These banana pudding brownies are like a bowl of banana pudding in brownie form! This easy-to-make recipe features a chewy banana blondie, layers of crunchy mini vanilla wafers, and creamy vanilla pudding, all baked together in one delicious bar.
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I love creating twists on traditional brownies, and these banana pudding brownies have got to be my best creation yet!
With just a few simple ingredients, these bars are really simple to make and have the BEST banana pudding flavor.
The base of the bars is a super chewy banana blondie batter that has layers of mini vanilla wafers in between. On top, the batter is swirled with homemade vanilla pudding and then topped with more vanilla wafers that get super crunchy after baking.
Serve these babies with a glass of extra cold milk and enjoy them with your friends, family, or save them all for yourself as I did. 😉
why you'll love these banana pudding brownies
- They have all the classic flavors you know and love of banana pudding!
- Easy, straight forward recipe
- Ultimate treat for parties, birthdays, or get togethers!
- Ready in under 1 hour
ingredient notes
- Brown sugar: You can use either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe!
- Mini vanilla wafers: I don't recommend using regular sized wafers for this recipe because the bars are hard to cut.
- Egg yolks: One egg yolk will be used for the homemade vanilla pudding and the other will go in the blondie batter to make it extra chewy!
- Banana: I recommend measuring the banana after mashing to make sure you have the correct amount instead of going based off the size of the banana.
- Milk: Whole or 2% milk is best for this recipe to help the pudding thicken properly. I don't recommend using an alternative milk!
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
instructions
Before you start: Line a square 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 C.
Step 1: In a small pot, whisk together the milk, sugar, flour, and egg yolk. Heat over medium-low and stir constantly until it's thick and has a pudding consistency, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer it to a small bowl and stir in the butter and vanilla, then set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
Step 3: Whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla, and mashed banana.
Step 4: Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Step 5: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. It will be pretty thin!
Step 6: Press the vanilla wafers into the batter.
Step 7: Drop the other half of the batter in dollops around the wafers, then do the same with the vanilla pudding. Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the pudding and batter together.
Step 8: Top the bars with the rest of the vanilla wafers, then bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack before cutting!
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale: Baking with a scale is faster, easier, and overall much more accurate than cup measurements.
- Watch the pudding: Whisk the pudding constantly when it is on the heat to keep the eggs from scrambling!
- Don't over-mix the batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the batter gently. This will keep it from developing too much gluten which can make the bars dense.
- Cool before cutting: I know it's hard to resist sometimes, but these bars need to cool completely before cutting into them! It's worth the wait I promise!
storage
- Room temperature: Store the brownies at room temperature for 2-3 days in a sealed container. They can be stored in the fridge as well!
Note: Over time, the wafers will soften in the brownies so I recommend making them the day you want to serve them!
faq's
Yes! Note that the wafer will soften over time and won't be as crunchy, so I still recommend serving them the same day they are made!
The mini wafers are much better for this recipe! If you can't find the mini's, cut the wafers in half or quarters before layering them in the batter.
Yes, I would double the recipe if using a larger pan!
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Recipe 📖
Banana Pudding Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pudding
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the Banana Batter
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup mashed banana
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup mini vanilla wafers plus extra for the top
Instructions
- Line a square 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
- In a small pot, whisk together the milk, sugar, flour, and egg yolk. Heat over medium-low stirring constantly until it's thick like pudding, about 5-6 minutes.½ cup whole milk, 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 large egg yolk
- Transfer the pudding to a small bowl and stir in the butter and vanilla. Set aside.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted and slightly cooled butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.6 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup light or dark brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla, and mashed banana.½ cup mashed banana, 1 large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and press the vanilla wafers into it.1 cup mini vanilla wafers
- Use a spoon to dot the rest of the batter over the wafers, doing the same with the vanilla pudding in the empty spots.
- Use a knife or toothpick to swirl the batter and pudding together, then top it with more vanilla wafers.
- Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the brownies cool completely on a wire cooling rack before cutting into 8-9 bars and enjoy!
Notes
recipe notes
- Use a kitchen scale: Baking with a scale is faster, easier, and overall much more accurate than cup measurements.
- Watch the pudding: The pudding needs to be whisked constantly while cooking to prevent the egg from scrambling.
- Don't over-mix the batter: The dry ingredients should be folded in gently with a rubber spatula. This will keep it from developing too much gluten which can make the bars dense.
- Cool before cutting: I know it's hard to resist sometimes, but these bars need to cool completely before cutting into them! It's worth the wait I promise!
storage
- Room temperature: The brownies can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. They can also be stored in the fridge as well.
Nicole says
YUM! These were amazing. I've made them several times and everyone loves them! They really do taste just like banana pudding!!!
Anna says
Just made them today and the bars came out so moist and delicious!! A tad bit sweet for my taste, will definitely make them again but with a little less sugar! 😊
Cambrea Gordon says
YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed them Anna, thanks so much for coming back to leave a review 🙂
Brooks Phifer says
Yuuummm. My Co-workers went INSANE! They wanted the whole pan for themselves.YUM
Cambrea Gordon says
YAY! Love to hear that, thanks so much for coming back to leave a review!