Banana Pudding is a truly scrumptious dessert. It is a classic Southern dessert made of layers of vanilla pudding, ripe bananas, whipped cream, and wafer cookies.
While you can head to the store and pick up a delicious banana pudding, we always recommend making one at home.
It is an extremely easy dessert to make but the issue lies in storage. Your banana pudding may look incredible once it’s complete but after a few days, it is going to look brown and a little less appetizing.
But can you freeze banana pudding? We all know that bananas have a rather short expiration date, so can you freeze them and enjoy your banana pudding for a little while longer?
Let’s find out!
Will Banana Pudding Last In The Freezer?
In short, yes! Freezing Banana Pudding is simple and will last quite a while when stored in the freezer. But there are a few things to be aware of when freezing your banana pudding.
Made from layers of vanilla pudding/ custard, cookies or wafers, and banana slices, each ingredient is not made to go into the freezer and come out the same way.
Custard or pudding does not freeze well. While it may remain in one piece, it can separate when defrosted. Causing your dessert to simply fall apart. Plus it may not taste as delicious when it is fresh.
Another thing to be careful of is your bananas going brown and mushy. While freezing food can help preserve them, once a banana is out of its skin, it can turn brown rather quickly.
When freezing Banana Pudding, you can lose that gorgeous texture we all love so much. The cookies and wafers absorb the moisture within the freezer and may result in a soggy mess.
Whipped cream may freeze well but only if you store it in smaller portions.
In the instance of banana pudding, the dessert’s final topping is whipped cream. People frequently use quite a bit of it, which is what it is there for—to counteract the sweetness. So, do not anticipate that the whipped cream will freeze well.
How Long Will Banana Pudding Last In The Freezer?
Banana pudding will last for about a month if properly frozen and refrigerated. But if you can, try to use it again within a week or two.
After that, it will start to lose its appeal and eventually turn into a rock-hard, unidentifiable mass that smells like bananas.
A dish that is primarily dairy has a shelf life of about two weeks.
It takes a particularly long time when compared to refrigeration, which will only keep it fresh for three to four days at most, and countertop storage, which will cause you or your family to consume half a pound of leftover banana pudding before midnight.
How To Freeze Banana Pudding The Right Way
Now, if you are feeling like freezing your banana pudding is worth the risk, then you need to know how to do it properly.
The first thing to consider is the type of container you are going to use. Make sure you can fit your entire pudding in one dish or if you have it in single serving dishes, that they fit in the freezer.
Your container has to be airtight and suitable for the freezer.
Now, a good tip is to squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the pudding and give it a good stir. Lemon juice is a great natural preservative.
Fruits that are prone to turning into mushy brown messes preserve their appealing color by adding a small amount of citrus.
Before adding banana slices to homemade banana pudding, dip them in a little lemon or lime juice as another way to reap the advantages of citric acid.
Now you can secure the lid onto your container and place your banana pudding in the freezer. Make some room in the freezer so your pudding can lie flat to prevent it from all globbing together and freezing in a weird position.
To keep track of what it is and how long it has been in storage, don’t forget to write the date on the container somewhere.
Defrosting Banana Pudding
Transferring your pudding from the freezer to the refrigerator and leaving it there overnight to gently thaw out is the simplest way to defrost it.
It should be at the ideal temperature for eating by the following morning, but just to be sure, don’t forget to sample it a few times.
If you don’t have the time to wait 8+ hours for your banana pudding to defrost, you can submerge the entire container in cold water.
The water cannot be any warmer than room temperature or everything will fall apart.
If there is one thing you should never do with your frozen banana pudding, is to put it in the dessert in the microwave. Introducing heat, especially in the microwave, can completely destroy every single part of your banana pudding.
You would be better off making a fresh one than putting a frozen one in the microwave.
When everyone has had a slice, if you still have any leftovers, resist the urge to freeze them again. You’ve reached the end of your options for helping them.
The only choice left is to throw them away, say a quick prayer, and get on with your life.
Final Thoughts
So, can you freeze banana pudding? While it may not be the best route to go down for preserving your dessert, it can help it last a little longer.
This can come in handy if you find yourself with more than leftovers for another portion of the delicious pudding.
Frozen banana pudding can last in the freezer for around two weeks but make sure to check for any discoloration or bacterial growth in the container.
If you feel even slightly unsure about the quality of the pudding, throw it in the trash.
Never let a crumb of banana pudding go to waste by storing it in the freezer!
