Banana pudding is one of those desserts that always feels a little special, and this version keeps all the good parts while skipping the dairy.

The pudding is smooth and creamy, made with oat milk and coconut milk instead of regular milk.

On top of that, I add caramelized bananas that turn soft and a little sweet in the pan.

Making this dairy free matters if you skip dairy for any reason, and honestly you would never guess it from the taste.

It comes together in simple layers, so you don’t need any fancy skills to put it all together.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

Fully Dairy Free – Oat milk and coconut milk make this pudding rich and creamy without a drop of dairy.

Sweet Caramelized Bananas – The bananas get coated in glossy brown sugar caramel that tastes warm and cozy.

Silky Smooth Texture – The chilled pudding turns thick, velvety, and spoonable after a quick whisk.

Layered and Pretty – Layers of cookies, pudding, and bananas look beautiful in every dessert glass.

Here’s What You’ll Need

For The Vanilla Pudding

2 cups Oat Milk
1 cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
3 Large Egg Yolks
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Fine Salt

For The Caramelized Bananas

3 Medium Bananas
2 tbsp Vegan Butter
1/4 cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Fine Salt

For Assembly

36 Dairy-Free Vanilla Wafer Cookies
1 1/2 cups Dairy-Free Whipped Topping

How to Make It

Step 1

Whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in the oat milk and coconut milk until smooth.

Step 2

Cook the pudding over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it bubbles and thickens. Continue cooking for 1 minute, then transfer it to a bowl.

Step 3

Press parchment paper directly against the pudding surface. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then whisk briefly until creamy.

Step 4

Cut the bananas into thick coins. Melt the vegan butter with the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a skillet over medium heat.

Step 5

Add the banana coins and cook for about 1 minute per side, until coated in glossy caramel but still holding their shape. Cool completely.

Step 6

Layer vanilla wafers, chilled pudding, caramelized bananas, and whipped topping in 6 dessert glasses. Repeat the layers, reserving a few cookies and bananas for the tops.

Step 7

Refrigerate for 2 hours to soften the cookies slightly. Finish with the reserved cookies and caramelized bananas just before serving.

Recipe Tips

Temper the Egg Yolks Slowly

When you add the oat milk and coconut milk to the egg yolks, pour it in a little at a time while whisking. If you dump it all in at once, the yolks can heat up too fast and turn into little scrambled bits.

From my experience, going slow here gives you a smooth pudding with no lumps. Keep whisking the whole time so everything stays even.

Whisk the Pudding Nonstop While It Cooks

Once the pudding is on the heat, don’t walk away or stop whisking. The cornstarch and coconut milk can stick to the bottom and burn really quickly, and you’ll taste that scorched flavor in the whole batch.

Keep moving the whisk into the corners of the pan too, since that’s where it likes to clump. You’ll know it’s ready when it bubbles and coats the back of a spoon.

After it thickens, let it cook for one full minute more. This cooks out the raw cornstarch taste so your pudding tastes clean and sweet.

Use Full-Fat Coconut Milk From a Can

Make sure you grab the thick full-fat coconut milk in a can, not the thin kind in a carton. The carton version has too much water and your pudding won’t set up thick and creamy.

My favorite trick here is to shake the can well before opening, since the cream and liquid separate while it sits. That way you get a nice even richness in every spoonful.