to have my vanilla! 😉

And since my hubby doesn’t care for meringue, I like to top it with good old-fashioned Cool Whip! Though I love homemade whipped cream, I am only making this dessert for two, and whipped cream just doesn’t hold. I like to just top it and forget it and Cool Whip always works perfectly for that.

Besides topping with the usual cookies and sliced bananas, I like to toss a handful of maraschino cherries on top, too! They add a nice pop of color and who isn’t full of smiles when their dessert is topped with a cherry?! 

This is the perfect dessert to take to casual parties, get-togethers, potlucks, picnics and work-related events when you need something pretty and delicious, but just don’t have the time to fuss.

You simply cook the pudding, (don’t use that instant kind), layer, and then chill overnight! I cover the pudding on top with plastic wrap so it doesn’t get a skin, and top with Cool Whip and decorate before serving.

This dessert will stay nice for 3-4 days, too! The bananas on top will darken just a bit, but not get icky. It’s best, though, when served the very next day. You never have to worry about it sitting around too long, though!

Trust me that desserts this good never last long even for just 2 people! 😉  We had no trouble at all getting to the bottom of the bowl! 😉 

I’m sure there are literally 1,000’s of versions floating around out there, so I hope you enjoyed mine.

It’s quick and easy enough for the kids to help, yet pretty enough to take to a party!

And the flavor, of course, is just simply amazing! That burst of banana flavor surprises me every single time!

Take care, and have a fantastic day all! 😀 

Yield: 8 servings

Best Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding Icebox Dessert

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Ingredients

• 2 (3 oz.) boxes Jell-O Cook & Serve Banana Cream Pudding
• 4 cups milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ripe banana flavoring, I use Spice Barn's but any banana extract or flavoring is fine
• about 1/2 - 2/3 of an 11 oz. box Nabisco Nilla Wafer cookies
• 4-5 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
• 6-12 maraschino cherries with stems, optional, as many as you like

Instructions

In large saucepan, add pudding mix and whisk in milk. Over medium/medium-high heat, bring pudding to a full boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and continue stirring for just a bit. Then stir in banana and vanilla extracts. Set aside.

*Note: A full boil means that you see large bubbles coming to the top continuously even while stirring.

In medium-sized punch bowl, place a layer of cookies on the bottom, touching but not over-lapping. Top with a layer of bananas the same way placing over the spaces not right on top of each cookie. Place a row of cookies against side alternating cookies and slices of bananas. Pour in some pudding and do a second row of cookies and banana slices against side. Pour in more pudding until you've used a third. Repeat two more times layering cookies, bananas and pudding and making rows of bananas and cookies against the side, ending with the pudding. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto pudding to prevent a skin from forming and chill overnight.

The next day, remove plastic wrap and top with Cool Whip, more cookies and bananas to decorate, and maraschino cherries if desired. Dig down into the layers to spoon out, and serve in small dishes.