Creamy Southern Homemade Banana Pudding – egg-free / dairy-free / gluten-free / vegan / no sugar
Did you know that I once competed in a Banana Pudding Eating Contest?
Yes, really… Can’t you picture it? 🙂
It was at Six Flags, and I was with a group of friends. Hungry teenagers, lured by the thought of free banana pudding and Nilla wafers, we all decided to enter. About 3 seconds into the contest, we knew we were way out of our league. I’d eaten a bite and a half of banana pudding, while the guy next to me was halfway finished and the lady next to him was already onto her second bowl!
Needless to say, I didn’t come close to winning the contest, but the banana pudding was delicious and I didn’t end up with a stomachache like I’m sure the winner must have gotten… He ate almost 2 pounds of banana pudding in under 5 minutes!
So can you guess the secret ingredient that makes this healthy banana pudding recipe super thick and creamy without the use of cornstarch or heavy cream? Don’t worry, it’s not garbanzo beans, and it’s not cauliflower. Not this time.
Above, topped with sliced banana and Homemade Healthy Graham Crackers.
Creamy Homemade Banana Pudding
Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup over-ripe banana, mashed (measure after mashing) (160g)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsp coconut butter (45-60g)
- 1 package MoriNu tofu (Soy-free version: see recipe instructions below)
- pinch stevia extract, or 2-4 tbsp sugar of choice (depending on your tastebuds and the banana ripeness)
- optional: 1/8 tsp turmeric for a deeper-yellow hue
Instructions
Banana Pudding Recipe: Make sure the coconut butter is melted before you begin. (For tips on the easiest ways to melt coconut butter, see Coconut Butter FAQ Page.) Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Makes about 2 cups. (Soy-free version: Omit the tofu, and decrease the coconut butter to 2 tbsp. Decrease the salt to 1/8 tsp. Add 1 cup cashews that have been soaked in water 4-6 hours and drained fully. Vanilla stays the same, and sweeten as desired. Add milk of choice if a thinner pudding is desired.)
Click for: Banana Pudding Nutrition Facts
Question of the Day:
Would you ever consider entering a food eating contest?
Do you think you could ever win?
Link Of The Day:
Hi Katie, I tried to use stevia powder and it came out with the worst after taste, i saw where u said u use nunatural stevia. when i looked for it on amazon , so many types came up. could u please tell me which exactly u use and if it leaves any kind of after taste? thank u so much for all ur recipes also! LOVE LOVE THEM! a fan, Lina
Lina,
I know I’m not Katie, but if I can be of any help, NuNaturals Pure White Stevia powder is the way to go – you only need literally a PINCH to sweeten an entire glass of tea (I mean like 1/32 tsp . . . tiny tiny amount). That’s what I use, and I bought it under the impression that that was the kind that she buys (I could be wrong). This is the kind I got: http://www.amazon.com/NuNaturals-Nustevia-Stevia-Extract-1-Ounce/dp/B0019LPM0C/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1373563058&sr=1-1&keywords=nustevia+pure+white+stevia
BUT there’s no bitter aftertaste, and even usually stevia-hating daddy likes lemonade that’s sweetened with it. 🙂
thank you for the reply….how do i use that in recipes? like if it says 2 tsp ,still use same amount as it calls for? and what about the recipes that call for liquid stevia drops? i am going to buy some of the one from your link today, the one i bought was from whole foods but it wassuch a bad aftertaste we threw away all the muffins.
Hi again, Lina,
In her recipes, most of the time it will say something like (as in this banana pudding recipe) “a pinch of stevia.” As far as other recipes go . . . I would probably taste-test the batter; this stuff is really really REALLY sweet. For example, if you find a recipe that uses a cut stevia (like Stevia in the Raw, which has other fillers in it), then you’ll want to probably use less than 1/4th of what it calls for – like if it says 2 tsp, I would start at 1/4th tsp, maybe a little less, and just keep tasting.
All stevias tend to be a little different, depending on whether they are uncut (pure) or cut (fillers). But once you add your stevia to tea or something, that should give you a gauge on how sweet it is, and how much you might need for whatever purposes. 🙂 Hope I helped!
Also, straight from their website: “NuStevia White Stevia Pure Extract: 1/32 tsp is a sweet as 1 tsp of sugar”
LOL So I guess that if a recipe called for 2 tsps, you’d only need like 1/16th tsp. More info here: http://nunaturals.com/page/297.
@sunnie. thank you for all the helpful info! it took me forever to realize where i posted this comment at..one more question maybe, which nunatural pure liquid stevia extract do i buy? there are seversl types coming up…again thank you so much =)
Hi Lina!
It’s not a liquid, it’s a powder. Here’s one place where you can get it online. (see: http://www.iherb.com/NuNaturals-NuStevia-Pure-White-Stevia-Extract-1-oz-28-g/4231). Just make sure that if you look elsewhere, it says PURE white stevia extract (powder); the brand also has a white stevia powder, but it is NOT labeled “pure,” and has maltodextrin or another additive that’s used to cut it, as to make it more like sugar in terms of the amount that you would add to something. The Pure version is much, much sweeter.
Hey Katie,
Is there something we could substitute for the coconut butter? I’ve tried time and time again to get into the whole coconut-fad, but I just can’t do it!
Hi Katie,
Non of my local stores carry coconut butter. Is there another type of spread you could suggest? Would earth balance products work? They’re dairy free spreads.
Katie has a recipe to make your own coconut butter. I know it’s not a substitute, but it’s super easy! 🙂
I’m wondering if I could use the hard stuff if a can of coconut milk?
I used peanut butter instead. Yuuuum! The consistency was still great.
Banana pudding is my absolute favorite! Yum.
I love bananas with a creamy pudding. This looks so good! I blogged a similar recipe a couple weeks ago, but did not make it with tofu. I bet the tofu creates a really delicious texture! Love this!
Oh I absolutely love this pudding idea! Especially that it has coconut butter – since I’m kind of obsessed with all things coconut, and banana and coconut happen to go fabulously together.
I don’t think I’d ever enter a food contest, that is one thing I’d for sure suck at. Unless it was a fruit eating contest. I could possibly enter that one;)
I participated in a Twinkie eating contest once in college (before the vegan days of course), but it was more about speed than amount. I think we had to unwrap and eat like 3, so definitely not anything like 2 pounds of banana pudding!
I may try this with Nasoya silken tofu – I can’t find Morinu here. The graham cracker looks yummy, but I’m from the south, so I need to find some good Nilla Wafer vegan sub!
I’m working on one… right now, the texture is good but the taste just doesn’t have that quintessential “nilla wafer” flavor yet. 😕
banana pudding is my favorite dessert everrrrr!
This looks so so delicious! I don’t know how you come up with these amazing healthified recipes all the time! this reminds me of my grandmother; while not as healthy she used to make the most amazing banana pudding! One of those things that takes me back to my childhood 🙂
I, too, would like to know if there is something we can sub for the coconut butter. Thank you!