Southern-Style Gluten-Free Banana Meringue Pudding

By
Teri Gruss, MS
Teri Gruss, MS
Freelance writer and nutrition expert Teri Lee Gruss, M.S. has written hundreds of recipes focusing on healthy gluten-free cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/4/22
Banana Meringue Pudding
Kimberly Vardeman / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 42 mins
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 ramekins
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
387 Calories
16g Fat
50g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 387
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 168mg 56%
Sodium 293mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 50g 18%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 7mg 35%
Calcium 85mg 7%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 502mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Banana pudding is a classic dessert in the southern United States. The homemade gluten-free vanilla pudding takes about 30 minutes to prepare and is worth every minute.

Use either ready-made gluten-free vanilla wafers, gluten-free animal crackers or homemade vanilla wafers in this classic comfort food dish. You will need six 8-ounce custard cups or ramekins for this recipe.

This recipe is a gluten-free adaptation of "Banana Pudding with Meringue," which appears in "The South—The Beautiful Cookbook," by Mara Reid Rogers and Jim Auchmutey.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 4 cups light coconut milk, or milk

  • 4 large egg yolks (reserving egg whites for meringue)

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 4 medium, ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

  • 30 gluten-free vanilla wafers or animal crackers

  • 4 large egg whites

  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1/4 cup sugar

Steps to Make It

Prepare Pudding:

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and coconut milk or milk in a heavy saucepan and whisk to blend ingredients.

  3. Cook over medium heat, constantly whisking for about 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.

  4. Boil for 1 minute while continuing to whisk.

  5. Remove pan from heat.

  6. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

  7. Slowly drizzle 1/2 cup of hot pudding mixture into egg yolks while briskly whisking.

  8. Slowly drizzle egg mixture into saucepan with remaining pudding.

  9. Return pudding to medium heat and whisk constantly until mixture begins to bubble, about 2 minutes.

  10. Remove from heat. Be aware to not overcook.

  11. Stir in dairy-free butter substitute or butter and vanilla extract.

To Assemble Individual Puddings:

  1. Place 2 gluten-free vanilla wafers or animal crackers in the bottom of each of the 8 ounce custard or ramekin cups (6 ramekins in total).

  2. Use a measuring cup to pour 1/4 cup pudding into each ramekin.

  3. Top pudding with sliced bananas (about 5 slices per layer).

  4. Add another 1/4 cup pudding followed by another layer of bananas.

  5. Top with enough pudding to fill custard cups.

  6. Ring top of cups with extra cookies or animal crackers.

Prepare Meringue:

  1. Place room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer and beat on high for about 2 minutes. Mixture will be frothy.

  2. With mixer on high, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until glossy and peaks form—but don't over beat or meringue will be dry.

  3. Use a spoon to mound meringue on top of each pudding cup.

  4. Spread meringue out to edges of custard cup and make high peaks in center.

  5. Bake on middle rack of oven for 5 to 8 minutes or just until meringue is golden brown. Watch carefully to avoid scorching meringue.

  6. Cool puddings on a rack for about 30 minutes.

  7. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled.