Creamy Banana Pudding Donut

I’ve always believed that some of the best recipes happen when you combine two things you already love. Like when someone first decided to put chocolate and peanut butter together. Or in this case, when you take banana pudding—that creamy, nostalgic dessert—and stuff it inside a homemade donut.

These banana pudding donuts are exactly what they sound like. Soft, pillowy fried donuts filled with a banana custard that tastes just like the classic dessert. I added vanilla wafer crumbs and a drizzle of caramel because if you’re going to make donuts from scratch, you might as well go all in.

Fair warning: these aren’t a quick weekend morning project. Between making the dough, frying the donuts, and cooking the pudding filling, you’ll need a few hours. But here’s the thing—they’re worth every minute. Make them for a special brunch or just because it’s Saturday and you want your kitchen to smell amazing.

What Kind of Bananas Should I Use?

For banana pudding donuts, you’ll want to use ripe bananas with plenty of yellow color and a few brown spots starting to appear. These bananas are sweeter and have more flavor than underripe green ones, which will give your pudding filling that classic banana taste everyone loves. If your bananas are still a bit green, you can speed up the ripening process by leaving them in a paper bag on the counter for a day or two. Avoid using bananas that are completely brown and mushy though, as they can make your pudding too watery and overly sweet.

Options for Substitutions

While some ingredients in this recipe are pretty essential, there’s still room for a few swaps:

• Yeast: Active dry yeast is what makes these donuts light and fluffy, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. If you’re out of yeast, you might want to save this recipe for another day when you can grab some from the store.
• Milk: Whole milk works best for both the dough and pudding, but you can use 2% milk if that’s what you have. For a dairy-free version, try oat milk or almond milk – just know the texture might be slightly different.
• Heavy cream: If you don’t have heavy cream for the pudding, you can use half-and-half or even whole milk, though your pudding will be a bit thinner.
• Vanilla wafers: No vanilla wafers? Crushed graham crackers or shortbread cookies make a decent substitute and still give you that nice crunch.
• Caramel sauce: You can skip the caramel if you want or swap it with chocolate sauce, honey, or even maple syrup for a different flavor twist.
• Butter: Margarine or coconut oil can work in place of butter for the dough, though butter gives the best flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making filled donuts is frying at the wrong temperature – if your oil isn’t at 350°F, the donuts will either absorb too much oil and turn greasy or brown too quickly on the outside while staying raw inside, so use a thermometer to keep it steady.

Another common error is skipping the second rise after cutting your dough circles, which results in dense, heavy donuts instead of light and fluffy ones.

When making the banana pudding filling, be careful not to add the egg yolks directly into the hot mixture or they’ll scramble – always temper them by whisking in a small amount of the hot liquid first, then slowly pour everything back into the pan while stirring constantly.

Finally, make sure your pudding is completely cooled before filling the donuts, otherwise it’ll be too runny and leak out everywhere when you take a bite.

What to Serve With Banana Pudding Donuts?

These donuts are pretty rich and sweet on their own, so I like to keep the sides simple – a hot cup of coffee or cold glass of milk is really all you need to balance out the sweetness. If you’re serving these for brunch, they pair nicely with some fresh fruit like strawberries or blueberries to cut through the richness of the pudding filling. You could also set out some extra vanilla wafers and sliced bananas on the side for people who want to go all-in on the banana pudding experience. For a fun dessert spread, serve them alongside vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an over-the-top treat.

Storage Instructions

Store: These donuts are best enjoyed fresh on the day you make them, but you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pudding filling stays creamy and delicious, though the donut itself might lose a bit of its softness over time.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the banana pudding filling a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before filling your donuts. The donuts themselves are really best made fresh, but you can prep and cut the dough, then let it rise and fry when you’re ready to serve.

Serve: If your donuts have been in the fridge, let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before eating. This brings back some of that soft texture and makes the pudding filling taste even better. A light dusting of fresh powdered sugar right before serving makes them look bakery-fresh again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3100-3400
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 110-125 g
• Carbohydrates: 460-500 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk (approximately 110°F)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

For the pudding filling:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

• 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Step 1: Activate Yeast and Build the Dough

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine the warm milk and active dry yeast in a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy—this ensures the yeast is alive and active.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt.

Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, and melted butter to the dry ingredients.

Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes by hand or with a stand mixer until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.

This develops the gluten structure needed for light, fluffy donuts.

Step 2: Proof the Dough

• dough from Step 1

Transfer the kneaded dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour until the dough roughly doubles in size.

While the dough rises, you can begin preparing the banana pudding filling in the next step.

Step 3: Prepare the Banana Pudding Filling

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Blend the ripe bananas until completely smooth with no lumps.

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and cornstarch, whisking until the cornstarch is fully dissolved.

Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens (about 5-7 minutes), then add the blended banana puree and stir until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then carefully temper them by slowly adding a few tablespoons of the hot banana mixture while whisking constantly.

Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring gently.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon.

Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature—I like to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, which keeps the pudding silky smooth.

Step 4: Shape and Second Proof the Donuts

• dough from Step 2

Once the dough from Step 2 has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll to a 1/2-inch thickness.

Using a donut cutter (or two round cutters of different sizes), cut the dough into donut shapes and place them on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Cover loosely and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled—they should feel light and springy when gently poked.

Step 5: Fry the Donuts

• Vegetable oil
• shaped donuts from Step 4

Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep pot or Dutch oven (use a thermometer to ensure accuracy).

Working in small batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place the proofed donuts into the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.

Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to gently turn them and remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.

I like to fry them just until they’re pale golden rather than dark brown—they’ll continue cooking slightly from residual heat, ensuring the insides stay tender.

Step 6: Fill and Assemble the Donuts

• fried donuts from Step 5
• banana pudding filling from Step 3
• 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• Powdered sugar

Once the donuts have cooled slightly, use a small paring knife or donut filling tool to create an opening on the side of each donut.

Pipe or spoon the cooled banana pudding filling from Step 3 into each donut until generously filled.

Place the vanilla wafer crumbs in a shallow dish.

Drizzle the top of each filled donut with caramel sauce, then press the top into the vanilla wafer crumbs to coat.

Finish with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Creamy Banana Pudding Donut

Delicious Creamy Banana Pudding Donut recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 52 minutes mins

Servings 12 donuts

Calories 3250 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk (approximately 110°F)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

For the pudding filling

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping

• 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

 

• Combine the warm milk and active dry yeast in a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy—this ensures the yeast is alive and active. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes by hand or with a stand mixer until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. This develops the gluten structure needed for light, fluffy donuts.
• Transfer the kneaded dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour until the dough roughly doubles in size. While the dough rises, you can begin preparing the banana pudding filling in the next step.
• Blend the ripe bananas until completely smooth with no lumps. In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and cornstarch, whisking until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens (about 5-7 minutes), then add the blended banana puree and stir until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then carefully temper them by slowly adding a few tablespoons of the hot banana mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring gently. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature—I like to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, which keeps the pudding silky smooth.
• Once the dough from Step 2 has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using a donut cutter (or two round cutters of different sizes), cut the dough into donut shapes and place them on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled—they should feel light and springy when gently poked.
• Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep pot or Dutch oven (use a thermometer to ensure accuracy). Working in small batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place the proofed donuts into the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to gently turn them and remove them to a paper towel-lined plate. I like to fry them just until they're pale golden rather than dark brown—they'll continue cooking slightly from residual heat, ensuring the insides stay tender.
• Once the donuts have cooled slightly, use a small paring knife or donut filling tool to create an opening on the side of each donut. Pipe or spoon the cooled banana pudding filling from Step 3 into each donut until generously filled. Place the vanilla wafer crumbs in a shallow dish. Drizzle the top of each filled donut with caramel sauce, then press the top into the vanilla wafer crumbs to coat. Finish with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.