This creamy treat is made by layering an easy stove-top vanilla pudding with sliced bananas and crunchy vanilla-laced oats. To avoid clingy banana strings, peel bananas from the bottom up. (Pinch the black tip to get started.)
Note that the cashews should be soaked overnight for creamiest results. To soak cashews, place them in a bowl with enough hot water to cover.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored plant milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
- 4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
- 3 large or 4 small bananas, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
Instructions
- For pudding, place cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, the nutmeg, and salt. Bring just to boiling over medium, whisking constantly. Cook and whisk 2 to 3 minutes more or until mixture is thickened and no foam remains on the surface. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- While pudding cools, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl stir together oats, 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of the vanilla, and the cinnamon. Spread mixture in a ½-inch-thick layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until oats are golden brown, stirring once.
- For cashew cream topping, drain cashews. In a blender combine cashews and the remaining 2 teaspoons maple syrup and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Add ¼ cup water. Cover and blend until smooth and creamy. Place in an airtight container; chill.
- To assemble parfaits, spoon 2 Tbsp. pudding in each of four parfait glasses. Top with one-third of the banana slices and one-third of the oat mixture. Repeat with another layer of pudding, one-third of the banana slices. and one-third of the oat mixture. Layer with the remaining banana slices and pudding. Cover and chill parfaits 1 to 8 hours.
- Just before serving, if desired, top with additional banana slices and the remaining oat mixture. Top each with 1 tablespoon cashew cream and additional cinnamon.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving (1 parfait), 353 calories, 62 g carbohydrates, 6.3 g protein, 11 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 73 mg sodium, 5.2 g fiber, 27 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
My first ever pudding!
I didn’t have maple syrup, so I used honey. I also used berry cereal instead of the oat mixture. The dessert was good, not too sweet. However, the pudding got quite thick while cooling. I don’t know what happened… Next time I’ll try and use my blender to thin it a bit if this happens again.
I also used lemon juice so that my banana slices do not oxidise.
Thank you for sharing the recipe!
What size are the parfait glasses? I have to purchase them and they come in 8 oz. and 10 oz. Thanks.
I’m not able to have maple syrup – what would be acceptable substitutes?
Just read Jennie Dalgas’ review…my niece Rebecca’s childhood friend! Based on your recommendations, I’m going to give this a try! Thanks – “Aunt Jo!
The nuts and oats make this more healthy than mine, but it’s a lot of trouble for only 4 servings. My recipe is one frozen banana per person, barely enough oat milk to get it puréed in a blender with a spoon of baker’s chocolate or vanilla. That’s it!
would love to try this, but I don’t buy plant based milk. Will it work with dairy milk? Also I would probably used whipped cream. Although vegetarian I am not vegan.
However, I do enjoy many of your recipes.
Sounds great and everyone loves it but 62g per serving. I’ve just been diagnosed diabetic. What can we change?
Hi Lila.
This recipe is intended as a treat recipe, so not something you would want to eat every day. Feel free to drop down the amount of maple syrup you use; many people whose taste buds have adapted to eating healthy whole foods find that they don’t need as much sweetener. For information on eating to manage diabetes, check out this article. https://www.forksoverknives.com/health-topics/vegan-diet-and-diabetes/
Enjoyed making and eating this fantastic guilt-free dessert! This recipe is a keeper.
I make this a lot! My grandkids love it and do we!
Recommendations for cashew subsitute? My son has a nut allergy.
Hi Helena,
An alternative to making the cashew cream would be to make our Aquafaba Whipped Cream instead: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-sauces-condiments/aquafaba-vegan-whipped-cream/
If you decide to try it, let us know how it goes!
Thanks,
Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support
This was delish!
I used arrowroot cuz I didn’t have cornstarch. If you do that, I’d recommend using 1/2 of the recipe amount.
I can’t eat too many cashews and so substituted pine nuts.
Was perusing for something to do with bananas.
I even had my own homemade granola in the fridge…
This…. my Hubby gave me a handshake like I won the British Baking show! Hahaha
Only problem… do we wait to eat more??
What a great treat!! Looked pretty in the parfait glasses and the taste was wonderful!!
Karen, what about Tapioca starch?
Is there a substitute for the corn starch? I can’t have corn.
Can’t do potato starch either.
Hi Karen,
As Donna suggested, tapioca starch could be a good option. Arrowroot powder also might work here. We haven’t tested the recipe with either of those, so if you do give it a try, please let us know how it goes!
Thank you,
Courtney, editor, Forks Over Knives
Going to try
This is so delicious! We all loved it (3 adults, one who still eats dairy and meat). Definitely saving this recipe, though might get lazy next time and just mix it all up in a big bowl with the whipped topping on top, rather than bother with the layers (though that did make it pretty for a dinner party). YUM!!!
Tastes great, but I must’ve done something wrong. Thickened fine, then placed in the fridge. A few hours later, it was completely runny.
Oats & cashew cream came out great
Any thoughts?
great recipe. can you please tell me where the glasses you use for this pudding come from. They are very cool. thank you
is there an alternative in this recipe to cornstarch? i am allergic to all corn products.
Thank you
Arrowroot should work as an alternative.
Dennis: Read the lower thread- arrowroot did not work well.
Hi Dennis! We recommend using potato starch instead. It has a 1:1 substitution ratio with cornstarch and holds up well in sweet recipes. Enjoy!
Arrow root should work the same as corn starch…
So grateful for a refresh g recipe. I can’t have chocolate (no caffeine)
Then use carob!
Made this tonight for my mother-in-law and husband and we all thought it was fabulous. This dessert will be for guests in the future.
I used almond milk and stevia syrup instead of maple syrup cause my Dad’s diabetic.
I also cooled the pudding and then added a small amount of banana and the oatmeal crumb on top. Just to limit some of the carbs my Dad can’t have . It was wonderful sweet treat.
I know southern-style banana puddin and this ain’t it.
Let’s calm it down a touch there huh bud?
Great banana pudding. Did use cornstarch instead of my arrow, since was the recipe. Creamy.
What can you use in place of cashews. I am allergic
I have used sunflower seeds instead of cashews in recipes that call for soaked cashews.
Great made with coconut milk and arrowroot. Tastes wonderful to boot.
Just made this with almond milk and arrowroot powder and it came out as rubbery strings. Any ideas of what went wrong?
You should use cornstarch. Arrowroot mixed with a milky substance will produce that effect.
I think I make this almost every weekend! So nice to have a WFPB alternative to a favorite dessert of ours!
Sounds as though you made vegan string cheese. Maybe you’re onto something …
Bananas and 6 tablespoons of maple syrup? Could you please provide the nutritional breakdown of this dessert.
It’s 4 2/3 tablespoons of maple syrup. And there are dozens of nutritional calculators on the web that will work this out for you.
So creamy and amazing taste thankyou so much for this lovely recipe! the pudding part with almond milk was divine.
This dessert is delicious and kid approved. I have always loved banana pudding made with cool whip, instant vanilla pudding and nilla wafers. This is the first time I’ve been able to enjoy banana pudding since becoming wfpb. Thank you so much for creating a fabulous recipe!
What should be a good substitute for the cashews? We have a cashew allergy in the house.
Hi Donna! Same here. I have heard of soaking hazelnuts as a sub. Also, since the cashews are for cream, you might want to consider making whipped cream instead, using refrigerated coconut milk and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Is there a place we can obtain nutrition information for your recipes? To determine protein, carbs, calories, etc?
You can use this to figure out nutritional information for any recipe you find: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
I’m curious–wouldn’t the crunchiness of the oat mixture get lost while layered with the pudding and refrigerated?
Yes the crunchiness of the oats is lost but I love the softness of the oats as well. If you like overnight oats losing the crunch is not a problem.
What about macadamia nuts? If you can eat them, they are as mild as the cashews and should give a creamy texture.
cornstarch is not exactly a nutriment to recommand, is it?
If you don like corn starch try arrowroot powder is works just like cornstarch.
Josie
Fantastic 10
Is there a substitute that would work for the cashews? I’m allergic.
Haven’t tried but white beans are used as a substitute for cashews in other recipes.
I’m allergic to cashews too, so when recipes call for them, I substitute almonds.
Tigernuts, which actually aren’t nuts, but tubers. I discovered them recently, they are very tasty, sweeter than cashews, make great milk, icecream etc..
This is a delicious dessert. The pudding can be made using date paste instead of the maple syrup, but I did need the maple syrup for the oat mixture. I frequently make the oat mixture to keep on hand as a simple granola to use on top of FOK’s banana-berry smoothie bowls.
this sounds delicious
A person on a tight budget like me would go broke buying maple syrup, wow, that stuff is like gold. Good thing I don’t have a sweet tooth!