Individual servings of Southern Banana Pudding served up in mini cookie bags is the dessert version of Walking Tacos! This easy, hand-held sweet treat is perfect for ballgame concession stands, pool parties, birthday parties, backyard BBQ's, tailgating, summer picnics and Cinco de Mayo! So easy, kids can even make them and they're excellent for a large crowd.
Who doesn't love good ol' Southern banana pudding? That's right. Almost everyone!
But sometimes you need a dessert that isn't made in one great big ginormous bowl and can be eaten while walking and talking.... especially during a time when everyone is more mindful of the number of touches on the serving spoon.
Calling all soccer, softball and football moms! These simple and clever sweet treats are a fantastic concession stand idea and can be sold to benefit your booster club!
The prep is minimal (It starts with instant pudding mix) and can be made ahead and stored in a fridge or placed on a tub of ice since the packages are foil-lined!
Personally, I love how making banana pudding ahead of time softens the vanilla wafer cookies. But you could make these on site, assembly line fashion in a concession stand or have your party guests make their own.
What's a Walking Taco?
If you've never heard of Walking Tacos before, they are portable Frito pies you build in a mini bag of corn chips or Doritos. Start with opening the bag and adding taco meat on top of the chips, then shredded cheese.
Those are the most basic ingredients in Walking Tacos but you can add as many toppings as you like. For example Picky Palate has a huge list of toppings for "tacos in a bag".
What do I need to make Walking Banana Pudding?
- Instant vanilla pudding mix + 2 cups milk to prepare it
- Individual serving packages of mini vanilla wafers
- Bananas, sliced
- Reddi Wip to spray for Cool Whip to dollop
How to Make Walking Banana Pudding
For complete, detailed directions scroll down for the printable recipe.
It's super simple to assemble the individual servings once you prepare the instant pudding mix and slice the bananas. Here are the steps:
- Prepare instant pudding according to package directions.
- Cut open the sides of the cookie packages.
- Slice the bananas and place on top of cookies.
- Spoon pudding on top of bananas. (Or reverse this order for softer cookies.)
- Top with a squirt of Reddi Wip whipped cream or dollop of Cool Whip.
Done. It's that easy.
Now, I do like to store mine in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Like any good Southern hostess, I like my vanilla wafers in banana pudding soft. But if you are in a hurry or cranking out desserts at a concession stand, the cookies are still yummy when crunchy!
How to store cookie bags of banana pudding in the refrigerator
It can be a bit tricky since the stuffed bags tend to want to lay flat. So, I overlap mine on a baking sheet, large rectangle Rubbermaid container, or in a 13x9 baking pan so they are propped up at the open end.
How can I transport this fun dessert to my party?
Place the Walking Banana Puddings in two large Rubbermaid containers or baking dishes with lids. You can also place them in baking pans and wrap the top with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Place the containers in a cooler of ice or in casserole travel carrier with cold packs.
How can I serve them?
If you are serving them immediately from the fridge, place them on a platter or in a flat basket. If serving outside at a pool party, backyard BBQ or tailgating event, arrange the cookie bags of banana pudding on a tub of ice cubes to keep them cold.
Where can I buy multi packs of mini vanilla wafers?
First, I always try to catch them on sale at my Publix. They go on BOGO (Buy One Get One) about every 6 weeks. Tip: You don't have to buy two at Publix-that basically means they are half off if you just buy one! This is a perfect time to stock up if you are planning to make these for a large crowd.
I also scored the 12-packs at my local Aldi store for $4.49.
Amazon sells them in a box of four 12 multi packs. I have Amazon Prime so this is a super convenient option to have them delivered to your door without having to shop around but are a bit more pricey.
Lastly, Sam's Wholesale and Costco should carry the multi packs of mini vanilla wafers.
How do you keep banana slices from turning brown?
To prevent bananas that have been cut from turning brown, lightly brush lemon juice on them. Bananas turn brown when exposed to oxygen. For this recipe, avoid tossing them in too much lemon juice because they can become "soupy" and change this sweet dessert to a tangy dessert.
A reader suggested brushing pineapple juice on them. That's a tasty idea!
Can I make my own homemade vanilla pudding?
Sure! My recipes typically focus on Southern shortcut recipes so I used instant vanilla pudding mix but The Country Cook has a yummy homemade vanilla pudding recipe that looks pretty easy.
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If you make this recipe I'd love to see it! Tag me on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda. Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!
You can see this recipe on Meal Plan Monday #268 created by fellow food bloggers like. For more dinner inspiration, check it out!
PIN IT FOR LATER
Other shortcut desserts you will love
- Orange Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Disguised as Carrots
- No-Cook Key Lime Pie Popsicles
- Shortcut Chocolate Truffle Tart
- Shortcut Caramel Apple Pie
Walking Banana Pudding | Dessert Version of Walking Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix (or 2 cups prepared vanilla pudding)
- 2 cups 2% or whole milk
- 12 1-ounce packs or bags mini vanilla wafer cookies
- 3 to 4 small to medium ripe bananas
- Reddi Wip or Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Prepare the vanilla pudding according to package directions using the milk. Cover and let chill 15 minutes to set up.
- Cut the cookie bags open on the side with a pair of scissors.
- Slice the bananas and evenly distribute bananas on top of cookies.
- Spoon about 2 1/2 tablespoons pudding on top of the bananas. For softer cookies, spoon pudding directly on cookies first.
- Squirt Reddi Wip or dollop Cool Whip on top of pudding.
- Arrange the bags of Walking Banana Pudding in a plastic container, baking pan or baking sheet, overlapping them so they are slightly propped up and will not spill out. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The longer they chill, the softer the cookies will be.
I prefer cooked pudding or buy ready made to prevent that instant flavor. Use pineapple juice on banana slices to prevent browning for better flavor.
I completely agree that homemade vanilla pudding is the best! For this recipe, instant just made for a better fit since it is a shortcut idea for large parties, concession stands and those that just want a quick dessert. I love your suggestion to brush the bananas with pineapple juice. I'll add that to the blog post!