This Gluten Free Banana Pudding recipe is simple to make with everyday ingredients. A delicious, semi-homemade treat that will feed a crowd.
Gluten Free Banana Pudding was originally posted on May 22, 2023 and has been updated with new pictures, updated recipe instructions and copy, and a new video.
what makes this recipe so different and unique?
Traditional banana pudding is made with Nilla wafers. But years ago, when Paula Deen was still on the Food Network, I watched her make what she called Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding. I made it back then and Paula was right, it was not my mama's banana pudding. It was BETTER!! (Actually, my mom never made banana pudding, but if she had, I'm sure she would have made it traditionally with Nilla wafers).
When I first made this banana pudding gluten free, I used Schar Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies (affiliate link) in place of the Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies that Paula Dean used. They were perfect (albeit a different shape) and I thought I had my final version of this recipe. But every time I set out to make banana pudding, I could never find those Schar cookies anywhere. After going to numerous stores, I decided to just make my own cookies. Because that's how I roll. And I think my newer version is even better than the original!
What's in This Wonderful Banana Pudding?
gluten free butter cookie ingredients
- Kim's gluten free all purpose flour - a store bought may be substituted, but please note this has not been tested.
- Butter - I have not tested these cookies with a dairy-free butter, but there is no reason why it wouldn't work.
- Egg and egg yolks - the egg is for the dough and the yolks are for "painting" on the cookies before baking. This gives them the characteristic "chessmen cookies" look.
banana pudding ingredients
- Gluten free cookies - Paula Dean is a genius for using Chessmen cookies instead of vanilla wafers. But for us, Pepperidge Farm has yet to make a gluten-free version of their cookies in any form. Luckily, we have a few options. We can make our own (see above and recipe below) or use a store-bought cookie (see below for substitutions).
- Sweetened condensed milk - Probably my favorite ingredient of all time. Liquid gold.
- French vanilla pudding mix - using a pudding mix is what I call a "semi-homemade" recipe. There's nothing wrong with using pudding mix to make our lives easier. Especially if we decide to go the homemade cookie route.
- Whipped cream - Paula's recipe calls for Cool Whip, but she also says sweetened whipped heavy cream can be used instead. I chose the latter, but there's no shame in using Cool Whip.
how to make gf banana pudding
Beat together butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and combine well. Briefly mix in the flour just until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firm, about an hour.
Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out with embossing rolling pin (affiliate link) or desired cookie cutter and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush the raised edges of each cookie with beaten egg yolk. Bake in a 350 F oven for 12-14 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges. Cool completely.
Combine whole milk and pudding mix and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and continue beating until well combined. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Stir pudding mixture into cream cheese mixture. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
Line bottom of 9 by 13-inch pan with cookies. Place half the cut bananas in one layer on top of cookies. Spread half of pudding mixture over bananas. Top with another layer of cookies, bananas, and rest of pudding mixture. Add final layer of cookies on top; cover and chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
rather watch?
gluten free cookie options
Whether you choose to buy cookies or make your own, you'll need some form of gluten free cookie that will soften within the layers of pudding and bananas. If you can find Schar Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies (affiliate link) in your area, by all means use those. They work great! If you can't find those particular cookies, any plain vanilla gf cookie will work, such as Kinnikinnick Vanilla Wafers (affiliate link) or Walker's Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies (affiliate link).
If you decide to make homemade gluten free cookies, there are even a couple of different options as well. You could keep it traditional and make my Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers or you can make these new gluten free chessmen cookies. I just bought this cuuuuute spring flowers embossing rolling pin (affiliate link) for the most adorable cookies. You can also use any plunger-type cookie cutter that makes raised 3D designs onto cookies.
gluten free Banana Pudding FAQs
Yes, they can! You can use store bought or make your own using this recipe.
While there are some that aren't gluten free, most Jello Brand pudding mixes are gluten free, including vanilla and French vanilla. If you don't feel safe eating instant pudding, you can make your own using this pastry cream recipe.
Yes, to make it even easier, use a 12-oz container of thawed Cool Whip in place of the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
more gluten free banana recipes to try
- The Best Banana Bread
- Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
- Banana Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream
- Bananas Foster Pudding
- Mini Hummingbird Bundt Cakes
- Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter and Candied Bacon
It's so easy to make this gluten free banana pudding. Probably the hardest part about it is waiting until it sets to dig in!!
Gluten Free Banana Pudding
Ingredients
Gluten Free Butter Cookies
- 1 cup (8 oz or 226g) butter, softened (dairy-free butter may be substituted)
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups (385g) Kim's all purpose gluten free flour blend (a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested)
- 2 large egg yolks, whisked and at room temperature for glaze, optional
OR Store Bought Gluten Free Cookies
- 2½ 7 ounce bags (198g) Schar gluten free shortbread cookies (Kinnikinnick vanilla wafers, Walkers gf shortbread, homemade vanilla wafers, or any other similar cookies can be used)
Pudding Mixture
- 2 cups (480ml) cold whole milk (a dairy-free milk could be substituted)
- 1 4 oz pkg (113g) French vanilla instant pudding mix (or vanilla instant pudding mix)
- 1 8 oz pkg (226g) cream cheese, softened (dairy-free cream cheese may be substituted)
- 1 14 oz can (397g) sweetened condensed milk (sweetened condensed coconut milk may be substituted)
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream (a dairy-free cream or whole fat coconut cream may be substituted, OR omit heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla and use a 12-oz container of Cool Whip or dairy-free frozen whipped topping)
- ¼ cup (31g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6-8 large sliced bananas
Instructions
For Gluten Free "Chessmen" Style Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and continue beating until smooth. Add flour and beat until just incorporated.
- Divide equally between two sheets of plastic wrap, shaping into flat disks, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes, or up to two days.
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Removing one disk of dough at a time from fridge, roll out onto a well-floured surface to ¼-inch thick. Using an embossing rolling pin or plunger-style cookie cutter, cut out shapes (If using embossing rolling pin, make sure to cut between each square or rectangle). Place cookies about one inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Reroll scraps and roll out second disk of dough, repeating cutting and re-rolling process, until all dough has been used.
- Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl and brush onto raised designs of cookies.
- Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until light golden brown around edges.
Make Pudding Mixture
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine milk and pudding mix and whisk or beat according to package directions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and combine well.
- In another large bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. (You can substitute all of this with one 12-oz container thawed frozen whipped topping, aka Cool Whip).
- Stir pudding into cream cheese mixture, and then fold the whipped cream in.
Assemble Pudding
- Line the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cookies, followed by half of the bananas slices.
- Dollop ½ of the cream mixture onto the bananas. Spread to smooth the top. Add another layer of cookies and the rest of the sliced bananas. Spoon the rest of the pudding mixture over the bananas and top with the rest of the cookies. Cover and set in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Serve cold.
- Banana pudding is best eaten within a few days as banana slices will start to brown. Keep refrigerated.
Notes
Gluten free butter cookies inspired by the Spruce Eats Copycat Chessmen Cookies
Adapted from Paula Deen's Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding recipe.
Shirley @ gluten free easily says
It looks and sounds delicious, Kim! Pepperidge Farm Chessman Cookies were my favorites before going gluten free. I've always loved butter cookies! Pepperidge Farm actually did come out with two flavors of gluten-free cookies a few years back: Gluten-Free Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Butter Crisp Cookies (https://www.pepperidgefarm.com/product/gluten-free-butter-crisp-cookies/) and Gluten-Free Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies (https://www.pepperidgefarm.com/product/gluten-free-milk-chocolate-chip-cookies/). I read some reviews but never saw them in my store and although they are still on Pepperidge Farm's website, I don't know if they are still sold. Anyway, thanks for the recipe!
Shirley
Kim says
I never knew they developed any gluten free cookies! I just looked them up in my area and they aren't sold near me either (not a surprise--we don't get much of the good stuff around here).
I really like the butter cookies in this banana pudding over any vanilla wafers, homemade or store bought. Paula Deen was a genius for using them in her original recipe. I hope you get a chance to try it this way.
Thanks, Shirley 😊
Monica says
Hi Shirley,
I just realized your comment is over a year old. But, I wanted to let you know that both of your links above connect to NON-Gluten-Free cookies of those flavors. Idk if Pepperidge Farms make any gf items or not. But, I wanted to ask if perhaps the link address needs to be corrected? I would love to try them if they do make them. Thanks Monica
Kathy Boehm says
I used about half of the Step 3 and Step 4 mixtures to reduce the sweetness and it was delicious! This is my family’s favorite banana pudding recipe, even for those who don’t normally like gf dishes. Or I double the pudding mix (Step 2) to make sure that I have enough for everyone.
Blair Perry says
I was so bummed...it turned out awful, for me! The consistency was wayyyy to liquidy and never set...I was so excited to find the recipe and then it was a total bust. I followed the recipe to the "T"!
Kim says
Other than the gluten free shortbread cookies, I adapted the recipe from Paula Deen's recipe, using the same measurements as hers. I've made it several times and it's never been liquidy.
Yourmomspuddin says
It’s because you did it wrong. Don’t blame others.
Mary Ocamb says
This is glorious!
Kim says
Thanks! I'm glad you like it 🙂