Vanilla Wafer Pudding Recipe With Pineapple
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A close cousin to our vanilla wafer homemade banana pudding recipe, our vanilla wafer pudding with pineapple is just as delicious with a light sunshiney sweetness that perfectly complements the custard pudding texture.
Banana pudding is a popular dessert in the South, but today I’m sharing a great substitution for bananas with this pineapple vanilla wafer pudding recipe. Crushed pineapple is the perfect substitution for that fresh banana flavor and the lightly sweet taste perfectly complements the homemade custard. Add that toasted fluffy meringue topping and crunchy Nilla wafers and you have what I call a delectable dessert!
This is great when folks don’t care for bananas or if you don’t have any on hand, since canned pineapple is nice and shelf-stable. Banana pudding aficionados don’t skip a beat when you place this before them either. My kids can attest to that and they usually don’t like pineapple but they love this vanilla pudding!
Keep on scrolling, because this post is full of helpful tips. Today you’ll also learn:
- How easy it is to make a pudding custard from scratch. Now, y’all know one of my favorite baking shortcuts is using instant pudding mix. But today I’m forgoing an instant vanilla pudding mix to show you how easy it is to make a homemade custard.
- How to make a perfect meringue with ingredients you have on hand.
Now let’s make some vanilla wafer pudding with pineapple!
Recipe Ingredients
- Vanilla wafers
- Flour
- Milk
- Sugar
- Crushed pineapple
- Eggs
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Vanilla Wafer Pudding
To begin making your custard, crack and separate your eggs: whites in one bowl and yolks in the other.
Don’t let ANY of those yolks slip into your whites
It is important that you not get any yolks in your whites because we are going to whip those up into a meringue later and if they have yolks in them, it won’t work. However, if you do get yolks in them, you can just go ahead and leave the meringue off and serve it plain or with a whipping cream topping as well.
In a medium saucepot, combine your milk, flour, sugar, and eggs.
Place this over medium heat and stir constantly until it is smooth, creamy, and thickened.
This will probably take 10-15 minutes so you can use this time to call your Mama!
Once that is all thick and creamy and delicious, pour in your vanilla extract.
Yum diddly custard pudding!
Place half of the vanilla wafer cookies in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.
Spread half of the crushed pineapple (undrained) over this.
Pour half of the pudding mixture over.
Add the rest of the wafers.
The rest of the crushed pineapple…
and the rest of the pudding mixture.
How to Make Your Meringue
Place egg whites in a perfectly clean mixing bowl. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
This means that when you pull the beaters out of it, there is a peak of meringue sticking up where the beaters were and it collapses down a little after you remove the beaters.
Add sugar and beat until still peaks form.
This means that when you pull the beaters out of it, there is a peak of meringue sticking up where the beaters were and it stays sticking up.
You can see photos of making meringue on this post.
Spread the meringue over the top of your pudding, taking care to make sure it touches the sides of the pan on all sides.
This prevents it from pulling back from the sides while it bakes.
Place in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or just until the meringue is lightly brown. Check it often while cooking.
I prefer to serve this immediately while it is still warm but you can wait a bit or even serve it cold later. But please try warm and fresh first!
Before you dig in, take a moment to close your eyes, bow your head, and give thanks for all of your blessings.
Enjoy 🙂
Storage
Now, custard never freezes well, so I don’t recommend freezing leftovers. But you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge instead for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- Remember these two important meringue tips. First, your mixing bowl has to be totally clean because if there is any greasy residue it will keep the meringue from setting up. Second, remember NO egg yolks or the meringue won’t work.
- If you want to forgo the meringue, simply serve the vanilla wafer pudding with homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip instead.
- Substitute the vanilla wafer cookies for graham crackers or chessmen cookies.
- Swap the pineapple for another fruit, like if you want to make a traditional or canned peaches.
Recipe FAQs
What vanilla wafers should I use?
My mother says you have to buy a name-brand box and I do agree with her, they really are the best. However, if my budget doesn’t allow it, I have no problem with buying generic at 50% of the cost of the name brand. Once you drown them in this yummy pudding, no one will know the difference unless you tell them.
You may also like these delicious dessert recipes:
How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch
Frozen Southern Banana Pudding Cups
Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe With Meringue Topping
Pineapple Upside Down Cake (Super Moist)
Chocolate Vanilla Wafer Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar or Swerve
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash salt
- 1 box vanilla wafers
- 1 can crushed pineapple 20-ounce, undrained
Meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Place the egg yolks, milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, cook until thickened (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 egg yolks, 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, dash salt
- Place half of the wafers in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the crushed pineapple on top, cover with 1/2 of the custard, and repeat.1 box vanilla wafers, 1 can crushed pineapple
- Place egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (see post for more clarification on this). Add sugar and beat again until stiff peaks form. Spread over the top of the pudding and take care to make sure the meringue touches the sides all around. Place in a 350-degree oven until the top is lightly brown (about 15 minutes).3 egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar
- Best if served warm.
Notes
- No yolks in the meringue mix or it won't work.
- Make sure the mixing bowl for the meringue doesn't have any grease in it or the meringue won't set.
- If you don't want the meringue, the vanilla wafer pudding tastes great with whipped cream on top too.
Nutrition
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I also make bananna pudding- I do not it it either, I don’t like banannas! I am going to try this with pineappe! Thank you for the recipe!
I hope you like the pineapple pudding Bev!!
I have to say that I cheat and use the prepackaged vanilla pudding but I am going to incorporate some of your ideas. I have had the combo of banana and pineapple pudding in the past at reunions, etc. (Ga, SC). Fantastic! I have to make some for my singing group, the West Point Alumni Glee Club, for an upcoming event. Most of us are geezers who were better soldiers than singers but we have fun and try to bring some awareness to the public about our guys coming home and needing jobs. Any hints on making enough for 30 guys and their wives? I just don’t want it to be watery which could possibly happen if I leave in too much of the pineapple juice. Of course, the meringue is key but I think I have that down pretty well after learning that you have got to use real eggs – the egg whites in a carton are apparently pasturized or something and will not whip up.
When I figure on feeding around 50 people I guess that only around half will eat it…unless this is the only dessert. So, in saying that, I would probably make 3 times the recipe. If this will be the only dessert I would make about 5 times the recipe. Hope this helps and you have a wonderful time at your event!
We used to alternate between bananas and pineapple for puddings as they are both very good. I have also in a “pinch of time” just layered wafers and pineapple in a bowl and refrigerated for about an hour for a quick dessert. I love your recipes and your sweet words of inspiration.
Tell your mom that my mom agrees on the Nilla wafers. A few years ago they changed their recipe and my mom had a fit. She called the company and gave them a piece of her mind. Pretty sure they didn’t change it back 😉 but were very sweet and told her how much they appreciate their loyal customers.
Could you sub blueberries for the fruit?
I never have but I can’t see why you couldn’t.
I am sitting here in tears because I found this recipe. My grandmother used to make this same dessert but with Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies. It was always my favorite and I’ve never seen a similar recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’ve made my day!
🙂 I hope you enjoy it Beth!!
I love bananas, but only plain and right out of their skin…so I have been making Pineapple Pudding for about 30 years now!!! And people look at me like I am crazy when I say that is what I have brought to a potluck…and then they taste it and are like wow, I want your recipe!!! I just laugh and say replace well drained crushed pineapple where you would use bananas in your banana pudding recipe…Thanks for confirming I am not a crazy person!!!!
LOL, definitely not crazy Tami!!!