Dolly Parton's Banana Pudding Recipe Has One Finishing Touch That Makes It Unforgettable

The star had her own food line, multiple restaurants, cookbooks she authored, and many beloved recipes she became noted for. Among them, the humanitarian favored a tasty banana pudding topped with a classic Southern finishing touch: meringue.

Like her all-time favorite food (potatoes in any form), Dolly's banana pudding recipe is super relatable, featuring ordinary pantry staples like not just one but two whole boxes of vanilla wafers. Layer up these familiar snacking cookies in a baking dish with six large bananas, sliced, as the dessert's foundation. Add some made-from-scratch vanilla pudding (or double-down on the fruit flavor and use a silky smooth banana pudding), and then the crowning glory is the meringue.

The whole confection is placed in a 350-degree-Fahrenheit oven until the meringue is browned and golden. Dolly's meringue features just four simple ingredients: egg whites, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla extract, which are beaten together until stiff. Pro tip for executing the fluffiest meringue: Use room temperature egg whites.

Banana pudding has become a bona fide Southern staple though its origins are a bit obscure. The star's version is among dessert offerings served at Aunt Granny's Restaurant in Parton's Dollywood theme park – "Aunt Granny" was the nickname given to Dolly by her nieces and nephews. Hailed as one of the best theme park restaurants in the United States, Aunt Granny's is an all-you-can-eat establishment (with a more technically correct description of "all you care to eat" noted on the restaurant's sign).

The unlimited food portions are served family-style, so if you opt for the banana pudding as your dessert, you're assured of getting your fill of the sweet, layered treat.

A faster approach to Dolly Parton's banana pudding

If you want to whip up a simpler version of Dolly Parton's banana pudding, shortcut components can get it on the table faster than the 40-ish minutes the recipe prescribes.

We don't think the down-to-earth Dolly would've disapproved. Despite her storied career and glamorous exterior, the star was considered one of the humblest and most approachable celebrities in stardom.

We don't believe the star would've been offended if a fan needed to employ some shortcuts in making her famous treat. The vanilla wafers and bananas are already quick-prep items.

For the pudding layer, you can use instant pudding (like Jell-O, which is available online), which is much faster to prepare. If you're really pressed for time, ready-to-eat pudding cups could be emptied over the cookie and banana layer. If you want to skip the 10 to 12 minutes of oven time, you can brown the meringue using a kitchen torch or by placing it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes (keeping a close watch, so you don't burn it).

Note that you should use a different type of meringue if you take this route, as Dolly's contains raw egg whites, and quick-browning won't cook them to a safe level. The preparation for Italian meringue, on the other hand, cooks the whites, eliminating potentially harmful bacteria.

You could also top with a store-bought whipped cream, which many Southern banana pudding recipes feature rather than meringue. This would make it very unlike Dolly's version, though.