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If you’ve been around here long, you know I love giving classic desserts a vegan makeover. And this vegan banana pudding might be one of my favorites yet. It’s everything you remember from the nostalgic Southern dessert: creamy layers of homemade vanilla pudding (made rich and smooth with coconut milk and oat milk), sliced bananas, and vanilla wafer cookies.
Topped with a lots dairy-free whipped cream, it’s the kind of summer treat that disappears fast at any gathering…and yes, there’s a gluten-free option too!
What Makes This Vegan Banana Pudding So Good
This coconut milk banana pudding is right up there with some of my favorite recreations like my vegan pound cake and Southern-style peach cobbler. It may also be a strong contender with a few other fav no-bake desserts, like my banana split pie and mini vegan cheesecakes…so perfect for warm-weather cravings.
This banana pudding pulls all those cozy, creamy vibes into one easy, crowd-pleasing dessert. Here’s why we love it…and why you will too:
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Taste: Sweet with subtle vanilla and fresh banana flavor throughout.
- Texture: So creamy with soft banana slices and crunchy vanilla cookies. The homemade pudding is silky (thanks to oat milk and coconut milk).
- Difficulty: Super easy!
- Why this Recipe Works: Traditional southern banana pudding has layers of vanilla pudding, fresh banana slices, Cool Whip or whipped cream, and of course…Nilla Wafers. This vegan version has a homemade pudding instead of an instant vanilla pudding mix. It’s made with both coconut milk and oat milk. The combination of both types of milk gives the best creamy texture without an overwhelming coconut flavor.
Why This Recipe Uses Coconut Milk and Oat Milk
For this vegan banana pudding, I use both coconut milk and oat milk because they each bring something special.
I love cooking and baking with coconut milk. And I recently made this coconut milk caramel sauce and this fluffy vegan coconut cake. Like in those recipes, coconut milk adds richness and fat, which gives the pudding that classic creamy texture and helps it set nicely, without needing a ton of cornstarch.
Oat milk, on the other hand, keeps everything smooth and light, adding just the right amount of creaminess without being too heavy. (It’s also great in these oat milk pancakes and my vegan oat milk béchamel).
Together, coconut milk and oat milk make a dairy-free banana pudding that’s silky, flavorful, and comforting…just like the original!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Coconut Milk: The pudding in this recipe uses full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream) to help thicken it and give it a super creamy texture. This is our substitute for heavy cream and I don’t recommend subbing this for another type of dairy free milk.
- Oat Milk: To help balance the flavor of the vegan vanilla pudding, this recipe also uses oat milk. This can be subbed for soy milk, almond milk or another type of non-dairy milk.
- Cornstarch: Because this vegan pudding is made without eggs, cornstarch helps thicken it.
- Vegan Vanilla Wafers: This recipe uses store-bought vegan vanilla wafer cookies. Many generic store brand Vanilla Wafer cookies are accidentally vegan. I used ones from Giant but I’ve also used ones from Whole Foods before. Other vegan vanilla wafers are by Partake or MadeGood. Use gluten-free cookies to keep this entire recipe GF!
- Vegan Whipped Cream: You can use your favorite store-bought vegan whipped cream or you can make one from scratch. I’ve included a simple recipe in the notes section of the recipe card. My favorite store-bought vegan whipped cream is the So Delicious CocoWhip.
- Maple Syrup: This can be swapped for agave nectar, vegan white sugar or another granulated sweetener. Brown sugar or coconut sugar can be used. They give the pudding a caramel flavor and a darker color.
Helpful Equipment
Here are a few tools that will make creating this recipe extra easy:
- Glass Cups or Jars: if making individual servings (or use an 8×8″ Baking Dish or Small Trifle Dish)
- Medium Saucepan: to make the homemade pudding
- Plastic Wrap: to cover the pudding as it cools
How to Make Vegan Banana Pudding
🍌 *Ingredient Quantities are in the Recipe Card Below!*
In a pot, combine the cornstarch and salt.
Set the pot over medium heat. Gradually pour in the oat milk and maple syrup, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming.
Pour in the coconut milk (or coconut cream), then simmer the mixture for 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously. The pudding should thicken noticeably and it should easily coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vegan butter and vanilla extract until melted and combined with the pudding. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours to thicken.
Assembling the Dairy-Free Banana Pudding!
Layer the vegan vanilla wafers at the bottom of a jar or serving glass.
Add a layer of banana slices and spoon the chilled pudding on top.
Repeat until the glass is full.
Top with a dollop of dairy free whipped cream.
Serving & Storage
Once the pudding is assembled, it’s best served immediately! If needed, it will keep for up to a day in the fridge. I don’t recommend storing long than that as the bananas will oxidize and brown.
The vegan vanilla pudding can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge covered with plastic wrap. Be sure the plastic is touching the top of the pudding to prevent a ‘skin’ from forming.
Tips For Coconut Milk Banana Pudding
- Use Full Fat Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream: For the best texture, I recommend chilling the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight and using only the solid parts of coconut cream from the can.
- Whisk the Pudding Continuously: To prevent lumps from forming be sure to whisk the pudding as you pour in the vegan milk.
- Store the Pudding with Plastic Wrap: Be sure to cover the pudding with plastic (so it touches the top of the pudding). This prevents a skin from forming.
- Use Barely Ripe Bananas: For the best flavor, I recommend using bananas that are mostly yellow with a tiny bit of green on them. Barely ripe bananas will prevent the pudding from being too sweet and hold their shape better than spotted bananas.
- Cover the Bananas to Prevent Oxidation: To help keep the bananas from browning as quickly, make sure they are completely covered with pudding.
these create the best flavor!
Dairy-free Banana Pudding FAQ
Yes, full-fat canned coconut milk can be used alone for a rich and creamy texture. Substitute the oat milk in the recipe below for coconut milk. The pudding with be thicker.
Oat milk adds creaminess without being too heavy, making it a great choice to balance coconut milk in dairy-free puddings.
Use full-fat canned coconut milk for best results. Try to avoid light versions or boxed beverages, which won’t thicken as well when chilled.
You can, but almond milk is thinner and the mouthfeel won’t be quite as rich and creamy.
Yes! Full-fat coconut milk and cornstarch thicken and set this dairy-free banana pudding very well without any eggs.
More Classic Vegan Desserts
Vegan Banana Pudding with Coconut Milk
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- ¼ cup cornstarch, 32g
- ¼ tsp salt, 1.5g
- ¾ cup oat milk, 180g
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 60g, or cane sugar
- 1 ½ cups full fat coconut milk, 12oz, or coconut cream from the can
- 2 tbsp vegan butter, 30g
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 4g
- 4 large barely ripe bananas, sliced into coins
- 35-45 store-bought Vegan Vanilla Wafers, 8oz- or other vanilla cookie (use gluten-free version if GF)
- 1-2 cups dairy-free whipped cream, for topping- see notes
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch and salt.¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ tsp salt
- Set the saucepan over medium heat. Gradually pour in the oat milk and maple syrup, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming.¾ cup oat milk, ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- Pour in the coconut milk (or coconut cream), then simmer the mixture for 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously. The pudding should thicken noticeably and it should easily coat the back of a spoon.1 ½ cups full fat coconut milk
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vegan butter and vanilla extract until melted and combined with the pudding.Press plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, and let cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. For a thicker, chilled pudding, store in the fridge for 2-3 hours before assembling.2 tbsp vegan butter, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Layer the vegan vanilla wafers at the bottom of a jar or serving glass. Add a layer of bananas and spoon the pudding on top. Repeat until the glass is full. Top with a dollop of dairy free whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining serving glasses.35-45 store-bought Vegan Vanilla Wafers, 1-2 cups dairy-free whipped cream, 4 large barely ripe bananas
- This can also be assembled in an 8×8" baking dish or a small trifle dish. Add more sliced bananas or vanilla wafers as needed to fully cover each layer. Serve immediately or store covered in the fridge for 1 day.
Recipe notes
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