The proof truly lies in this (banana) pudding. For those who fancy the Southern classic but crave balance, our best banana pudding recipe comes together in a flash and doesn’t skew too sweet. In a nod to the style of banana pudding popularized by New York’s Magnolia Bakery, it leans on the milky, candy-like quality of sweetened condensed milk, which gives the creamy vanilla custard body and rich caramel undertones. You’ll use the whole can as the sole sweetener, so there’s no need to open a bag of sugar. The pudding is topped with swooshes of homemade whipped cream and as many vanilla wafer cookies as your heart desires for a welcome textural contrast.

When choosing ripe bananas for your dessert recipes, look for ones with black speckles “covering at least 40% of the peel,” according to senior food editor Shilpa Uskokovic. As fresh bananas ripen, their starches break down into sugars, making the flesh softer and the banana flavor more intense. Bright yellow specimens, while great for eating out of hand, would taste stiff and dry here.

Tips:

Taking your homemade banana pudding to a potluck? Add about 1 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding mix to the whipped cream for a whipped topping that stands the test of time.

Pan size: We chose to pack this simple, homey recipe into a 13×9″ dish, but you could opt for a 3-quart trifle bowl if preferred. Simply lay down a single layer of bananas, add about 1” of pudding, and top with a single layer of cookies. Repeat layering until you reach the top of your trifle dish and garnish with the whipped cream.