Oh the incredible places you can go when you have a handful of cashews. For those of you able to eat nuts, you have stumbled upon the holy grail ingredient in raw desserts. The amazing creaminess and texture makes for some of the most tasty foods, like this Dairy Free Banana Pudding, with an optional salted caramel drizzled all over it (see notes on the post for the recipe). Now this is full-fledged (healthified) indulgence.
Depending on how ripe your bananas are for the pickin’, you might not even need to add any sweetener what-so-ever to this dairy free banana pudding. The first time I made this I didn’t need to add any maple syrup because the bananas I used were just the right amount of sugary goodness. Always start from the basics of a recipe and work your way up when it comes to seasoning and sugar. Food is so personal because it varies from taste bud to taste bud. What is ultra sweet to me might be in need for an extra teaspoon to you.
Healthier Banana Pudding
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 4 pudding parfaits 1x
Ingredients
- 1 c. cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- 2 medium bananas, ripe with brown spots
- 1/2 c. nondairy milk
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (refined for no coconut flavor)
- 2 tsp.-1 Tbsp. maple syrup or agave (add at the end after tasting to see if you even need this)
For the toppings (optional):
- gluten free animal cookies (use this homemade recipe if you need to)
- dairy free whipped cream (store bought or see post notes for recipe)
- sprinkles
- raw caramel sauce (see post notes for recipe)
Instructions
- Throw everything into a high-speed blender and mix until completely smooth. You will need to stop the blender occasionally to scrape the sides. Be patient, it will eventually blend together for a thick pudding. If you are still having a hard time mixing it, add another tablespoon of nondairy milk until smooth. Just make sure not to add too much–you don’t want it soupy (unless that is the consistency you like for pudding).
- Place approximately 6-8 animal cookies on the bottom of a small jar. Top with banana pudding. Top with dairy free whipped cream, sprinkles and a few more animal cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 293
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
If you need a homemade animal crackers recipe to use in this dairy free banana pudding, use this one. It’s spot on to the original and free of eggs, gluten and dairy.
Dairy Free Banana Pudding Recipe Notes:
1. If you are unfamiliar with making coconut whipped cream, I have an ultra basic recipe for you. I buy cans of coconut cream by the truck-full. I put them into my fridge and leave them alone until I need them. This way, by the time I decide to make whipped cream, it’s already been chilled and set. The great thing about coconut cream and not coconut milk is that the entire can pretty much sets. Just scoop out of the goop, leaving the liquid in the can, place in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer beat on medium-speed. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract and if you want a little more sweetness, add 1 Tbsp. of maple syrup or powdered sugar. The best part of this recipe? Place in a covered container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You will love the texture!
2. For a dairy free caramel date sauce, just add these ingredients into a high speed blender and drizzle over the pudding:
- 3 large Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 2 Tbsp. nondairy milk
- 2 tsp. peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 tsp. maple syrup or agave
- pinch of sea salt
Looking for more healthy pudding recipes? Give these a try:
Hidden Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding
The raw banana pudding with salted caramel was so delicious. I made it two weeks ago and am making it again today. I love this one!!
★★★★★
I made this today, adding a splash of vanilla to the caramel sauce, and it was magical! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I just made this recipe for my 9 year old son. He loved it! I love it also.
This sounds amazing! I want to try this, but can the cashews be substituted? My daughter is allergic to cashews, so I don’t buy them or use them anymore.**sigh**
You can try it with tofu Shana 🙂
This recipe looks amazing. My only problem is that I live in a small village in the south of Italy and can’t find coconut oil or any nut butter! Any chance there are alternatives to these? Thank you ☺
Any chance you can create your own nut butter by blending whole nuts? If not, just omit it from the caramel recipe. For the coconut oil sub you can just omit it as well. Hope that helps!
Yum!! This looks amazing! Will have to try it for dessert some time this week!
How do you think frozen bananas would do instead? If they were blended up and then kept in the fridge? I need a recipe to use up my frozen bananas!
Haha, don’t I understand this dilemma! You can definitely use the frozen bananas. Give it a try and let me know…xo
Woah! You had me at ‘salted caramel’. I LOVE the salty-sweet combination and since I discovered the endless possibilities that give cashews and coconut milk I can’t stop trying new recipes, specially the raw ones cause it’s so hot in Spain now that some days I really don’t feel like turning on my oven. :-p
Thanks for this amazing recipe! The whipped coconut cream is the perfect way to top it off!
xoxo
Gemma, it’s the same kind of weather here too…ugh! I actually turned the oven on yesterday and was reminded why I am making so many raw recipes lately. Stay cool! Maybe by dunking your head into a big bowl of coconut whipped cream? 😉
Hope your well?
Very, very well! You?
This looks amazing! Can I just eat that date caramel with a spoon, please?
You can do whatever you please Becky! xo
Just made the raw bananna pudding – delish! Thank you so much for all of your great recipes. Can’t wait to check out your cookbook for more delights.
That is what I love to hear Dineen, happy you liked it!
the pudding is perfect for the high 80s we have this week! congratulations on the book. I think mine will arrive in the mail today and then i will be baking up a storm!
High 80s for you guys out there must be miserable! Stay cool–bathe with a big ol’ vat of this pudding 😉
Amazing! I can’t wait to try this. I also buy the coconut cream from TJs but I need to remember to stockpile it so I don’t find myself without it when I want it (which is now).
I was just looking at my stockpile and I am down to 2. That is WAY too low. Must add more 🙂 haha
Well im sure your super excited about – YOUR BOOK WILL BE COMING OUT – CARA WHAT STORES WILL YOUR BOOK BE IN???????????
Just in case I missed that… I love raw desserts, I made one on my own before it turned out like a brick but it was still good tasting. oops I love your key lime cheesecake bar by your fellow food blogging colleague, as well. Love your energy and “your biggest fan” must be so proud:) Have a great day you…
Aw, thank you so much friend! You can get the book in any store that sells books really, like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. Excited that my biggest fan will be here visiting when it comes out–how special! You have a great day as well, please! xo
Well made this yesterday and was blown over its great, I added an avocado to the banana didnt deter from the taste had a light greenish colour best dessert ever. Thank you Love your site and recipes
YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!! Getting the happy chills right now hearing that Jessie! xo
This looks fantastic Cara! So perfect for an anytime snack.
Thank you Carol! (<--she says as she's eating raw banana pudding!)
These recipes look unbelievable! Any recipe that has coconut and bananas, you can count me in!!
Well then you stopped at the right spot 😉 xo
Breakfast or an afternoon snack? I can’t decide. I’ll make this for both!
Breakfast AND snack, I do declare 🙂
Both recipes look raw-mazing! 🙂 Now I think you need to write another cookbook doing raw desserts, that would be awesome! I’m so excited that your cookbook is here in 2 weeks! I forget that I pre-ordered it, so it will be a nice surprise when it gets here.
I’m on day 10 of the conscious cleanse and so I’m really digging the raw desserts and yummy healthy foods. I’m going to add some to my blog when we’re all done.
On the banana pudding… do you suppose mangoes or peaches would be a good sub for the bananas? I like bananas, but they kinda don’t like me. I’m running out of dates again too, time to make a trip to Costco!
Hugs,
Megan
I keep hearing this about a raw desserts book so maybe that is my next direction huh? ha. We shall see. In the meantime, yes I think mango or peaches would be an AWESOME sub! I might have to even try it now 😉 How are you feeling on the cleanse???
The cleanse was AWESOME! I’m glad I took before and after photos because I can’t believe how bloated I was! I’m about ready to do it again, it just felt like I was doing such a nice thing for my body. The weekends were hard, especially with things to do, but the rest was delicious!
I’m getting ready to make a batch of this caramel sauce to drizzle over some poached pears and I’m probably going to make a big batch, like quadruple the recipe. How long do you suppose the sauce will keep in the fridge if I don’t use it all up? Sorry for the delayed response!
Where do you source your cashews from?
Hi Jen, I buy raw cashews from Trader Joes 🙂
Currently suffering from a swollen, aching belly from too many birthday sweets and yet I’d devour the entire batch if it were in front of me right now. Hmm… wonder if I have any bananas?
I will give you a few days of recovery but that’s it, lady!
YUM!! Bananas and caramel are a match made in heaven.
Mega congrats on the book. Looks fab 😀
Made just for you Emma 🙂 Thank you!
I’ve pre-ordered your book, Cara, I am SO STOKED to get it!
Nice tip for the coconut whipped cream. I’m lucky that my local supermarket chain now stocks coconut cream, so I don’t even need to bother with chilling and waiting for the cream and coconut water to separate 🙂
Thank you SO MUCH for the support!!! Wow, that just made my day.
OMG, yum!!
Guess what? I also use a Cuisinart’s version of the Magic Bullet every day for smoothies and often for my latest obsession – cashew cream. You’ve got good taste, girl. (literally!… ha)
Thanks so much for introducing me to a sweet new way to use cashew cream. 🙂 The raw banana pudding looks amazing and I cannot wait to make it!
Also, super mega congrats on your new cookbook! Can’t wait to drool over every single page of vegan/gluten free goodness. 😉
Twinsies! It’s really the best blender ever isn’t it? I won’t buy a Vitamix (UNLESS someone wants to buy it for me…anyone?) because I think this blender is marvelous and way cheaper! Much love to you, friend…xo
The book comes out while I’m there?! woo-hoo! I get the first autographed copy ……….hmmm, my pre-order will come here, though.
Okay, you’ll just have to come HERE to sign that copy, too! 🙂
XOXOXOX
You better believe it woman! And what better person to cheers a glass of wine with than YOU when you are here… xo
This looks amazing! Huge fan of your blog. Can’t wait to try 🙂
Hi Maria, Thank you so much for all of your support! I made you Banana Pudding as my way of showing my appreciation 😉
What brand do you use for the coconut cream? I have not been able to find it.
Hi Marcella! I buy my coconut cream from Trader Joe’s (it’s their brand). Hope that helps!