This Greek Yogurt Maple Banana Bread Pudding is out of this world good my friends. And it has walnuts on it too. It’s bananas! Literally.

banana bread pudding on a plate

Did you know that bread pudding is my favorite dessert on the entire planet? True. And it HAS to be served warm. No question.

In fact, I love bread pudding so so so much, that when it came time to choose what kind of wedding cake Jase and I were going to have at our wedding, I decided that I would rather have bread pudding. So we did. And yes it was warm. True story, it was actually so warm it burnt my mouth! On my wedding day. Ooopsie!

banana bread pudding in a skillet

But I think that someone who isn’t as in love with bread pudding as I am would also agree that this dessert is the best. When it came out of the oven and I was taking these pictures, I had a hard time not eating it. And then as soon as I was done I was like oh my gosh I can’t wait to share this with everyone!

I hadn’t even cleaned up or anything, and Jason was working on the sugar house. He happened to come inside to grab something and I accosted him in the mudroom with a spoonful of WARM bread pudding, and I was like “Dude, you HAVE to try this!” And he did. And he was like “Oh my God!” And I was like “I know!!!!”

And then my daughters also tried it and they were like, “Mom, Wow!”

It’s that kind of a recipe, guys.

It is like Wow!

Okay, so enough with the gushy gushy, you get it. I know you want to make it now, so let’s talk cooks notes for a second.

maple banana bread pudding on a plate

Ingredients For This Recipe

Banana:

Mash one of the bananas and mix that into the custard mixture to make the whole thing taste more banana-ish. This also keeps it more moist and adds natural sweetness. My bananas were black in spots, but not over-ripe to the point where they were turning translucent on the insides. The other three bananas get sliced and layered inside and on top.

Greek Yogurt:

I love the way the Greek yogurt tastes in the custard. The sourness is a really yummy balance to the maple and banana and keeps it from tasting too cloying. It is also a healthy high-protein way to extend the custard and keep the bread pudding moist without adding extra cream.

Lower Fat Dairy:

I used low fat milk and just a quarter cup of half and half instead of heavy cream to make the custard. It still seems quite rich due to the thick Greek yogurt.

Maple Syrup:

I sweetened it up with maple syrup which plays off the nuts and bananas in a carmely mapley sweet way.

Sourdough Bread:

I used sourdough because again, the sourness helps to balance the sweetness of the maple and banana. Plus sourdough bread is lower glycemic than white bread, but doesn’t have the strong taste that whole-wheat bread has.

Turbinado Sugar and Nuts

I added crunchy turbinado sugar on top and walnuts (one of maple’s BFFs.) This adds a great crunch and contrast in texture.

How To Make Banana Bread Pudding

First mix the bread and custard in a bowl and let the custard totally soak into the bread.

Then before layering it into the cast iron skillet, stir it again to mix in the pieces on the top that weren’t as moist.

Next butter the skillet. This will prevent it from sticking, and adds yummy flavor.

To assemble, add half of the bread and custard mix, top with slices of banana, then add the remaining bread and custard mix.

To bake it, cover it so that it heats through without browning.

Then remove the top, add on the crunchy turbinado sugar and walnuts and let the whole thing brown and puff.

Serving Tips

Before serving drizzle on more maple syrup if you like. And top with whipped cream if you’re feeling indulgent.

Oh, and don’t forget: Make sure to let it cool a bit before serving. You don’t want to burn your mouth like I did on my wedding day!

More Recipes To Try

Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Greek Yogurt Banana Maple Bread Pudding with Walnuts | healthy seasonal recipes by Katie Webster

Banana Bread Pudding

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

Oh yes I did! You read that right: greek yogurt maple banana bread pudding. And it has walnuts on it. It’s bananas! Literally. And it’s my favorite dessert

Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe bananas
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • 1 cup low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
  • ¾ cup dark pure maple syrup, plus more for serving if desired
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound sourdough bread, crusts removed and cubed
  • 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado or coarse sanding sugar
  • whipped cream and maple syrup for serving

Instructions

  1. Mash one banana in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, ¾ cup maple syrup, half and half and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add bread and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours to 8 hours.
  2. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet with butter.
  3. Re-stir the bread mixture. Spread half of the bread mixture into the bottom of the skillet. Slice two bananas and spread over the bread layer. Top with the remaining bread mixture and any remaining batter from the bowl can be drizzled over the top. Spritz a square of parchment (roughly 10 by 10 inches) with cooking spray. Lay the parchment, spray side down over the bread pudding. Cover tightly over the edges with foil and transfer to the oven.
  4. Bake until steaming hot, and puffed in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove parchment and foil and sprinkle with walnuts and turbinado sugar. Return to the oven and bake until the top is browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 to 30 minutes. Slice the remaining banana and serve on top of the warm bread pudding with, whipped cream and maple syrup if desired.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 334
  • Sugar: 30 g
  • Sodium: 311 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 60 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 12 g

More Maple Desserts:

Maple Parsnip Morning Glory Coffee Cake

Healthy Maple Carrot Sheet Cake

Maple-Sweetened Healthy Apple Crisp

Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake

Gluten-Free Maple Peach Blueberry Crisp

Banana bread pudding and Vanilla photo collage with text overlay