Banana pudding has been delivering a sense of Southern comfort (sans the whiskey) for generations. Although food historians debate the origins of the dessert’s pervasive identification with Southern cuisine, this perception endures, and the sweet, creamy treat is a staple at many foodservice concepts that declare their regionalism. The South doesn’t have an exclusive hold on banana pudding, though, and while the classic recipe may seem a bit unprepossessing, the dessert continues to gain legions of fans across the country—including chefs eager to innovate around its flavor fundamentals. Those components—layers of vanilla pudding or custard, vanilla wafer cookies and sliced bananas—are embraced as a flavor system, influencing different forms and formats.

Capitalize on “Newstalgia”

Photo Credit: Magnolia Bakery

The evergreen appeal of Magnolia Bakery’s celebrated banana pudding has yielded more than 30 flavor variations over the years—all rooted in the original banana pudding identity.

Few could argue with the success Magnolia Bakery has enjoyed leaning into the most classic version of the recipe. An original menu item since the company launched in 1996, the banana pudding was initially outshined by the brand’s famous cupcakes. But its popularity later exploded, and today it’s one of Magnolia’s best-selling items, totaling more than 2.2 million cups in 2023, says Sara Gramling, VP of public relations and partnerships, crediting its “light and airy layers of bananas, vanilla pudding and vanilla wafers.”

That iconic recipe has gone on to spin off more than 30 flavor variations, many available on a seasonal basis, such as red velvet and chocolate hazelnut, but all still cast within the banana pudding identity. The company continues to explore ways to leverage the popularity of the flavor profile, recently introducing Banana Pudding Cookies and collaborating on a THC edible with a CPG purveyor, says Gramling.

Shake Things Up in Fresh Formats

Photo Credit: Chick-fil-A

Back by popular demand, Chick-fil-A’s Banana Pudding Milkshake returns to menus for a limited time along with a coffee variation that capitalizes on cold brew fever.

Setting aside Magnolia’s success, why is banana pudding worth a closer look now? Operators might take a cue from the menu developers at Chick-fil-A, currently rolling out a national LTO Banana Pudding Milkshake, a product it first introduced 13 years ago, and which has been on hiatus until now. A new variation on the beverage, the Banana Frosted Coffee, is being introduced alongside the milkshake. Both products will grace the menu through mid-November or while supplies last.

The milkshake, which Chick-fil-A bills as being “hand-spun the old-fashioned way,” features the brand’s proprietary soft-serve, mixed with real bananas and vanilla wafer cookie crumbles and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. The Banana Frosted Coffee adds cold-brew coffee to the base ingredients in a decidedly modern turn, clearly tapping into ongoing demand for new flavor-forward coffee drinks.

Consumers’ ongoing fascination with nostalgia likely played a part in the brand’s decision to revive the product this past August. Blending comfort and novelty is seen as a particular attraction for Gen Z, driving both innovation and resurrection across several industries. Chick-fil-A’s side-by-side LTOs of a much-missed favorite and an on-trend spin-off can appeal to the broadest demographic: the younger set, plus their parents and grandparents.

Upgrade Key Ingredients

Photo Credit: S.K.Y.

The Banana Budino at S.K.Y. incorporates bourbon-caramelized bananas and housemade granola for a more sophisticated take on the humble classic.

Smaller-scale menu inspirations offer further reason to believe that banana pudding is a prime candidate for flavor play. The Banana Budino at Chicago’s S.K.Y. is enormously popular at the New American concept. A vanilla pudding base is topped with bourbon-caramelized bananas and a signature granola recipe featuring emerald Sicilian pistachios, Marcona almonds and cocoa nibs.

The Banana Budino has been on the menu since S.K.Y. opened in 2017. Online reviews are particularly rapturous, with one calling it a “very grown-up pudding” and another likening it to a “complex” banana pudding with “the world’s best trail mix on top.”

“I am grateful that it’s been well received and humbled by its longevity as one of the most-loved desserts we offer,” says Stephen Gillanders, chef/owner. He didn’t set out to reinvent banana pudding. The origin of this rendition stretches back to a cooking competition when the chef was in his teens. He intended to make a British posset, but when it wouldn’t set correctly, he pivoted to a pudding instead.

Still, the budino certainly can be read like an elevated take on the classic banana pudding, with its vanilla pudding base, the bourbon-flavored bananas and the granola acting as a next-level swap for cookie pieces. It delivers a memorable creamy-crunchy combination that’s also a bit reminiscent of breakfast, muses Gillanders. “I think the budino carries a persona that is similar to a breakfast granola, which some people find comforting. Having it at dinner gives it an element of excitement. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?”

Pushing Flavor Boundaries

Photo Credit: Baonanas

Baonanas taps global flavor systems to create banana pudding-inspired desserts that are worlds apart from the American original; options include the Buko Pandan (left) and Chai Choco Raspberry (right).

When a niche concept survives and even expands, it can stand as a beacon of opportunity. College sweethearts Tricia Villanueva and Lloyd Ortuoste created a banana pudding-inspired treat that became their signature go-to potluck contribution. In 2014, the couple began selling the dish to raise money for car repairs. Suddenly, the hashtag #Baonanas was born, and a Baonanas shop in Jersey City, N.J., eventually followed, along with a catering operation and second location in New York’s East Village.

Baonanas’ signature product is notable for what it isn’t (it’s not ice cream or gelato), as much as for what it is: a fluffy vanilla mousse mixed with softened vanilla wafers and fresh banana slices. The brand describes its signature offering as a layered mousse dessert that’s scooped like ice cream but boasts a texture more akin to tiramisu.

Some inspiration for the company’s 33-plus flavors comes from the Filipino heritage of the couple’s parents, with signature ingredients infusing the mousse and pairing well with the ubiquitous bananas. This includes flavors like Buko Pandan and Ubenanas (featuring ube mousse and bits of ube halaya, aka purple yam jam). The brand also serves other flavor-forward options, including Nutella Walnut, French Toast and Blueberry Cheesecake; a few are made without bananas or sub graham crackers in for the vanilla wafers.

True enthusiasts may find another potential source of banana pudding inspiration in the National Banana Pudding Festival, an annual event established in 2010 and held the first weekend in October in Centerville, Tenn. It features a live cook-off to declare the tastiest recipe variations. In 2023, nine contestants from seven states competed and the winners included honey-infused meringue, booze, quick-candied pecans and peanut butter in their distinctive creations.

Whether keeping it classic or committing to a contemporary creation, chefs can count on the longstanding appeal of banana pudding when seeking to add a dynamic dessert to the menu.