10-Minute Banana Pudding w/ a Secret Ingredient! So Easy ANYONE Can Make It!

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: coconut cream

💰Cheaper: whipped topping

Coconut cream adds richness with fewer calories.

vanilla pudding mix

🥗Healthier: homemade custard

💰Cheaper: instant pudding

Homemade custard enhances flavor without preservatives.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: agave syrup

Honey adds sweetness with a unique flavor.

vanilla extract

🥗Healthier: almond extract

💰Cheaper: imitation vanilla

Almond extract provides a different but pleasant flavor.

Start by making the pudding using one box of vanilla pudding and one box of cheesecake pudding.

Add a total of 4 cups of whole milk to the pudding mix and whisk until it starts to soft set.

Incorporate about 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk to thicken and add richness.

Add the whole 8 oz container of whipped cream cheese and mix until combined, noting that it may seem like it won't mix at first but will come together quickly.

Add 1 tsp of real vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon, explaining that a dash is about an eighth of a teaspoon.

Pour in a little bit of bourbon vanilla extract, or use rum extract if bourbon is not available.

Add the whole container of extra creamy Cool Whip and mix until combined.

Layer the bottom of a trifle dish with some pudding mixture to avoid dry pudding.

Add shortbread cookies throughout the pudding layer.

Decide whether to add bananas or just cookies, and layer more pudding on top.

Prop cookies along the rim of the trifle for decoration and add more cookies in the layers.

Finish with a final layer of pudding and decorate the top with more cookies and banana slices that have been treated with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Crush up a leftover cookie and drizzle caramel sauce on top before refrigerating to set.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens