These pretty parfaits are layered with creamy, sugar free banana pudding and an almond crumble for a bit of crunch. The finishing touch is a dollop of whipped cream. It tastes like the decadent classic banana custard dessert, but is so much healthier.
Why this recipe is just so good....
- Banana pudding is one of those recipes that just feels like a cozy and comforting homemade classic dessert. But it is filled with sugar and for those following a diabetic diet or low carb lifestyle, we don't have to skip these desserts, just swap out some ingredients.
- This low carb pudding uses simple ingredients that you would normally find in a classic vanilla pudding.
- This pudding is reminiscent of a banana cream pie, but low in sugar and without a crust. Creamy sugar free pudding, a few slices of banana for texture, a sweet crunchy layer of almond crumble and of course the whipped cream.
Recipe Ingredients for Sugar Free Banana Pudding
- I'm using Swerve in this recipe but you could substitute Monkfruit or Allulose in the pudding. Don't use Allulose in the almond crumble because it tends to not crisp up as well as the other type of sugar subs.
- My recipe only uses about a half of a banana to keep the carbs and sugar lower. So we need to increase the banana flavor. This banana extract has a delicate banana flavor without a strong alcohol taste. I've used it in my low carb banana bread and it's a perfect substitute for bananas in a recipe. Your grocery store may carry it but I found it on Amazon.
If you don't have or want to purchase the extract, you can still make this pudding! Just add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract to the recipe and it will be delicious as well.
How to make sugar free banana pudding?
- Whisk egg yolks to combine and set aside.
- Make the pudding by heating the heavy cream in a saucepan on the stovetop until hot. Do not boil.
- Gradually drizzle in ¼ cup of the hot heavy cream into eggs, whisking well to avoid cooking the yolks. However, if you accidentally do end up with some cooked eggs, just strain it out of the mixture.
- Pour egg mixture into the heated cream on stovetop, stir in sugar substitute and cook on medium temperature for about 4-5 minutes, until spoon is coated. Remove from heat and stir in extract. The pudding will thicken as it cools.
What do we use instead of Nilla Vanillas?
Many classic banana puddings are made with the cute little vanilla wafer cookies. They are delicious and are a traditional ingredient in Southern bananas pudding. But they are also full of sugar.
This recipe has an almond crumble layered in between the pudding and whipped cream. It has all the flavors and texture of a crunchy almond cookie but is made in the fraction of the time in a sauté pan.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you stir the heavy cream and sugar substitute well on the stovetop while it is cooking to prevent it from burning.
- The pudding will be cooked enough when it coats the wooden spoon or spatula and doesn't easily drip off. It will be about 4-5 minutes.
- If you don't like the skin that forms on top of pudding, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding while it is cooling.
- Because we want to keep this pudding low carb, there is only a few slices of banana for added flavor and texture. To prevent the bananas from getting brown or black, make sure they are fully covered by the pudding and kept refrigerated.
Frequently Asked Questions
I would not recommend using frozen bananas. When you freeze bananas, ice forms during the freezing process. And as soon as you defrost them, they become very soft, almost mushy in texture.
Frozen bananas are perfect to add to cake, muffin or bread batters.
Yes! Combine sugar substitute and cream. Whisk well. Cover and Cook for 2 minutes and stir. Remove ¼ cup and slowly stir the egg yolks. Add that back to pudding and cook another 2 minutes, making sure to stir the bottom of the bowl.
Whisk in the extracts and xanthan gum. Cook for another 2 minutes. If consistency still seems very liquid, whisk again and cook a final 2 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools. Continue with recipe after the pudding has fully cooled in the refrigerator.
Some other creamy desserts to try:
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, I'd love if you came back and gave it a 5 star rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!!
Sugar Free Banana Pudding
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
These sugar free banana pudding parfaits taste like a decadent dessert. Extract adds all the banana flavor but without the sugar in this delicious custard pudding.
Ingredients
Pudding
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup Swerve confectioners sugar *
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon banana extract
- 8 thin slices banana, optional
Almond crumble
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup sugar substitute ( I used Swerve)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon fine ground flax meal
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To make the pudding:
- In a saucepan, cook the heavy cream on medium heat until it is very hot, but not to a boil. You will see that your spoon is fully coated with the cream.
- In a bowl, place egg yolks and whisk to combine. Drizzle ¼ cup of the hot cream gradually into the eggs, whisking well.
- Pour the egg/cream mixture back into the saucepan. Heat on low and add in the sugar substitute and xanthan gum. Stir to combine.
- Cook pudding on low heat for another 3-5 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds or so until thickened. (Pudding will thicken as it cools).
- Remove from heat, stir in extracts and set pudding aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Cover pudding with Saran wrap or Press and Seal plastic wrap to avoid the "skin" on top of pudding.
- When cooled at room temperature, refrigerate until ready to make parfaits.
To make almond crumble
- Melt butter in skillet, stir in almond flour, salt, and flaxseed meal on medium-low heat.
- Add sugar substitute, cinnamon and vanilla.
- Continue stirring until mixture combines together and begins to brown and dry into a crumbly mixture, about 3-4 minutes
- Remove from heat, let it cool for about 15 minute and it will harden into crunchy delicious crumbs that you will be tempted to eat by the spoonful!!
To assemble parfaits
- Into 4 dessert dishes, layer pudding, almond crumble, 2 slices of banana, more pudding and top with sugar free whipped cream.
- Serve right away if you want to keep the almond crumble a bit crunchy. Or it will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
* Granulated sugar substitute can be used instead of the confectioners sugar for the pudding. You could also use Monkfruit instead of Swerve. Just give it a little taste test to see if you need to add a bit more to the pudding.
*Instead of xanthan gum, you could use two tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder. These ingredients will increase the carb count and calories.
** Make sure you stir the pudding well as it is cooking on the stovetop. It can easily burn on the bottom if you don't stir enough. Do not let it get to a full boil.
*** Add the hot heavy cream gradually into the egg yolk. This is called tempering, and it prevents the eggs from being cooked. If you do accidentally get some cooked egg yolk in your egg/cream mixture, you can just strain it out and continue with the recipe.
****The parfaits only use 2 thin slices of banana. If you want to leave them out to save a few carbohydrates, the pudding will still be absolutely delicious without them!
Pam says
Can the recipe be made in an 8x8 pan rather than parfaits?
Deb Belsha says
Sorry, just saw this comment. Yes you could layer everything in a pan. I'm just not sure how filled the pan would get.
Colby Siemering says
Outstanding!!! I made this recipe for my husband and it’s absolutely incredible!!! A must try!!!
Deb Belsha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the lovely comment.
Meg says
Could I substitute the swerve for monk fruit?
Deb Belsha says
Yes, they are 1:1 substitutions. I actually prefer to use a combination of sugar subs in my recipes. I probably only had Swerve in the house. I will add the Monkfruit sub in my post. Thanks
Jeannie says
This was easier than I thought. Delish!
Deb Belsha says
So glad you liked it!
Katie says
Love the homemade puddings so much more than boxed!!