Skip to main content
Epicurious

Lush Vanilla Berry Pudding

4.0

(4)

bowl of berry pudding with a basket of berries on the corner
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.

Did banana pudding make you promises it couldn’t keep? Did it turn out to be just a bowl of runny custard with sad, weepy, brown bananas studded throughout? This is banana pudding’s usual MO and it’s time to fix it! But the thing is, I (and so many of us at Bon Appétit) hate bananas. Something about the texture. So this is my gift to our exclusive banana haters’ club: banana pudding—but no bananas allowed. Just the joy of ripe, tangy summer berries running amok in buttery vanilla pudding and cream, plus a handful of crunchy vanilla wafers. Your banana pudding could never!

Strawberries are conspicuously absent from this recipe because they tend to be too watery and don’t hold up well. Like a traditional banana pudding, this version can be assembled and chilled 1 day ahead. Also, nothing compares to the flavor of Nilla Wafers, so please don’t try and switch them out for a lesser cookie. —Shilpa Uskokovic

What you’ll need

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Summer Berry Stovetop Crisp
This no-oven-needed crisp can be made with almost any fresh berry (we’d avoid raspberries) and comes together within 45 minutes.
Matcha-Berry Frozen Yogurt
Froyo for one, made in a blender and topped with a crackly magic shell.
Neapolitan Cake
Inspired by Wayne Thiebaud’s iconic Cake Slice, these three distinct layers start with one simple batter.
Matcha-Mango Chia Pudding
Featuring a bright layer of sweet mango, these colorful chia puddings are worth waking up early for. Make them ahead of time for a quick breakfast treat.
Grilled Pound Cake Sundae With Raspberries
This is the perfect summer party dessert, featuring grilled pound cake, Cointreau-spiked raspberries, and classic vanilla ice cream.
Balsamic Butterscotch Sauce
Tangy-sweet and a cinch to make, balsamic butterscotch sauce is perfect for pouring over ice cream, grilled or roasted fruit, or your favorite cake.
French Silk Pie
A no-bake Oreo crust, a rich chocolate filling, and a tower of whipped cream come together in this shut-the-room-up dessert.
White Chocolate–Cranberry Cake
With tender buttermilk cake layers, a cranberry jam so good you’ll want it on toast, and a silky white chocolate frosting, this is a cake that’s equal parts impressive and achievable.