If you always pick up a tub of banana pudding from your local bakery, trust us—it’s completely worth it to make this classic Southern dessert at home. With towering layers of vanilla pudding, ripe bananas, whipped cream, and wafer cookies, this homemade recipe is one we’ll never tire of. Our best-ever recipe is simple to create and assemble; the key to perfection is patience. While this does require time to set, it makes for a perfect make-ahead dessert that will have even the most die-hard fans going back for more. Here’s how to make it the best it can be:

How do I keep my bananas from turning brown?
Cut bananas will start to brown once they’re exposed to air (also known as oxidizing), so we want to keep them covered for as long as possible. In this recipe, we do that by burying our banana slices between the pudding and whipped cream. These layers create a seal that prevents air from getting to our slices, causing oxidation. If you want an extra preventative step, you can also toss your slices in a tiny bit of lemon juice before layering—the acidity will help prevent browning. Our final tip? Avoid overly ripe bananas that are already on the verge of browning. Choose bananas that are ripe but still have some life to them.