Sugar Free Banana Pudding

Banana flavoring gives this pudding its banana taste without adding mashed bananas. I use it with heavy cream, egg yolks, and powdered allulose to make a rich stovetop custard. Those four ingredients are the pudding base; the whipped cream and wafers are for turning it into a layered dessert.

The yolks thicken the custard as it cooks, so there is no gelatin or boxed pudding mix. Pour the warmed cream into the yolks slowly while whisking, then stir the mixture over low heat. You're looking for a smooth coating on the back of a spoon and a temperature of at least 160°F before it comes off the stove.

The pudding needs at least 2 hours in the refrigerator to set. This is a dessert to start ahead, even though the stove work takes only about 10 minutes. I show the custard and assembly in the video below.

For the layered version, spoon the chilled pudding into glasses with keto vanilla wafers and whipped cream. Assemble close to serving if you want some crunch from the wafers. An overnight rest softens them into the pudding.

If you want a creamy dessert without cooking eggs, try my keto chocolate mousse or peanut butter mousse.

A custard made from scratch

Egg yolks give this pudding its thickness and rich texture. I use heavy cream for the base and banana flavoring for the fruit flavor. You can adjust the flavoring after the custard has cooked, without changing the amount of cream or yolks.

The four ingredient count covers the pudding alone. Wafers and whipped cream add more ingredients, and their nutrition needs to be counted separately.

Sweetener and banana flavoring

The recipe uses powdered allulose. A different sweetener can change both the sweetness and the chilled texture, so check whether yours measures like allulose before substituting. A concentrated monk fruit or stevia powder is not a cup for cup replacement.

Use banana flavoring intended for food. The card lists 2 teaspoons, but products vary considerably in strength. If the bottle describes a concentrated flavoring used by the drop, follow its directions and start with less. Stir flavoring into the cooked custard off the heat, then taste a cooled spoonful and adjust before chilling. Do not taste the raw egg mixture.

Ways to serve keto pudding

Individual pudding cups: Divide the chilled custard into six servings and add toppings just before serving.

Layered trifles: Alternate pudding, keto vanilla wafers, and whipped cream in small glasses. Assemble close to serving for firmer wafers, or refrigerate overnight for softer layers. Keep them cold until dessert.

Save the egg whites for another recipe, such as keto meringue cookies.

How to store leftover pudding

Refrigerate the cooked pudding promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below and use within 3 to 4 days. Wrap against the surface helps prevent a skin. Preparing it the day before gives it plenty of time to chill.

For the best wafer texture, store the pudding and toppings separately and assemble close to serving. Keep assembled cups refrigerated too, and count storage time from when the pudding was made, not when you added the toppings.

Do not leave pudding out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. For smooth custard, plan on refrigeration rather than freezing; freezing and thawing can change the texture.