Easy Banana Pudding Dip
If you’re a banana pudding lover, this Easy Banana Pudding Dip will be your new best friend! It’s actually a no-bake banana pudding in dip form that’s perfect for cookouts, parties, and all types of family gatherings. Get ready to dunk those vanilla wafers, strawberries and graham crackers to your heart’s content!
Get the Scoop!
- Easy Recipe – so simple, your kids can help make it!
- Loaded with Flavor – plenty of banana flavor from the pudding and fresh fruit
- Great for Parties – will be the first dessert to disappear on the snack table!
My family absolutely craves my no-bake banana pudding recipe, so turning it into an easy dessert dip was an absolute must! I changed a few ingredients to make it easier to spread, but all of the sweet banana flavor is still there, and it’s quickly becoming a favorite at holidays and summer parties.
This easy dip tastes a lot like Banana Pudding Cups, and goes great with anything chocolate, so be sure to serve it alongside Brownie Batter Dip, or my popular Cannoli Dip Recipe that’s loaded with mini-chocolate chips.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Easy Banana Pudding Dip recipe. For quantities, see the printable recipe card below.
- Cream Cheese – make sure it’s softened to room temperature
- Powdered Sugar – just a little enhances the taste
- Vanilla Extract – adds extra flavor
- Instant Banana Cream Pudding Mix – amps up the banana flavor
- Half and Half – can sub whole milk if desired
- Whipped Topping – works better than whipped cream
- Bananas – not too ripe or they will be mushy
- Lemon Juice – keeps the bananas from turning brown
- Vanilla Wafers – crush them for best results
How to Make Banana Pudding Dip
- Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the pudding mix and half and half until thickened.
- Combine the pudding mixture with the cream cheese mixture until it is smooth. Scrape the bowl with a spatula and mix again.
- Fold in the whipped topping until no streaks remain.
- Toss the diced bananas with the lemon juice in a small bowl. Fold the bananas and half of the vanilla wafer crumbs into the dip. Reserve a few banana slices for serving.
- Stir well in the mixing bowl. Cover and chill until thickened.
To serve, spoon chilled mixture into a serving dish, then top with remaining vanilla wafer crumbs and reserved banana slices right before serving.
Favorite Dippers
- Assorted Cookies – such as Chessmen cookies, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, animal crackers or butter cookies
- Banana Chips – you can find dehydrated or dried banana chips in most grocery stores
- Fresh Strawberries – if desired, you can half the strawberries so they will go further
Make it Yours
- Use vanilla pudding instead of banana cream pudding mix if you want a softer banana flavor.
- For richer flavor, try French vanilla pudding mix.
- Substitute whole milk instead of half and half for a lighter dip.
- Omit the powdered sugar if you want a less sweet dip, or add more if desired.
- Turn this banana pudding spread into a dip board by surrounding it with Lorna Doon cookies, fresh strawberries, vanilla wafers and dried banana chips.
Debi’s Dip Tips
- Dip too loose? Make sure you used instant pudding for best results. It’s best to use a spatula instead of a mixer to fold in the whipped topping or you will lose the fluffy consistency.
- Too many lumps? Use softened cream cheese that’s at room temperature to avoid a lumpy dip.
- Bananas turning brown? Toss the bananas with lemon juice and let them sit a while before adding to the pudding.
- Mixture not sweet enough? This version uses a smaller amount of powdered sugar so the flavor isn’t overly sweet. Add a little extra powdered sugar for a sweeter dip, or delete the powdered sugar altogether.
- Got large banana chunks? Dice most of the bananas small so they scoop easily with cookies. Large banana chunks can make the dip harder to serve. Also, don’t use overripe bananas if you want them to hold up longer.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, but the dip won’t be as fluffy. Whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, holds better for parties and longer chill times. If using whipped cream, serve it the same day.
The dip will still have banana flavor from the pudding mix without the fresh bananas. This is a good option if the mixture needs to sit longer or travel.
A standard box of instant pudding usually calls for 2 cups of milk, but this recipe needs to be thicker than regular pudding. Using 1 1/2 cups give the pudding enough liquid to set while keeping the finished mixture thick enough to serve.
Storage Guide
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The flavor is best the day it’s made since the bananas and vanilla wafer crumbs will soften as they chill.
More Dessert Dips
Planning a dessert tray and need more ideas for your party? These sweet treats offer a variety of desserts for your snack table…
Banana Pudding Dip
*See notes in post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3.4 ounce box INSTANT banana cream pudding mix
- 1½ cups half and half - cold
- 8 ounces whipped topping - thawed
- 2 medium bananas - divided, mostly diced and a few slices reserved for garnish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs - divided
Instructions
- Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the pudding mix and half and half until thickened.
- Combine the pudding mixture with the cream cheese mixture until it is smooth. Scrape the bowl with a spatula and mix again.
- Fold in the whipped topping until no streaks remain. Use a spatula to keep the dip fluffy. If you whip it with a hand mixer, it will lose its consistency.
- Toss the diced bananas with the lemon juice in a small bowl. Fold the bananas and half of the vanilla wafer crumbs into the dip. Reserve a few banana slices for serving.
- Stir the dip in the mixing bowl. Cover and chill until thickened. To serve, spoon it into a serving dish, sprinkle with leftover vanilla wafer crumbs and garnish with banana slices.
Notes
- Mixture is too loose: Make sure the pudding mix is instant pudding. The dip also needs chill time sothe pudding and cream cheese can firm up together.
- Too many cream cheese lumps: The cream cheese was probably too cold. Let it soften fully before mixing.
- Tastes less sweet than expected: This version uses a smaller amount of powdered sugar so the banana pudding flavor isn’t overly sweet. Add a little extra powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture if you want a sweeter dessert dip.
- Bananas are turning brown: Toss the diced bananas with lemon juice and wait to add the reserved banana slices until serving.
Nutrition
*Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
