Try peanut butter banana pudding, a twist on classic banana pudding. This recipe whisks up in minutes and uses peanut butter sandwich cookies instead of vanilla wafers.
Peanut Butter + Banana Pudding
You might overlook this recipe if you’re hesitant about introducing a new flavor to your banana pudding. However, the peanut butter beautifully complements the banana’s sweetness. And if you haven’t experienced peanut butter pudding yet, you’re in for a pleasant surprise!
This recipe combines peanut butter with instant vanilla pudding, sweetened condensed milk, and sour cream to create a delicious pudding. It is easy to make and whips up in minutes. This pudding is then layered with bananas and cookie crumbles and is finished with a light peanut butter topping.
Created Peanut Butter Banana Pudding by Trial and Error
It is not every day that I tinker with a classic dessert like banana pudding. Years ago, I tried substituting peanut butter sandwich cookies for vanilla wafers in a banana pudding. I added the cookies, but felt they made the banana pudding too rich. I had tampered with a good thing and messed it up! So I let it be until I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups with a fluffy peanut butter topping and a cookie garnish. That recipe gave me the idea for peanut butter banana pudding. I added fewer peanut butter cookies, and it turned out just right!Â
Chop the Peanut Butter Cookies
I tried homemade and store-bought cookies for this recipe; however, it seems that generic or store-brand peanut butter sandwich cookies provide the best flavor. The key is to chop or crumble them instead of placing whole cookies into the pudding. You can use the cookies with the filling or scrape it off. The finished pudding will taste about the same either way you do it. Save a few cookie crumbles to garnish the top of the finished dessert.
Steps for Making Peanut Butter Banana Pudding
Follow these steps to make this easy dessert.
Make in One Dish or Several Small Dishes
This recipe makes about 8 servings and can be assembled in a large dish or in individual bowls.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Click on each name to link to the recipe.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Candy Bar Pie
- Peanut Butter Crispy Hearts
- Banana Pudding Fluff
- Creamy Banana Pudding
Peanut Butter Banana Pudding
Ingredients
Pudding
- 1 ¾ cups cold whole milk (or substitute 2 percent)
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of a 14-ounce can)
- (1) 3.4-ounce box vanilla instant pudding (Jell-O brand used)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup sour cream
Topping
- 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 8 ounces whipped topping, thawed (Cool-Whip used – see note below)
Other
- 4-5 large bananas, sliced into circles
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 18 peanut butter sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped (you do not have to remove the cookie filling)
Instructions
Pudding
- In a large bowl, whisk the cold milk and condensed milk together until well combined. Add the pudding and stir until mixed well. Stir in the peanut butter. Mix in the sour cream. Chill for 5 minutes so the pudding will thicken.
Topping
- Add the peanut butter and milk to a bowl. Whisk until creamy. Then, stir in the whipped topping. Set aside.
Assembly
- Cut the bananas and add them to a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and then gently stir to coat them.
- Coarsely chop the cookies.
- Make the dessert in 8 large dessert bowls or a 9×9-inch casserole dish (or another dish equivalent in size).
- Add a layer of pudding to the dessert bowls or casserole dish. Then layer with half of the bananas. Finally, layer with half of the chopped cookies. Repeat the pudding, banana, and cookie layer, reserving a few chopped cookies to garnish the top of the dessert. Finish by adding the peanut butter topping.
- Use a rolling pin to finely crush the leftover cookies. Garnish the top with the cookie crumbs.