How to Make Paula Deen’s Chessmen Banana Pudding
Need a quick and easy dessert? You are going to love Paula Deen’s fabulous Chessmen banana pudding. Here are some helpful tips for making this delicious dessert ahead of time.
Paula Deen’s Banana Pudding Recipe
The first time I tasted this dessert, I immediately asked, “Who made this?” and got the recipe that very night. I make this every time banana pudding is on the menu. It is always a hit! Whenever I serve it, someone asks for the recipe. It is a “twist on traditional” banana pudding that most people absolutely love. Bring it to your next party, potluck, or tailgate, and you’ll be taking home an empty dish!
What is Traditional Banana Pudding?
Traditional banana pudding typically has a boiled custard base that contains eggs. In other words, “real” banana pudding is homemade pudding—not the easy Jell-O instant pudding mix (which I actually prefer to homemade). Traditional banana pudding is usually topped with vanilla wafer cookies.
How Does Chessmen Banana Pudding Differ from Regular Banana Pudding?
This version of Chessmen banana pudding uses simple, easy-to-assemble ingredients that require no cooking—milk, instant pudding, cream cheese, condensed milk, bananas, and Chessmen cookies. This recipe is much quicker than making traditional banana pudding, and tastes even better!
Is It Easy to Make Chessmen Banana Pudding?
Absolutely! This dessert comes together with just a few simple ingredients and easy steps. Vanilla instant pudding keeps the process smooth and effortless, making assembly the main focus. Unlike traditional banana pudding, there’s no need to boil custard on the stove or whip up homemade cream. In no time, you’ll have a delicious banana pudding that tastes homemade!
What Ingredients Are in the Recipe?
- 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups 2% milk (or whole milk)
- 2 (3-ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding mix (I like the French vanilla flavor!)
- 5–6 bananas, sliced
- 2 (8-ounce) bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
How Do You Make This Recipe?
This no-bake dessert comes together in minutes! Start by lining a baking dish with a layer of Chessmen cookies and a layer of sliced bananas on top to form your bottom layer. In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding mix and blend together using a whisk or preferably a handheld electric mixer. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk, mixing until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture, and combine this with your pudding mixture. Stir until everything is well blended. Pour your pudding over the layer of cookies and bananas, and cover with the remaining cookies for your top layer. Cover the dessert with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve!
How Do You Serve Chessmen Banana Pudding?
You can serve Chessmen Banana Pudding by scooping it out square by square. Having the Chessmen cookies as guidelines for serving makes it SO easy to serve up this dish to family and friends. You’ll want to bring this banana pudding to your next cookout!
What Are Chessmen Cookies?
Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies are rich, buttery cookies imprinted with chess piece designs, similar to shortbread. Seasonal variations often feature decorative stamps, like flowers in the spring or festive designs in the fall and winter. In this post, you’ll see the spring version with floral patterns. No matter the season, these cookies add a deliciously crisp texture and buttery flavor to this recipe!
Can You Make Chessmen Banana Pudding Ahead?
This dessert is perfect to make a day ahead, especially if you prefer softer cookies. It can be put together in less than 15 minutes, and after several hours in the fridge, it’s ready to serve.
Paula Deen's Chessmen Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups 2% milk (or whole milk)
- 2 (3-ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding mix (I like the French vanilla flavor!)
- 5–6 bananas, sliced
- 2 (8-ounce) bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
Instructions
- Line a baking dish with a layer of Chessmen cookies and a layer of sliced bananas on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding mix. Blend together using a whisk or a handheld electric mixer.
- In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and condensed milk, mixing until smooth.
- Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture
- Combine this with your pudding mixture. Stir until everything is well blended.
- Pour your pudding over the layer of cookies and bananas. Cover with the remaining cookies for your top layer.
- Cover the dessert with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve!
For another simple, delicious, one-pan make-ahead treat that everybody loves, try my Chocolate Eclair Dessert.
Have you had this version of banana pudding? If so, do you like it as much or better than traditional banana pudding? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please comment beneath the post.
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As always, thank you so much for welcoming recipes that I share to your dinner table. Be blessed, and stay savvy!
Monique, thank you SO much for trying out these recipes! It warms my heart to hear that you and your husband have enjoyed them and that it’s given new life to your cooking. I’d love to know: out of the recipes you’ve tried, which one is you and your husband’s favorite?
Hi Jamie,
I recently found you. I think I heard about you on the Big Boo cast. I’ve been married for 43 years and am always looking for new recipes to try. Sometimes my husband says please don’t try anything new. Your tried and true recipes are my favorites. Ugh but cooking the same thing over and over for years! I have tried 7 of your recipes and he LOVES every one of them. He says about you “that lady has fabulous recipes and you can cook them for me any time”. Thank you for giving my cooking new life. The recipes I’ve tried are spatchcock chicken, summer squash casserole, chessman banana pudding, lemon blueberry dumplings cake, french onion beef tips, and the white cake with buttercream frosting. The desserts were taken to parties and there wasn’t a bite left!!
So happy you enjoyed it!!!
My coworker made it for us and was amazingly delicious!❤️
Lynne, I think strawberries might work!!!!! Not sure about chocolate but sounds interesting. Let me know if you figure out a good alternative!
My granddaughter is allergic to bananas. Would this recipe be good without the bananas? Or do you suggest a replacement for the bananas? Could chocolate be used in any way as a substitute?
Looking forward to your input.
I think you will LOVE it, Tricia!!! Everyone who eats it RAVES about it!!!! LMK what you think!!!!
It sounds delicious
My friend is making this on Wednesday and have invited me to have some I’m looking forward to eating some I’m not a big banana pudding fan because it’s usually cooked and I do not like cooked banana pudding and I don’t like brown bananas in it so I’m anxious to try it Paula deen’s recipe sounds delicious.
Oh that sounds fab; I will look for that pudding! And I lOVE Nutter Butters!!!! Will try that too!!!! XoXo
I make mine with banana cream pudding. It’s much better. Sometimes I use Nutter Butter cookies for the bottom layer. It tastes reminiscent of the peanut butter and banana sandwiches my mom used to make me.
Hi Terri! I went back into the recipe and recalculated; it is now corrected:-) I used 2% milk and low-fat cream cheese. When I edited the recipe it was much better (check it out). Serving sizes are about 1/2 cup and under 100 calories. A sweet treat that is almost guilt free:-) Thanks for reaching out. Let me know how this turns out if you make it. XoXo
This looks like a very cool and refreshing summer desert! But I did notice that the calories per serving or 888. I wonder how much the calories would be cut down if I use sugar-free vanilla instant putting and low fat cream cheese, as well as fat free condensed milk and skim milk?
Honestly, when I make a recipe and use these ingredients, I can’t notice a difference in the overall flavor.
Oh, that would be fabulous!!!! Will have to try!!!!!! XoXo
I LOVE this idea with the Christmas cookies!
Hi Linda! Paula Deen gets all the credit for the recipe; I just shared it:-) So glad you found it; it is delicious!!! XoXo
I got the recipe from my son but then lost it
I was very happy to find the same recipe on the internet. It is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for listing it.
Hi Monica! You are so welcome, and I know that your family will LOVE this version of banana pudding! Please let me know how it turns out. Blessings to you!!
Thanks for the recipe! This is the first time I will make a banana pudding and yours sounds even better than the traditional banana pudding with Nilla wafers. I am sure my family will love this. Thanks and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Hi Ashley! Whipping and chilling heavy cream should work beautifully! In fact, it will probably taste even richer and yummmier!!! Let me know how it works!
Hi! what do you do when I don’t have frozen whipped topping, thawed? I live in Asia now and there’s no frozen whipped topping, thawed…