10 Healthy Banana Pudding Recipes That’ll Blow Your Mind

Written by Michael Matthews

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When you’re trying to “clean up” your diet, desserts are one of the first things to go.

Most just have too many calories and too much sugar to make the cut.

Unfortunately, getting rid of tasty treats doesn’t get rid of cravings.

And that’s why banana pudding is awesome.

It can be just as sweet and delicious as your favorite desserts, and, as you’ll see, extremely versatile and nutritious, as well.

If you want something fast and simple, try the Cheater Banana Pudding. If you want something more indulgent, try the Almond Butter & Banana Chia Seed Pudding. And for a high-protein snack, make the Banana Pudding Protein Smoothie.

Enjoy!

Banana Peanut Butter Protein Pudding

For a vegan banana pudding, try using tofu as a base instead of dairy. It’ll make a thick, creamy pudding that’s just as delicious as the original.

It still has plenty of ripe bananas, plus peanut butter and cinnamon for extra flavor. No one will be the wiser about the tofu – they’ll just be wondering how you made the banana pudding extra rich.

Ingredients

Roasted Banana Pudding

Taking 15 minutes to roast the bananas is an easy way to make a low-fat banana pudding that’s every bit a flavorful. You don’t even have to unpeel them before they go in the oven, yet the extra step transforms the fruit by caramelizing the natural sugars.

For more healthy recipes like this, pick up Cooking that Counts, the latest cookbook by the editors of Cooking Light.

Ingredients

Banana Pudding Protein Smoothie

You can get the flavor of your favorite dessert in a sippable format. Not only that, but a banana protein shake has four times the protein of a typical pudding with all the flavor you love. Finish with whipped topping and vanilla wafers for the full banana pudding experience.

Ingredients

Almond Butter & Banana Chia Seed Pudding

This isn’t your classic banana pudding, but it’ll still be satisfying by using the rich flavor of almond butter rather than heavy cream.

And it’s easy to make with chia seeds, so you don’t have to cook it on the stove. Just mix everything up – including whey protein powder – and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients

No-Sugar-Added Banana Pudding

This is a classic pudding that’s cooked on the stove until thick, then chilled in the fridge. And it’s easy because you just blend together three ingredients, heat them up, and then wait for it to finish in the fridge.

This 3-ingredient banana pudding takes about 15 minutes to make, and then you’ll just need patience while the pudding chills.

Ingredients

Healthy Southern Banana Pudding

This lightened up version of banana pudding has half the sugar, half the fat, and all the flavor of the original Southern dessert.

If you use Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies instead of vanilla wafers, you can reduce the sugar. And the pudding will still be rich if you mix in cream cheese along with low-fat milk and a bunch of bananas.

Ingredients

Cheater Banana Pudding

For a quick banana pudding, you don’t need the instant cardboard box. This homemade dessert uses Greek yogurt instead, so you don’t have to cook anything.

It takes just a few simple ingredients and five minutes to make. You can sweeten it with honey, if desired, or fold in whipped cream for a richer dessert with a lighter texture.

Ingredients

Breakfast Banana Pudding

Use your favorite dessert as inspiration for breakfast. This yogurt parfait is doctored up like banana pudding with crushed ‘nilla wafers and banana slices.

You can also layer in granola to add whole grains, or add coconut whipped cream to make it more of a treat.

Ingredients

Coconut Banana Pudding

It’s possible to make dairy-free banana pudding, and you can still use your classic recipe. Heat up a can of coconut milk in a saucepan, temper in the egg yolks, and return to the stove to cook until it’s thickened.

The mashed bananas are mixed in at the end just before it goes into the fridge. Then, to keep it paleo, this one is topped with crushed walnuts instead of using cookies.

Ingredients

Banana Cream Protein Pudding

Craving banana pudding – like the entire bowl of creamy banana pudding? When you make it with cottage cheese as the base, you can eat as much as you want.

This one also has protein powder, Greek yogurt, and a whole banana for a nutrient-dense dessert, breakfast, or post-workout snack.

Ingredients