High Protein Banana Pudding Cups

a banana pudding cup with a spoon rested against the side on a plate

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High Protein Banana Pudding Cups

This protein banana pudding recipe is an easy, gluten-free dessert cup made with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, vanilla protein powder, fresh bananas, and crushed vanilla wafers. It has that classic banana pudding flavor with soft cookie layers and a thick vanilla filling, but the extra protein makes it a little more satisfying for an afternoon snack or quick dessert!

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: cups

Author: Mary Smith

Equipment

Immersion Blender

Ingredients

6.3 oz Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers I used Kinnikinnick brand - one box
2 bananas sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup cottage cheese I used 2%
1 scoop vanilla protein powder I use Clean Simple Eats
½ cup Truwhip whipped topping for garnish

Instructions

Add most of the wafers to a plastic bag and crush them up into pieces using a meat mallet or hammer - make sure to set 4 aside before doing this for the garnish!
Add the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and protein powder into a bowl and mix until combined. If you do not like the cottage cheese curds, you can use an immersion blender to mix it all until smooth.
Time to layer: To 4 glass cups, add 2 tbsp crushed up vanilla wafers, followed by 4-5 banana slices, about ¼ cup of the vanilla “pudding”, and then repeat with another layer of wafers, banana slices, and more pudding.
I added a few more crushed wafers on top, followed by a large dollop of Truwhip whipped topping and a full cookie on top for garnish.

Notes

If you want the filling extra smooth, blend the cottage cheese mixture for a full minute or two. Once blended, it loses that curd texture completely and tastes much more like traditional pudding!
Don’t skip reserving a few whole wafers for garnish before crushing the rest. It’s a small detail, but it makes the finished cups look pretty with no extra effort.
The wafers soften more as the cups sit. Right after assembling, they still have a little crunch. After a few hours in the fridge, they turn softer and cake-like, which is my favorite texture for banana pudding!
Glass jars or dessert cups work really well here because you can see all the layers. They also make this easy recipe feel fun for a party or baby shower dessert table.
Store these assembled banana pudding cups covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
I don’t recommend freezing the pudding–for a freezer-friendly recipe, try my healthy protein banana muffins.
If you’re making them ahead for a party or meal prep, you can mix the pudding layer a day in advance and keep it refrigerated separately. Then assemble the cups closer to serving so the bananas stay fresher and the wafers keep a little texture.

Nutrition