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Southern Banana Pudding from Scratch with Meringue

Southern banana pudding from scratch is layered with vanilla wafers, ripe bananas, and rich stovetop custard. A glossy meringue bakes on top until golden, then the pudding stands for 30 minutes before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 29 minutes
standing 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 19 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the custard
  • 1 cup granulated sugar divided (1/2 cup for the custard and 1/2 cup for the meringue)
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 eggs large, separated, with the whites at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the layers
  • 1 box (11 oz) vanilla wafers
  • 4 bananas medium, ripe
For the meringue
  • 0.25 tsp cream of tartar

Equipment

  • 1 3-quart saucepan
  • 1 2-quart baking dish

Method
 

Make the custard
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a medium bowl and the whites in a clean, grease-free mixing bowl.
  3. In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, and salt, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
  4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 6–8 minutes, until the mixture is thick and bubbling across the surface.
  5. Whisk about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the yolks a little at a time.
  6. Whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook for 1 minute after it returns to a full bubble.
  7. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
Layer the pudding
  1. In a 2-quart baking dish, arrange half the wafers, half the sliced bananas, and half the custard in layers.
  2. Repeat with the remaining wafers, bananas, and custard.
Make the meringue and bake
  1. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
  2. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
  3. Spread the meringue over the hot pudding, taking it all the way to the edges of the dish to seal.
  4. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the meringue is golden and its center registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  5. Let the pudding stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the best seal, spread the meringue all the way to the edges of the hot pudding. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended. Use gluten-free vanilla wafers for a gluten-free variation.