Quick Chocolate Banana Pudding (vegan + gluten-free)

This Chocolate Banana Pudding recipe is incredibly delicious. A layered dessert made with all gluten-free dairy-free and vegan ingredients. It is so flavorful and comes together in just 10 minutes.

The chocolate banana pudding is a twist on the classic banana bread pudding! It is layers of chocolate pudding, whipped topping, banana and I did crushed up chocolate cookies instead of whole. It’s creamy, it’s sweet, it is packed with flavor and I’m obsessed. It is a healthier version of the classic banana pudding and it is so easy to make it.

You can make this recipe in just 10 minutes and it is so gourmet looking and tasting. It’s one of those recipes you will make again and again. I love whipping this up for a BBQ or girl’s night. And my kids are also obsessed with this dessert. My 5 year old thinks this is the “best thing ever” and I just love how he thinks he is eating an ice cream or something, but it’s banana pudding.

This chocolate banana pudding is creamy, rich, not too sweet and it is vegan and gluten-free. I don’t add a lot of sugar to it either. If you want to make it sweeter you can. But I prefer this dish to be not as sweet. The pudding is made with no pudding mix and it is sweetened with bananas and some maple syrup.

I love how this is an easy no-bake dessert to make when you want a low-effort but crowd-pleasing recipe. And this is dish is really customizable. You can use any cookies you want, the milk you prefer and if you want to add other fruits too like raspberries or strawberries, go for it!

Keep me posted if you make this. I can’t wait to hear what you think! I hope you love it as much as we do.

What ingredients you need to make this chocolate banana pudding:

• Bananas – if you don’t eat bananas, you can use ripe avocado too but bananas are a big part of banana pudding 🙂
• Cacao powder – I haven’t tried cocoa powder here
• Maple syrup – you can use honey or coconut sugar too if you prefer
• Non-dairy milk – really any milk can work. Almond milk, coconut milk (would be creamier), flaxseed milk or anything
• Hemp seeds – I love adding these for a boost and for some protein but you can also use chia seeds or flaxseeds too
• Vanilla extract – added for flavor to the pudding
• Dairy-free cool whip – if not diary-free, use regular cool whip. Either works in this recipe!
• Chocolate cookies – I usually use an Oreo-like cookie so it’s chocolatey and has some creaminess to it. But really any chocolate cookie can work!

How to make this quick vegan chocolate banana pudding:

1. In a food processor or blender, add pudding ingredients and blend until smooth
2. Begin layering the ingredients in an 8×8 baking dish or similar size. Starting with 1/2 the chocolate pudding, 1/2 the cool whip, 1/2 the banana and 1/2 the crushed up cookies then layer again
3. Serve immediately or chill in fridge until serving

FAQs and tips on making this easy pudding recipe:

• How come there is not actual pudding mix in this recipe? I wanted to keep things simple in this dish. It’s a bit healthier and the ingredients are simple. 
• My cool whip is too hard and won’t spread, help! Make sure to follow the instructions on the package and let it thaw out before you use so it’s easier to spread across.
• Can I prep this ahead of time? Yes but add the sliced bananas on top right before serving so it’s not brown.
• I don’t want to add crushed up cookies, can I add whole cookies? Absolutely! If you prefer a more traditional banana pudding vibe, add cookies in their whole form.
• Is this recipe gluten-free? Yup! If you use gluten-free cookies. It is also vegan, dairy-free and can be nut-free depending on the brands you use.

A few other delicious dessert recipes to make:

5-minute Vegan Banana Pudding (gluten-free)

Easy Chocolate Fudge Ice Pops (vegan)

The BEST Gluten-free Twix Bars!

The BEST Healthy Strawberry Shortcake