Banana Pudding Cups

This easy banana pudding recipe is a must-make for your next cookout. Assembled and served in individual dishes, they feature sliced bananas, a velvety vanilla pudding, and dollops of whipped cream, all finished with crumbled wafer cookies. Don't be intimidated by making homemade pudding—our version is simple to pull together and requires zero straining. You will need to allow at least an hour for the puddings to set and chill before eating, which also means you can get the work done a day ahead and pull them out when you’re ready to serve. Sweet, creamy, and so delicious, these banana pudding cups are a summer (or anytime) favorite.

Why Use a Double Boiler for Pudding

Pudding recipes are often cooked directly in a saucepan, then strained to catch any bits of egg or clumps of starch. While relatively simple to do, this requires paying close attention to both your heat and cook time to prevent scorching, curdling, or overcooking, and also leaves you with an extra piece of equipment to clean. So, we cook this pudding using a double boiler, which is more foolproof.

A double boiler (also known as a bain marie) is a setup consisting of a pot of simmering water with a heatproof vessel on top. As the water simmers, the food above cooks by steam rather than direct heat—a much gentler approach. It is especially helpful when working with delicate ingredients like eggs, which is why it's often used to make hollandaise and Swiss meringue.

Equipment Needs

Medium saucepan: Unless you own a double boiler, use a medium size saucepan for the simmering water. It should be wide enough to evenly heat the vessel on top but not so wide that the vessel sits too deeply inside it.

Heatproof bowl: A large glass or metal bowl is ideal for making the pudding in. (If using glass, make sure it is heatproof.) Be sure that the bowl doesn't touch the water beneath, and that it fits snugly to keep steam from escaping.

Whisk: To keep the mixture moving evenly as it cooks, reach for a sturdy whisk.

Ramekins: You'll need six 8-ounce ramekins or glass dishes to make these individual pudding cups. You can also use a 1 1/2 quart bowl or casserole dish to make one large banana pudding.