Our innovative recipes with vanilla pudding, from creamy cakes and pies to trifles and other fuss-free treats, give the ordinary boxed mix a sweet upgrade.
That small box of pudding mix in the pantry may not look like much, but our recipes with vanilla pudding prove how versatile it can be. With a silky texture and mellow sweetness, vanilla pudding easily transforms into the base for pies, cakes, trifles and easy no-bake desserts.
These vanilla pudding dessert recipes range from rich and decadent, like a toffee brownie trifle or chocolate éclair, to lighter and fruit-forward, such as strawberry bliss or raspberry coffee cake. On warmer days, you can make frozen treats like pops and ice cream sandwiches in different flavors. Moreover, a simple swap to nondairy milk or adding a handful of seasonal fruits and spices can fit these recipes for any occasion, including potluck desserts.
Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight treat, craving a nostalgic favorite or wanting a fresh spin for gatherings, these desserts using vanilla pudding prove the mix is anything but ordinary.
1/35
Banana Split Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
One day a friend showed me how to make a traditional icebox cake with just cream and graham crackers. I make it extra-special by adding fruit. Now everyone at the potluck can have a banana split with no fuss! —Shelly Flye, Albion, Maine
2/35
Monkey Bread with Frozen Bread Dough
From the Recipe Creator:
You can do all the prep work for this monkey bread the night before. I prepare the dough pieces and put all the sauce ingredients in the pan so it's ready for the morning. Sprinkle chopped nuts in with the dough pieces before pouring on the sauce and baking, if you'd like. —Diana Kunselman, Rimersburg, Pennsylvania
3/35
Cherry Almond Mousse Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
Treat your loved ones to a luscious pie with chocolate, cherries and nuts in a creamy vanilla mousse. It's a sweet yet refreshing dessert. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas
4/35
Horchata Icebox Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
This no-bake horchata icebox cake uses horchata instead of milk to turn instant pudding, cream cheese and Cool Whip into a creamy, dreamy filling between layers of graham crackers. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon
5/35
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
From the Recipe Creator:
After sampling this flavor at an ice cream stand, I kept trying to duplicate it until it was just right. This blueberry cheesecake ice cream is a hit! —Melissa Symington, Neche, North Dakota
6/35
Snickers Salad
From the Recipe Creator:
This creamy, sweet salad with crisp apple crunch is a real people-pleaser. It makes a lot, which is good because it will go fast! —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa
7/35
Calgary Nanaimo Bars
From the Recipe Creator:
This version of Nanaimo bars may claim roots in Alberta, but the original was said to be dreamed up in a British Columbia kitchen. The bars are three delicious layers of Canadian goodness. —Carol Hillier, Calgary, Alberta
8/35
Birthday Cake Freezer Pops
From the Recipe Creator:
On my quest to find birthday cake ice cream—my favorite flavor—I came up with these easy ice pops. Now, instead of going to the store whenever a craving hits, I just head to my freezer. —Dawn Lopez, Westerly, Rhode Island
9/35
Brownie Fruit Pizza
From the Recipe Creator:
How could you not love pizza for dessert? A fudgy brownie base is layered with a whipped topping sauce, then covered with fresh strawberries, chopped nuts and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. —Karen Heleski, Ubly, Michigan
10/35
Budapest Roll
From the Recipe Creator:
If you’re a fan of Yule logs and pumpkin rolls, taste my Swedish specialty made from hazelnut meringue. People are in awe every time I take it somewhere. —Catherine Walbridge, Boise, Idaho
11/35
Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding Torte
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is a busy mom's twist on a favorite dessert—tiramisu. The dish is simple to assemble and perfect to make the day before you want to serve it. The hardest thing about this recipe is waiting for it to chill so you can eat it! —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, Maryland
12/35
Orange-Fig Pull-Aparts
From the Recipe Creator:
For breakfast on Thanksgiving, my mom requested an orange pull-apart bread. I tried making one by dressing up tubes of refrigerated rolls. She loved it! —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon
13/35
Can’t-Eat-Just-One Cinnamon Rolls
From the Recipe Creator:
My cinnamon rolls have been known to vanish quickly. Once I dropped off a dozen rolls for my brothers, and they emptied the pan in 10 minutes. —Regina Farmwald, West Farmington, Ohio
14/35
Strawberry Bliss
From the Recipe Creator:
You'll love this homemade puff pastry crust topped with a soft-set pudding layer that has a hint of strawberry flavor. The dessert needs to chill for at least an hour, so it's a fabulous make-ahead dish. —Candace Richter, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
15/35
Root Beer Float Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
This is the kind of recipe your kids will look back on and always remember. And you don't even need to use an oven! —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
16/35
Giant Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich
From the Recipe Creator:
I created this giant peanut butter cookie cake for my husband, adding light and low-fat products to the cookie dough. It was so fantastic that I fixed it with conventional ingredients for guests. Since it can be made ahead of time and frozen, it cuts stress for busy hostesses. And really, who doesn't love peanut butter ice cream? —Joann Belack, Bradenton, Florida
17/35
Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns
From the Recipe Creator:
I make sticky buns and cinnamon rolls quite often because my husband loves them. One day I had some fresh pumpkin on hand and decided to try pumpkin cinnamon buns. We loved the results! —Glenda Joseph, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
18/35
Mini Rum Cakes
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother and I tried many different types of rum cake to find the best one, and finally we hit on this cake that doesn't dry out and imparts the most flavor. For a really moist cake, brush rum over the individual sponge cakes before topping them with the filling. —Dona M. Hoffman, Addison, Illinois
19/35
Pig Pickin’ Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
This is one of my favorite cakes. It’s moist and light yet so satisfying. I’ve been adapting it for years and now it’s almost guilt-free. —Pam Sjolund, Columbia, South Carolina
20/35
Peanut Butter Pudding Dessert
From the Recipe Creator:
Here's a fun layered dessert that will appeal to all ages. If you want it even nuttier, you can use chunky peanut butter. And if you're not a fan of cashews, substitute your favorite nut. This peanut butter lasagna is one of my favorite pudding desserts. —Barbara Schindler, Napoleon, Ohio
21/35
Cranberry-Pistachio Sticky Buns
From the Recipe Creator:
Looking for a fantastic brunch item? Then try these ooey-gooey good sticky buns. They use frozen roll dough and couldn't be simpler to make. The buns rise overnight in the refrigerator, so you just need to bake them the next morning. —Athena Russell, Florence, South Carolina
22/35
Boston Cream Angel Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
You can prepare this delectable dessert in no time. To change this cake to your family's liking, try different flavors of instant pudding or different ice cream toppings. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
23/35
Toffee Brownie Trifle
From the Recipe Creator:
This decadent combination of pantry items is a terrific way to dress up a brownie mix. Try this trifle with other flavors of pudding or substitute your favorite candy bar. It tastes great with low-fat and sugar-free products too. —Wendy Bennett, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
24/35
Banana Cream Pie with Pudding
From the Recipe Creator:
This old-fashioned banana cream pie recipe is full of flavor. Because it uses instant pudding, the no-bake dessert is ready in just minutes. —Perlene Hoekema, Lynden, Washington
25/35
Ribbon Pudding Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
Cool, smooth and creamy, this pretty pie is a slice of heaven for people with diabetes and anyone who likes an easy yet impressive dessert. The lovely pudding layers feature a yummy combination of vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch. —Doris Morgan, Verona, Mississippi
26/35
Pecan Coffee Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom serves this nutty coffee cake for Christmas breakfast each year. The simple recipe is a big timesaver on such an event-filled morning. Everyone loves the crunchy topping. —Becky Wax, Tuscola, Illinois
27/35
Snappy Pumpkin Dessert
From the Recipe Creator:
Our town has a pumpkin-canning factory, so we're known as the Pumpkin Capital of the World. New pumpkin recipes are always welcomed by our family, and this has become a favorite. The gingersnap crust is the perfect flavor pairing with the pumpkin. —Nilah Fischer, Morton, Illinois
28/35
Crumb-Topped Raspberry Coffee Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
Raspberries are abundant at our summer home near Aziscohos Lake. I developed this recipe to share the bounty with our guests. The pretty crumb-topped cake's fruity flavor really shines through. —Marian Cummings, West Paris, Maine
29/35
Pineapple Pudding Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother used to love making this easy pineapple sunshine cake in the summertime. It's so cool and refreshing that it never lasts very long! —Kathleen Worden, North Andover, Massachusetts
30/35
Chocolate Eclair
From the Recipe Creator:
With a creamy filling and a fudgy frosting, this chocolate eclair recipe is extra-special. —Jessica Campbell, Viola, Wisconsin
31/35
Quick Icebox Sandwiches
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother liked making these cool, creamy treats when I was growing up in the States because they're so quick to fix. Then I made them for my three kids. —Sandy Armijo, Naples, Italy
32/35
Aunt Marion’s Fruit Salad Dessert
From the Recipe Creator:
Aunt Marion, my namesake, is like a grandma to me. She gave me this luscious salad recipe, which goes to all our family reunions, hunt club suppers and snowmobile club picnics. And I return home with no leftovers! —Marion LaTourette, Honesdale, Pennsylvania
33/35
Easy Chocolate Eclair Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
One of the guys I work with shared this dreamy, creamy eclair cake recipe with me, and I love it! I can make it ahead of time, and it has only five ingredients. —Lori Teeple, Carpentersville, Illinois
34/35
Brownie Mocha Trifle
From the Recipe Creator:
By using instant pudding and a convenient box of brownie mix, there's nothing to the preparation. The result is moist and chewy. And the layers look so pretty spooned into a glass trifle bowl. —Louise Fauth, Foremost, Alberta
35/35
No-Cook Coconut Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
This creamy no-cook coconut pie proves that a quick meal doesn't have to go without dessert. —Jeanette Fuehring, Concordia, Missouri
Recipes with Vanilla Pudding FAQ
Can I use vanilla pudding as a cake filling?
Absolutely! Instant vanilla pudding mix makes a stable and thick cake filling that adds both flavor and moisture. To enhance the cake experience, you can customize the pudding’s flavors however you like. Consider adding fresh fruit for brightness or blending cream cheese or whipped topping for extra richness.
How long do desserts using vanilla pudding last?
Most desserts using vanilla pudding keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days when stored in an airtight container. Recipes with perishable ingredients, such as fresh fruit, may have a shorter shelf life than plain vanilla pudding.
What easy vanilla pudding treats can I make for a party?
There’s no shortage of easy vanilla pudding treats for gatherings. Make individual tiramisu parfaits and serve them in cute glassware at a party. You can also make delicious blueberry ice cream, birthday cake freezer pops, cinnamon rolls, and all kinds of delicious trifles and pies.
