This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy for details.
November is Banana Pudding Lover’s Month. I grew up enjoying that classic dessert. My mom layered vanilla wafers, sliced bananas and creamy vanilla puddling and topped it with whipped cream.
Since switching to a plant based, low sugar, gluten free lifestyle, regular banana pudding is not on my acceptable list. I can enjoy a banana but the rest of the ingredients are not good for me.
In honor of the month, and remembering that banana pudding I grew up with, I wondered if a vegan and gluten free banana puddling recipe existed. It does!
I found an easy recipe on Pinterest and adapted it slightly.
The Birth of Banana Pudding
The first recipe for banana pudding, served over sponge cake, showed up in the US in 1888. Good Housekeeping published the recipe in its magazine.
The availability of the exotic fruit enabled cooks to create new desserts. An early banana pudding recipe showed up in “The Kentucky Recipe Book” in 1903.
The introduction of Nabisco’s Nilla Wafer in the 1940s popularized banana pudding. Nabisco printed the recipe on every box of cookies.
Rodgers Pudding Company launched Banana Pudding Lover’s Month after a successful National Banana Pudding Festival in 2010. The two day festival was held in Tennessee.
Vegan and Gluten Free Banana Pudding Recipe
This quick and easy recipe, adapted from the Southern In Law website, only uses six ingredients and comes together in minutes.
This banana pudding is gluten, egg, dairy and sugar free.
Gluten free cornstarch or potato starch may be used. And any dairy free milk is fine. I used almond milk.
I purchased gluten free vanilla wafers from Natural Grocer’s. Omit the cookies, if desired. And I topped my banana pudding cups with non dairy coconut whipped topping, also purchased from Natural Grocer’s.
Vegan & Gluten Free Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 3 cups almond milk
- 1/4 cup corn or potato starch
- 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 box gluten free vanilla wafers
Instructions
- Combine mashed bananas, almond milk, vanilla, maple syrup and corn or potato starch to a large saucepan.
- Over medium heat, stir mixture until it just comes to boiling.
- Reduce heat slightly and continue to stir while mixture simmers. Cook and stir until pudding reaches desired consistency, about 3 - 5 minutes. Stir continually to prevent scorching. Pudding will thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat.
- In individual bowls, add 1 or 2 gluten free vanilla wafers to the bottom of each container. Pour pudding into bowls. Add 4 - 6 vanilla wafers to pudding cups, pushing cookies into mixture around the edges of bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.
- Before serving, top with dairy free coconut milk whipped topping, crushed vanilla wafers or sliced bananas. Makes 8 servings.
Celebrating Banana Pudding Lover’s Month
I tried a banana pudding cup today, after lunch, in celebration of the month.
My initial verdict: this dessert is delicious. The pudding texture is lighter than the classic dessert but I can live with that. The taste is just right. This recipe provides an excellent healthy alternative to classic banana pudding. The gluten free vanilla wafers added that necessary cookie component and the dairy free whipped topping made the dessert perfect.
I’ll certainly make this dessert again, in November or any other month of the year!
Do you love banana pudding?
Amazon Finds:
Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.