Chocolate-Banana Pudding

Chocolate-Banana Pudding

Crumb crust:
1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers, crushed
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 3 ounce packages instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
5 - 7 bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch chunks


Topping:
1 8 ounce container frozen whipped topping,


1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine graham-cracker crumbs, coconut, pecans, and sugar. Add melted butter, stirring until well combined. Spread mixture on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes until coconut is golden brown, stirring regularly and watching to prevent burning. Set aside to cool.*

3. In another bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add condensed milk and beat until well combined. Stir in pudding mix and milk and beat until mixture is smooth.

4. Reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture. In a large glass serving bowl or in individual stemmed glasses, layer 1/3 of the pudding, 1/2 of the bananas, 1/2 of the crumb mixture, another 1/3 of the pudding, 1/2 of the crumb mixture, remaining bananas, and remaining pudding. Top with whipped topping and sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.

5. *Crumb mixture can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.