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Sugar Free Banana Pudding

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

14 ratings

Thick, creamy sugar free banana pudding made with egg yolks, heavy cream, allulose, and banana flavoring. I cook the custard gently on the stove, then chill it for at least 2 hours. Serve it plain or layer it with keto vanilla wafers and whipped cream.
  • 1.7gnet carbs
  • 3.7gprotein
  • 135minutes
  • 6servings
Banana pudding trifles layered with whipped cream, vanilla wafers and banana slices.
A sugar free banana pudding in a glass dish on top of plates with real bananas in the background.
Looking down into three small bowls with banana pudding and topped with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.
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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 spoon holding a bite of whipped cream and banana pudding above a trifle dessert.

Ingredients to make banana pudding grouped together -eggs, cream, sweetener, wafers and flavoring.

A close up of a layered banana pudding with different levels of yellow pudding, whipped cream and cookies.

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.

A single southern style banana pudding with a spoon holding a bite over the top of the dish. Bananas are in the background.

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.

How to make this pudding from scratch

  1. Whisk the yolks and sweetener. Warm the cream in a saucepan, then pour it slowly into the yolks while whisking.
  2. Cook gently. Return the mixture to the saucepan and stir over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon and reaches at least 160°F. Do not boil it. Do not taste the mixture while the eggs are raw.
  3. Flavor and chill. Remove from the heat, stir in the banana flavoring, and divide into shallow containers. Refrigerate promptly for at least 2 hours, until set.
  4. Serve. Spoon into six portions, or add the optional wafer and whipped cream layers.
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The recipe

Sugar Free Banana Pudding

Print Pin
Prep 125 min Cook 10 min Total 135 min Serves 6

Ingredients

Servings 6

Keto Banana Pudding Ingredients

Optional Sugar Free Whipped Cream Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Sweeten your yolks

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the allulose and egg yolks until smooth.

    For this step

    • 1/2 cup powdered allulose
    • 5 egg yolks
    Egg yolks in a glass bowl with a whisk in the center.

  2. Warm the cream

    Add the heavy cream to a medium saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from the heat. Have a whisk ready for slowly combining the warm cream with the yolks in the next step.

    For this step

    • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
    A sauce pan with cream sits next to eggs and a towel.

  3. Temper the eggs

    Slowly pour half of the warmed cream into the egg mixture while whisking simultaneously. Add the remaining cream and whisk until combined.

    Pouring heavy cream into a bowl of egg yolks with a whisk inside the bowl.

  4. Thicken it real good

    Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides, until it coats the back of a spoon and reaches at least 160°F on a food thermometer. This takes about 5 minutes, but use the texture and temperature rather than the clock alone. Do not let it boil.

    A thick banana pudding in a sauce pan with a whisk inside.

  5. Make it banana flavored

    Remove from the heat and stir in the banana flavoring. Divide the pudding into shallow containers. Press food-safe wrap suitable for warm food against the surface to help prevent a skin, and refrigerate promptly for at least 2 hours or until set. Do not leave it on the counter to cool completely.

    For this step

    • 2 teaspoons banana flavoring
    Thickened pudding in a glass bowl next to egg shells and a towel.

  6. Optional whipped cream and wafer layers

    In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add allulose sweetener and vanilla extract or banana flavoring. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Remove the pudding from the refrigerator and whisk until smooth and creamy. Spoon a small layer of pudding in a small cup or jar. Layer 4-5 vanilla wafers on top. Pipe or spoon a layer of whipped cream. Repeat the layers until you reach the top. Garnish with crushed vanilla wafers and a dollop of whipped cream.

    For this step

    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • 3 tablespoons powdered allulose sweetener
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or banana flavoring
    Finished banana pudding trifles with one stacked on three plates and a bowl of vanilla wafers in front.

Nutrition

Per serving: 1/6 batch of pudding, without toppings

Calories
365
Fat
36.2g
Protein
3.7g
Total carbs
13.7g
Net carbs
1.7g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know the custard is cooked?

Stir over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon and reaches at least 160°F on a food thermometer. Tempering alone does not cook the eggs enough, and five minutes is only an estimate. Keep stirring and do not let it boil.

Can I fix curdled pudding?

Strain out a few small lumps with a fine mesh strainer. If the mixture has not reached 160°F, return it to gentle heat and stir until it does. Heavily scrambled eggs may leave a grainy texture that cannot be fully fixed.

Can I make this dairy free?

This custard uses heavy whipping cream. I do not have a verified dairy free version to give you here; coconut cream, coconut milk, and almond milk will not necessarily set the same way. Use a recipe developed for your chosen milk alternative.

Can I replace the egg yolks with xanthan gum?

The yolks give this custard both richness and structure. A small amount of xanthan gum is not an equivalent replacement for five yolks. For an egg free dessert, choose a mousse recipe made without eggs.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Make the pudding the day before and keep it covered in the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Use within 3 to 4 days of cooking. Add wafers close to serving for crunch, or let them soften in the pudding overnight.

How many servings does this make?

The pudding makes six servings. The nutrition estimate is for one-sixth of the pudding batch, without wafers, whipped cream, or banana garnish. Halving this recipe would make three standard servings, not two.

How much banana flavoring should I use?

The recipe lists 2 teaspoons, but strength varies by product. Concentrated flavorings may be intended for use by the drop. Follow the bottle directions, add flavoring to the cooked custard off the heat, and taste a cooled spoonful before adding more.

Does sugar free mean carbohydrate free?

No. Cream and other ingredients still contribute carbohydrates, and toppings add more. Check the labels on your sweetener and flavoring as well as the serving size. This recipe does not establish how a particular person’s blood sugar will respond.

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Reviews

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4.8 from 14 ratings, 7 written

Made this recipe?

Replying to Donna

Your rating

Donna

The pudding is thick and really banana-y without going fake on you, only thing is I assembled it the night before and the wafers completely dissolved by dinner, not bad but I wanted a little more texture, so now I layer them an hour out and it holds up way better.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Adding the wafers closer to serving keeps more crunch. Keep the pudding refrigerated while the layers rest; an hour before serving means assembling and returning the cups to the refrigerator, rather than leaving them on the counter.

Reply

Beth

Seven batches in and the custard is dialed. What took longer was the topping. I split the flavoring half banana, half vanilla instead of going all one, and now it lands somewhere more interesting. Straight banana extract in the whipped cream read a little medicinal. This ratio doesn’t.

Reply

Brett

I have monk fruit blend in the pantry but not allulose. Is the swap straight 1:1 or does allulose behave differently when you’re heating it with the cream?

Reply

Diane

I waited two years on keto for this

Reply

Annie Lampella

Worth every month of that wait. Allulose was the whole trick for me, erythritol goes grainy in a custard like this. Diane, the wafer layers are worth it if you haven’t gone there yet.

Reply

Denise

My daughter is dairy-free and I’ve been hunting for keto desserts she can actually have at Sunday dinners. This one looks perfect otherwise. Do you think full-fat coconut cream would work as a swap for the heavy whipping cream, or would it mess with the tempering step?

Reply

Annie Lampella

Coconut cream has a different composition from dairy cream, so I cannot promise the same set or a direct swap here. The recipe is written for heavy whipping cream; for a dairy free dessert, use a recipe developed for your chosen milk alternative.

Reply

Eric

My daughter asked me twice if I put real bananas in it. She’s been watching me make keto desserts long enough to know when something’s off, so that question told me everything. I’d tweak the wafer-to-pudding ratio slightly next time, but she’s already put in a birthday request.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That birthday request is the real review. I go heavier on the wafers myself, more layers means something to actually bite into with every spoonful.

Reply

Dina

Two teaspoons of banana extract is a lot for someone who’s never worked with extracts before, just a heads up, but the custard base itself is SO creamy and rich I’ll figure out my personal sweet spot by batch three.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Banana flavorings vary in strength, especially concentrated products meant to be used by the drop. Follow the bottle directions and start with less. Taste a cooled spoonful only after the custard has cooked to at least 160°F, then adjust the flavoring before chilling.

Reply

Steve

Honestly, I’m not a confident cook, and the tempering step had me worried I was going to scramble everything. I kept the heat low, went slowly, and somehow it came together into this thick creamy pudding that actually tastes like banana. Four ingredients. I couldn’t believe it worked.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Slow pour is everything with tempering. The one time I rushed it I had scrambled custard and had to strain the whole batch.

Reply

Rachel

My son is convinced he hates banana-flavored anything after some candy bar incident years ago, but I gave him a bowl without saying what it was and he finished it before I even sat down. The extract reads more like actual banana than most things I’ve worked with, which I wasn’t expecting from two teaspoons.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Candy bar banana has that synthetic finish that sticks around. The extract I use doesn’t have it. Two teaspoons sounds like a lot but it’s concentrated without being candy-sweet.

Reply

Tanya

Making the custard Friday for a family dinner Saturday. Does it hold up overnight or does it start to break down? Adding the whipped cream right before serving either way.

Reply

Annie Lampella

It holds up overnight, actually gets better. The flavor settles and it firms up more after a night in the fridge. Smart move on the whipped cream.

Reply

Jess

Banana pudding with banana flavoring instead of actual bananas sounded like a shortcut I’d regret. Made it anyway because I had everything on hand, and the temper step worked on the first try, which never happens for me. The flavor is more banana than banana, if that makes sense. Going in my spring dessert rotation.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The extract thing clicks once you taste it. More concentrated, none of the starch. And first-try tempering is not nothing, that step trips people up constantly.

Reply

Steven

Why don’t your directions say to use a double boiler instead of playing with temperatures?

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

Because there are many methods that you can use to gently heat up eggs so they don’t curdle and setting up a double boiler is just extra steps. You can do that if you want, but gently tempering the eggs with the warmed cream works just as well.

Reply

Mary OHara

Picky much?

Reply

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