Jo Cooks is back with a slight twist on a Paula Dean hit. According to Jo Cooks herself, it is comparable to a dessert called Sex in a Pan, so well, there ya’ go. If you’re used to those little chocolate puddings in a plastic cup, this banana pudding is something to behold. According to Jo Cooks, the hardest part about making this pudding is waiting for the pudding to set before digging in; I’d imagine the only other real challenge would be not overeating!

Preparing this impressive dessert is a matter of cookies, bananas, pudding mix, and more cookies—plus a couple of spare hours for the pudding to set in the fridge. Line the bottom of a 9 x 14 x 2-inch dish with lady fingers or, if you want to follow the original, with Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies. A thicker cookie on top will stay crisper than the Chessmans. Now add a layer of sliced bananas before the pudding mixture itself.

To make the creamy goodness, combine the suggested amounts of milk and instant pudding mix with an electric mixer. In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese and condensed milk until it is smooth. Blend it well with the already-mixed contents of the other bowl. You’re almost there! Pour the mixed pudding over the bananas (in case you forgot, they’re on the cookies, which are in the dish), and top with another layer of cookies. Remember to let it set in the fridge for a couple hours or so, and voila! Enjoy.

1. Line the bottom of a 8x8x2-inch baking dish with lady chessmen cookies. You should be able to get 5 across by 4 down, so 20 cookies per layer.
2. In a bowl, combine the milk, pudding mix and blend using a handheld electric mixer until smooth. Set aside and let it set.
3. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.
4. Pour half the mixture over the first layer of the cookies then top with the sliced bananas. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture and spread evenly over the bananas. Finally top with another layer of chessman cookies.