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Browned Butter Banana Pudding Blondies

Square slice of browned butter banana pudding blondie with clear fudgy and creamy layers on a plate
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By swapping a standard base for a nutty browned butter blondie, this version cuts the artificial sweetness of boxed pudding and adds a gorgeous caramel depth. A hidden layer of freshly sliced bananas bridges the fudgy brown-sugar bottom and the creamy, cheesecake-like pudding topping, finishing with that iconic vanilla wafer crown.

Ingredients

Scale

Browned Butter Blondie Base

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks / 170g)
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (213g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150g)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Banana Layer

  • 1 medium ripe banana, thinly sliced

Banana Pudding Cream Layer

  • 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (226g block)
  • 1 box (3.4 ounces / 96g) instant banana cream pudding mix (dry mix only)
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream or whole milk
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

  • 16 to 20 vanilla wafer cookies (such as Nilla Wafers)

Instructions

  1. Prep the pan and oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to act as a sling. Set aside.
  2. Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes. The butter will foam, subside, and then form golden-brown flecks at the bottom while smelling like toasted nuts. Immediately pour the browned butter (scraping all the toasted bits with it) into a large heatproof mixing bowl. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
  3. Mix the blondie batter: Whisk the dark brown sugar into the slightly cooled browned butter until combined. Add the 2 base eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, whisking vigorously until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly glossy. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt just until no dry streaks remain.
  4. Par-bake the base: Spread the thick blondie batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. (Par-baking ensures the base is just set enough to hold the topping, but prevents the edges from drying out during the second bake).
  5. Mix the pudding layer: While the base bakes, use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat the softened cream cheese in a separate bowl until perfectly smooth and creamy. Add the dry instant pudding mix, heavy cream, the remaining 2 eggs, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until completely uniform and thick.
  6. Assemble the layers: Remove the par-baked blondie base from the oven (leave the oven on). Immediately arrange the thinly sliced fresh bananas in an even layer over the warm surface. Gently drop dollops of the cream cheese pudding mixture over the bananas, then use an offset spatula to spread it gently to the edges.
  7. Add the wafers and finish baking: Press the vanilla wafers lightly into the top of the pudding layer in a neat grid (4 rows of 4 or 5 cookies). Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center jiggles only very slightly when the pan is gently shaken.
  8. Cool and chill: Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour. For clean slices and the best “banana pudding” texture, transfer the pan to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before lifting the parchment sling and cutting into squares.

Notes

  • Why it works: Reducing the flour slightly and par-baking the blondie base for just 15 minutes solves the common problem of dry, overbaked edges. The fresh banana layer tucked underneath the cream cheese topping provides authentic fruit flavor that instant pudding alone can’t achieve.
  • Slicing tip: Because the topping has a baked-custard texture similar to cheesecake, chilling is mandatory for neat squares. Wipe a large, sharp knife clean with a damp paper towel between each cut.

Nutrition (per serving — estimates)

Calories: 295 | Total Carbs: 31g (Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g) | Fat: 17g (Saturated: 10g) | Protein: 4g

Nutritional values are approximate, based on standard reference data (USDA FoodData Central). Actual values vary by brand and exact measurements. For precision, use a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delicious.alfityan.org/2026/07/11/fudgy-browned-butter-banana-pudding-blondies/