Thick and Creamy Pudding

I have been on the hunt for a thick and creamy banana pudding after having some amazing pudding in New York at the Magnolia Bakery and then again at the Cook Shack in Dewyville, so I had to try this recipe... and I LOVED it! I think you can also change it up with different flavors of pudding and mix-ins, so I think it makes a great base recipe too. Enjoy!

Thick and Creamy Pudding

Banana and Other Variations

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (5 ounce) package INSTANT vanilla pudding mix (or whatever flavor you desire)
• 3 cups cold milk (or the amount suggested on the package of pudding you are using)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen cool whip, thawed, divided (half is for topping)
• 4 bananas, sliced (or other desired mix-ins)
• vanilla wafer cookies (or other desired mix-ins, see suggestions below)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.
2. Slowly beat in sweetened condensed milk until entire can has been mixed.
3. Add instant pudding powder and mix until smooth.
4. Slowly add milk 1/2 cup at a time until all milk has been added.
5. Now add HALF of a tub of whipped cream and any desired vanilla extract. Blend/fold-in until smooth.
• Alternatively, it has been suggested that you do these steps: In a separate bowl, blend half tub of cool whip until smooth. Set other half aside. Add 1 cup of pudding mixture into cool whip and mix well. Pour cool whip mixture into pudding mixture and blend - this will help prevent chunks.
• I did not find that it was too difficult to just fold-in all the whipped cream without any "chunks" so I don't bother doing this step that requires another bowl.
6. Add and gently fold in any additional mix-ins, such as your crushed cookies and banana slices (or whatever mix-ins you are using for the version of this recipe you are trying). Reserve some mix-ins for garnish at the end, if desired.
• Alternatively, it has been suggested that you do these steps: In a trifle dish or casserole dish, layer vanilla cookies, sliced bananas and pudding. Repeat layer one or two more times, depending on your dish. Top with remaining cool whip.
7. Chill in fridge for 2 hours to overnight to allow pudding to thicken up and set.
• If you are layering your dessert, you are probably done with the prep at this point. If you are just mixing all the ingredients together instead of doing a trifle presentation, then this is the step where you will top your container of pudding with the additional half tub of whipped topping. I also like to reserve some of my mix-ins and sprinkle those on top of the whipped topping for presentation and so everyone knows what kind of pudding flavors you made.
8. Serve chilled.

Marsha's Notes:

• I think this would be really good with a vanilla pudding mix, either PB2 powder or regular peanut butter instead of/in addition to the cream cheese, then use brownie pieces for your mix-in. Maybe peanut butter cups? 
• You could also do a cookies and cream version with the cookies and cream pudding mix, crushed Oreos and maybe also brownie pieces.
• There is also a cheesecake flavored pudding mix and you could do with other fruit mix-ins, or do chocolate pudding with all kinds of chocolate or other fun mix-ins.

Update: We tried the cookies and cream version and discovered that the pudding mix comes in a 4 oz pkg instead of a 5 oz. The directions on the box for the 5 oz call for 3 cups milk (just like the recipe above), BUT the directions on the box for the 4 oz cookies and cream only call for 2 cups milk. I didn't notice the change until it was too late and so my first attempt at cookies and cream came out softer, runnier, and more like traditional pudding. When we made it again using only 2 cups, it turned out great. So just use the amount of milk called for on the pudding package. (The recipe above has been updated to reflect these suggestions.)