These freeze-dried banana pudding bites combine banana cream pudding, Nilla Wafers, and fresh banana slices for a crunchy dessert snack. Beat the pudding mixture, pipe it onto the wafers, add banana slices, and freeze-dry until fully dry. Thank you to Kaleigh C. for sharing the recipe and photographs in our Facebook group and allowing us to feature them.

Jump to the printable recipe card. You will need a home freeze dryer for this recipe; a freezer alone does not produce the same result.

Freeze-Dried Banana Pudding Bites by Kaleigh C

Ingredients You’ll Need

To start, here’s what you need to whip up these dreamy little bites:

1 family-size box of Jell-O Banana Cream Pudding (instant)
8 oz cold milk
8 oz heavy whipping cream
Nilla Wafers
Bananas (sliced)
Optional toppings: peanut butter, melted chocolate, strawberry halves, pie filling

Pro Tip: The original post describes running out of pudding after two trays. Batch yield depends on the size of each swirl and the tray layout; do not treat two trays as a fixed yield.

How to Make the Pudding Fluff

The pudding mixture uses both cold milk and heavy whipping cream. Here is how to prepare it:

In a large bowl, pour the pudding powder, 8 oz of cold milk, and 8 oz of heavy whipping cream.
Use a hand mixer for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes thick, fluffy, and smooth.
Transfer the pudding into a frosting or ziplock bag, snip the tip, and it’s ready to pipe!

Now comes the fun part — building your bites!

Assembling the Banana Pudding Bites

Pipe a generous swirl of pudding onto each Nilla Wafer.
Slice bananas right before you top each one. (This is important to prevent browning or mushy fruit.)
Top each swirl with a banana slice.

In this method, the bananas are sliced just before assembly rather than pre-treated or pre-frozen separately. Follow your freeze dryer’s food-cycle instructions for loading and freezing the assembled bites.

Tips for Extra Sweetness

Want to get creative? Here are some ways to level up your banana pudding bites:

Banana Split Version: Place half a banana slice and top it with ½ a strawberry for a classic banana split vibe.
Cheesecake Remix: Swap the banana cream pudding for Jell-O cheesecake flavor — trust me, it’s divine!
Chocolate or PB Dip: Once freeze-dried, dip the bottoms in melted chocolate or peanut butter for an indulgent treat.
Mini Pie Bites: Pipe the pudding onto graham cracker pieces (just break along the scored lines) and top with a dab of your favorite pie filling!

Freeze Drying Instructions

Once assembled, arrange the bites on the trays without stacking. Here is the method described in the original post:

Place all assembled bites on the trays.
Follow your freeze dryer’s food-cycle instructions. Settings can differ by machine and software version.
The original post reports a batch taking about 26 hours. Treat this as an example, not a fixed drying time; add drying time if needed.

Check several bites, including their centers, before packaging. If any are soft or damp, add drying time and check again. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance for confirming dryness.

Getting a Freeze Dryer

We highly recommend the Harvest Right Medium freeze dryer for your food preservation needs. This versatile appliance provides excellent freeze-drying capabilities without the need for a large dedicated 20 amp circuit, unlike the larger sizes. As avid users and supporters of Harvest Right products, we’ve found their quality and customer support exceptional. As a Harvest Right Affiliate, we stand by their reliability and effectiveness. When you shop through our affiliate link, you help support our small business at no additional cost to you. It’s a straightforward way to assist us while investing in a superior freeze-drying solution for your home, ensuring your food stays fresh and nutritious for longer periods.

How to Store Freeze-Dried Banana Pudding Bites

Package fully dried bites promptly in suitable moisture-barrier packaging and store in a cool, dry place. Ordinary storage bags may allow moisture back in. This recipe has not established a tested shelf life, so do not assume it has the same storage life as commercially packaged freeze-dried food. University of Minnesota Extension explains freeze-dried food handling, packaging, and storage. Freeze-drying does not kill harmful microorganisms; safe handling before and after processing still matters.

Got a freeze dryer? Then you need to try this. Have fun, get creative, and tag me with your own twist on freeze-dried banana pudding bites!

Why Freeze-Dry Your Own Snacks?

Freeze-drying gives you another way to use your food and make crunchy snacks at home. For more projects, explore our freeze-drying recipes and guides. Choose a method and packaging suited to each food rather than assuming every recipe stores the same way.

If you’re new to freeze-drying or looking for more ideas, be sure to check out my guide on how to preserve your food. It’s packed with tips for canning, dehydrating, and freeze-drying your harvest or homemade treats!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ready-made pudding?

This version uses instant pudding mix, cold milk, and heavy cream. Ready-made pudding has not been tested for this recipe, so it may pipe and dry differently. For the method described here, use the listed ingredients.

How long do banana pudding bites take to freeze-dry?

The original post reports about 26 hours for one batch. Bite size, moisture, tray loading, and machine performance can change the cycle time. Confirm dryness rather than packaging based only on the timer.

How many bites does one batch make?

The original recipe did not record an exact bite count. It depends on how much pudding you pipe onto each wafer. Use wafers and sliced bananas as needed until the pudding mixture is used up.