Southern-Style Banana Pudding Parfaits

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 4 parfaits
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This creamy treat is made by layering an easy stove-top vanilla pudding with sliced bananas and crunchy vanilla-laced oats. To avoid clingy banana strings, peel bananas from the bottom up. (Pinch the black tip to get started.)

Note that the cashews should be soaked overnight for creamiest results. To soak cashews, place them in a bowl with enough hot water to cover.

By Mary Margaret Chappell,

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored plant milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
  • 4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
  • 3 large or 4 small bananas, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds

Instructions

  • For pudding, place cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, the nutmeg, and salt. Bring just to boiling over medium, whisking constantly. Cook and whisk 2 to 3 minutes more or until mixture is thickened and no foam remains on the surface. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
  • While pudding cools, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl stir together oats, 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of the vanilla, and the cinnamon. Spread mixture in a ½-inch-thick layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until oats are golden brown, stirring once.
  • For cashew cream topping, drain cashews. In a blender combine cashews and the remaining 2 teaspoons maple syrup and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Add ¼ cup water. Cover and blend until smooth and creamy. Place in an airtight container; chill.
  • To assemble parfaits, spoon 2 Tbsp. pudding in each of four parfait glasses. Top with one-third of the banana slices and one-third of the oat mixture. Repeat with another layer of pudding, one-third of the banana slices. and one-third of the oat mixture. Layer with the remaining banana slices and pudding. Cover and chill parfaits 1 to 8 hours.
  • Just before serving, if desired, top with additional banana slices and the remaining oat mixture. Top each with 1 tablespoon cashew cream and additional cinnamon.
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Comments (52)

(5 from 17 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Helena

Recommendations for cashew subsitute? My son has a nut allergy.

Karen Mehta

This was delish! I used arrowroot cuz I didn’t have cornstarch. If you do that, I’d recommend using 1/2 of the recipe amount. I can’t eat too many cashews and so substituted pine nuts.

Ryanna

Was perusing for something to do with bananas. I even had my own homemade granola in the fridge... This.... my Hubby gave me a handshake like I won the British Baking show! Hahaha Only problem... do we wait to eat more??

Cathy

What a great treat!! Looked pretty in the parfait glasses and the taste was wonderful!!

Donna Ellis

Karen, what about Tapioca starch?

Karen Hrank

Is there a substitute for the corn starch? I can’t have corn.

Karen Hrank

Can’t do potato starch either.

Courtney Davison

Hi Karen, As Donna suggested, tapioca starch could be a good option. Arrowroot powder also might work here. We haven't tested the recipe with either of those, so if you do give it a try, please let us know how it goes! Thank you, Courtney, editor, Forks Over Knives

Amy

Going to try

Annette

This is so delicious! We all loved it (3 adults, one who still eats dairy and meat). Definitely saving this recipe, though might get lazy next time and just mix it all up in a big bowl with the whipped topping on top, rather than bother with the layers (though that did make it pretty for a dinner party). YUM!!!

Tracy Bubnis

Tastes great, but I must’ve done something wrong. Thickened fine, then placed in the fridge. A few hours later, it was completely runny. Oats & cashew cream came out great Any thoughts?

Sel Runn

great recipe. can you please tell me where the glasses you use for this pudding come from. They are very cool. thank you

Dennis

is there an alternative in this recipe to cornstarch? i am allergic to all corn products. Thank you

Tracey

Arrowroot should work as an alternative.

Scott L

Dennis: Read the lower thread- arrowroot did not work well.

Megan Edwards

Hi Dennis! We recommend using potato starch instead. It has a 1:1 substitution ratio with cornstarch and holds up well in sweet recipes. Enjoy!

Rachel

Arrow root should work the same as corn starch...

Mar

So grateful for a refresh g recipe. I can’t have chocolate (no caffeine)

Courtney

Then use carob!

Amy

Made this tonight for my mother-in-law and husband and we all thought it was fabulous. This dessert will be for guests in the future.

Holly

I used almond milk and stevia syrup instead of maple syrup cause my Dad’s diabetic. I also cooled the pudding and then added a small amount of banana and the oatmeal crumb on top. Just to limit some of the carbs my Dad can’t have . It was wonderful sweet treat.

Andrew

I know southern-style banana puddin and this ain’t it.

Daniel

Let's calm it down a touch there huh bud?

Lynn Rooks

Great banana pudding. Did use cornstarch instead of my arrow, since was the recipe. Creamy.

Debbie

What can you use in place of cashews. I am allergic

Rebecca J Bouck

I have used sunflower seeds instead of cashews in recipes that call for soaked cashews.

Lynn Rooks

Great made with coconut milk and arrowroot. Tastes wonderful to boot.

Susan H

Just made this with almond milk and arrowroot powder and it came out as rubbery strings. Any ideas of what went wrong?

JoAnn Jackson

You should use cornstarch. Arrowroot mixed with a milky substance will produce that effect.

Rebecca

I think I make this almost every weekend! So nice to have a WFPB alternative to a favorite dessert of ours!

Granny Pitt

Sounds as though you made vegan string cheese. Maybe you’re onto something …

Dins

Bananas and 6 tablespoons of maple syrup? Could you please provide the nutritional breakdown of this dessert.

GK

It's 4 2/3 tablespoons of maple syrup. And there are dozens of nutritional calculators on the web that will work this out for you.

skye

So creamy and amazing taste thankyou so much for this lovely recipe! the pudding part with almond milk was divine.

Lisa

This dessert is delicious and kid approved. I have always loved banana pudding made with cool whip, instant vanilla pudding and nilla wafers. This is the first time I've been able to enjoy banana pudding since becoming wfpb. Thank you so much for creating a fabulous recipe!

Donna Magas

What should be a good substitute for the cashews? We have a cashew allergy in the house.

Tracy

Hi Donna! Same here. I have heard of soaking hazelnuts as a sub. Also, since the cashews are for cream, you might want to consider making whipped cream instead, using refrigerated coconut milk and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar.

Tiffany

Is there a place we can obtain nutrition information for your recipes? To determine protein, carbs, calories, etc?

Brandy

You can use this to figure out nutritional information for any recipe you find: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator

Diane Althaus

I'm curious--wouldn't the crunchiness of the oat mixture get lost while layered with the pudding and refrigerated?

JoAnn Jackson

Yes the crunchiness of the oats is lost but I love the softness of the oats as well. If you like overnight oats losing the crunch is not a problem.

Lorna Crabtree

What about macadamia nuts? If you can eat them, they are as mild as the cashews and should give a creamy texture.

texmex

cornstarch is not exactly a nutriment to recommand, is it?

Josie Talbot

If you don like corn starch try arrowroot powder is works just like cornstarch. Josie

Freda

Fantastic 10

Kimberly Linetsky

Is there a substitute that would work for the cashews? I’m allergic.

Elena

Haven’t tried but white beans are used as a substitute for cashews in other recipes.

Lynn Plourde

I'm allergic to cashews too, so when recipes call for them, I substitute almonds.

Anita

Tigernuts, which actually aren't nuts, but tubers. I discovered them recently, they are very tasty, sweeter than cashews, make great milk, icecream etc..

Becki Henderson

This is a delicious dessert. The pudding can be made using date paste instead of the maple syrup, but I did need the maple syrup for the oat mixture. I frequently make the oat mixture to keep on hand as a simple granola to use on top of FOK's banana-berry smoothie bowls.

aram

this sounds delicious

VeggieT8r

A person on a tight budget like me would go broke buying maple syrup, wow, that stuff is like gold. Good thing I don't have a sweet tooth!

About the Author

Headshot of Mary Margaret Chappell

About the Author

Mary Margaret Chappell

When Mary Margaret Chappell first started out in the plant-based food world as a writer, editor, and recipe developer, she was a bacon-loving former pastry chef who didn’t think she could ever cook without butter. Fourteen years, four cookbooks, dozens of cooking classes, and hundreds of recipes later, her favorite thing in the world is sharing the tips, techniques, and recipes that show just how easy and delicious whole-food, plant-based cooking can be. The former food editor of Vegetarian Times magazine has done away with her dependency on butter and is honing her skills at baking with natural sweeteners. Chappell lives in France, where plant-based eating can often be a challenge, but the fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes available are simply amazing. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.
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