Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding

This Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding is the legendary version of the classic Southern dessert. Unlike traditional pudding, this recipe is famous for being incredibly thick, rich, and “sturdy” thanks to the combination of cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Using Chessman Cookies (butter cookies) instead of vanilla wafers is the real game-changer here—they stay slightly crispier and add a sophisticated, buttery shortbread flavor to every bite.

Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding

Ingredients

How To Make Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding:

Step 1: The Foundation: Line the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking pan with one full package of Chessman Cookies. Place a generous layer of the sliced bananas directly on top of the cookies.

Tip: Try to slice your bananas uniformly (about 1/4 inch thick). This ensures a level surface for the pudding and makes the final squares look much neater when sliced.

Step 2: The Two-Part Base: In one bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and the 2 cups of milk until it starts to thicken. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the sweetened condensed milk until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps.

Step 3: The Fold and Combine: Gently fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula. Once combined, add this creamy cloud into the pudding mixture and stir until you have one cohesive, velvety filling.

Step 4: Layer and Chill: Pour the pudding mixture over the bananas and cookies, spreading it to the edges. Top with the second bag of Chessman cookies in a neat grid. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight is best.

Note: Chilling is non-negotiable! This time allows the cookies to soften just enough to become “cake-like” while the pudding sets into a sliceable consistency.