Easy banana cream pie with graham cracker crust

I wanted to whip up a quick dessert and had a graham cracker pie crust on hand along with pudding mix, bananas, whipped topping and milk. This was the end result. Easy and yummy.

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★★★★★ 3

serves 6 - 8

prep time 3 Hr 10 Min

Ingredients For quick and easy banana cream pie

• 1

  (9-inch) graham cracker pie crust

• 2

  ripe bananas

• 1 3/4 c

  cold milk

• 1

  (3.5 ounce) package instant banana pudding mix

• 1/2 c

  frozen whipped topping, thawed

How To Make quick and easy banana cream pie

• 1

  Slice 1 1/2 of the bananas and arrange in bottom of pie shell.

• 2

  Pour cold milk into a medium bowl. Add pudding mix. With an electric mixer beat on lowest speed for 2 minutes. Gently fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped topping; mix until well blended. Pour into pie shell.

• 3

  Place in freezer and freeze at least 2 hours before serving. Allow to thaw slightly before cutting slices.

  * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

  ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

  (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

  Home » Dessert » Cakes & Pies » Fluffy Banana Cream Pie Recipe

  Fluffy Banana Cream Pie Recipe

  Jump to Recipe

  4.83

  stars 40 mins
  Cakes & Pies
  

  Banana Cream Pie Recipe: Piled high with fresh ripe bananas and creamy vanilla filling, then topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

  

  Holiday Dishes

  Let’s talk about glorious Banana Cream Pie… When I think of Easter brunch or any holiday brunch, I think of a table decorated with spring flowers and Easter eggs, lined with hearty salads, rolls, glazed ham, and desserts galore.

  Dishes that aren’t necessarily fancy, but are inviting and abundant. Dishes your grandmas might make.

  Most classic brunch buffet items are make-ahead. Grandma knew she’d be too busy Easter morning, going to church in her Easter bonnet and hiding eggs in the tall grass, to do a lot of cooking. So she planned several days in advance with pasta salads and casseroles.

  And she made desserts that could sit in the fridge for a few days and were all the better for it.

  Like a Banana Cream Pie Recipe, for instance.

  

  Banana Cream Pie

  Banana Cream Pie might be the easiest of all the cream pie varieties and it’s so amazing.

  Crumbly graham cracker crust loaded with fresh banana chunks, creamy filling, a mountain of whipped cream, and more bananas. And toasted coconut on top, just because.

  Give me all the potassium and banana flavor!

  

  Banana Cream Pie Recipe

  Today’s banana cream pie recipe is super fluffy. The light-as-a-cloud filling is a blend of cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla pudding, then folded with fresh whipped cream.

  The fluffy texture holds the pie components together, slices exceptionally well, and provides a nice contrast to the dense banana chunks and crust.

  Plus it’s sweetened with rich silky-sweetened condensed milk, so you know it’s got to be good!

  

  What Ingredients You Will Need

  For the Graham Cracker Crust:

  • Graham Crackers
  • Melted Butter
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Water

  For the Pie Filling:

  • Heavy Cream – (whipped firm)
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Instant Vanilla Pudding – (Vanilla-Bean flavor will work as well)
  • Cold Milk
  • Cream Cheese
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Ripe Fresh Bananas
  • Toasted Coconut
  

  How To Make Banana Cream Pie

  I made the graham cracker crust from scratch. Although you could always buy a pre-made crust, homemade graham crackers crusts are thicker and slightly more crumbly, giving the banana cream pie recipe even more nostalgic appeal.

  For the Crust

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the graham crackers in the food processor. Pulse until the crackers are chopped into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon, pulse to combine. Pour in 1 teaspoon of water and pulse a couple more times. If the crumbs are moist and pinch together well, dump them into a pie pan. If not, repeat with another teaspoon of water and proceed.
  2. Press the graham cracker mixture firmly against the bottom and sides of the deep pie pan. Then bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

  For the Filling

  1. Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with sugar and teaspoons of vanilla extract. Scoop into a separate bowl and set aside.
  2. In another bowl, thoroughly whisk the instant pudding powder and milk together, until well combined.
  3. Using the mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Then with the mixer still running, add the sweetened condensed milk and pudding mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat until smooth. Using a spatula, fold in half the whipped cream.
  4. Spread a thin layer of the filling over the bottom and sides of the cooled pie crust. Cut 3-4 bananas into chunks. Press the chunks to the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Then scoop the remaining filling into the crust.
  5. Smooth the filling, top with the remaining whipped cream, cover gently with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours.

  When you are ready to serve the pie, decorate the top with more fresh-cut banana chunks and toasted coconut. Some even like to use vanilla wafers to top off their pies as well. 

  This classic banana cream pie recipe is my favorite dessert for Easter brunch or any other holiday event.

  You’ve got to try it!

  See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make Banana Cream Pie. Enjoy!

  

  Banana Cream Pie Q & A

  My Pie Filling is Runny, What Can I Do?

  Some readers have mentioned struggling with runny filling. This could happen for one of three reasons.

  1. Each step needs to be completed individually, then mixed together according to the instructions. Trying to dump and mix all the ingredients at once does not work.
  2. Make sure to use instant pudding, not the kind you have to cook.
  3. The whipped cream must be whipped very firm, before folding into the pie filling.
  4. Give it plenty of time to chill and set.

  Can I Use 1% or 2% Milk?

  It should be fine, but possibly a little bit looser. I might reduce the milk by 2-3 tablespoons to make sure the mixture is thick enough.

  

  Can I Make Banana Cream Pie Ahead of Time?

  You can definitely make the pie in its entirety ahead of time. Just make sure the whipped cream is firm. And don’t forget to top it all off with freshly sliced bananas once you’re ready to serve it. Prepping it with the bananas will cause them to become mushy before serving. Happy baking!

  How Long Will This Pie Last in the Fridge?

  When you are ready to store it, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

  Can I Freeze This Recipe?

  I probably wouldn’t freeze it, but you can make it 3-4 days in advance.

  What Size Pie Plate Should I Use?

  I used a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, to make room for plenty of filling.

  What Is The Difference When You Fold Vs Stir?

  When you fold, you are combining two ingredients of different densities. Folding is a more gentle version of stirring, that allows the two ingredients to combine without losing the air that was whipped into the lighter. Stirring is usually fast the furious while folding is a gentle motion mixing from the bottom of the bowl up over the top.

  

  What is the Difference Between Custard Pies and Cream Pies?

  To make a cream pie requires much less time than an egg yolk-based custard pie, because cooking the filling on the stovetop with a saucepan is quicker than waiting for the base to set.

  Can I Substitute the Graham Cracker Crust for Pastry?

  I think that a graham cracker crust works best for cream pies, but you can certainly use a traditional pie crust or puff pastry and pie weights to bake their crust before adding in the filling. (You can also use dried beans as pie weights.)

  

  More Recipes Of Cream Pies

  • Coconut Cream Pie
  • Fluffy Pumpkin Cream Pie
  • Lemon Cream Pie (Made with Fresh Lemon Juice)
  • Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie
  • Grapefruit Cream Pie
  • Cinnamon Cream Pie with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream

  Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, protein, fiber, sodium, and carbohydrates percentages.

  
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  Banana Cream Pie Recipe

  Prep Time: 30 minutes

  Cook Time: 10 minutes

  Total Time: 40 minutes

  Banana Cream Pie Recipe: piled high with fresh ripe bananas and creamy vanilla filling, then topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

  Servings: 8 slices

  Ingredients

  US Customary – Metric

  For the Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 14 graham crackers about 7 ounces
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1-2 teaspoons water

  For the Pie Filling:

  • 2 cups heavy cream whipped firm and divided
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 box instant vanilla pudding (3.4 ounces)
  • 1 cup cold milk
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 4-5 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup toasted coconut

  Instructions

  For the Crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the graham crackers in the food processor. Pulse until the crackers are chopped to fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon, pulse to combine. Add 1 teaspoon of water and pulse a couple more times. If the crumbs are moist and pinch together well, dump into a pie pan. If not, repeat with another teaspoon of water and proceed.

  • Press the graham cracker mixture firmly against the bottom and sides of the deep pie pan. Then bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

  For the Filling:

  • Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the 3 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla. Whip until the whipped cream is VERY firm. Scoop into a separate bowl and set aside. 

  • In another bowl, thoroughly whisk the instant pudding powder and 1 cup milk together, until well combined. 

  • Using the mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Then with the mixer still running, add the sweetened condensed milk and pudding mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat until smooth. Using a spatula, fold in half the whipped cream.

  • Spread a thin layer of the filling over the bottom and sides of the cooled pie crust. Cut 3-4 bananas into chunks. Press the chunks to the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Then scoop the remaining filling into the crust. 

  • Smooth the filling, top with the remaining whipped cream, cover gently with plastic wrap, and chill for at least three hours.

  • When you are ready to serve the pie, decorate the top with more fresh cut banana chunks and toasted coconut.

  Video

  Notes

  Some readers have mentioned struggling with runny filling. This could happen for one of three reasons.A) Each steps needs to be completed individually, then mixed together according to the instructions. Trying to dump and mix all the ingredients at once does not work.B) The whipped cream must be whipped very firm, before folding into the pie filling.C) Give it plenty of time to chill and set.

  Nutrition

  Serving: 1slice, Calories: 689kcal, Carbohydrates: 94.8g, Protein: 11.5g, Fat: 31.1g, Saturated Fat: 17.5g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 622mg, Potassium: 470mg, Fiber: 7.7g, Sugar: 59.2g, Calcium: 2080mg, Iron: 0.5mg

  Course: Dessert

  Cuisine: American

  Author: Sommer Collier

  Making this recipe? Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

  Does graham cracker crust need to be prebaked?

  This is a totally optional step. There's really no compelling need to prebake Graham cracker crust since the crackers are already baked. However, if your filling needs baking, then naturally the crust will need to go in the oven too. Many cream pies don't require baking at all, so why not make it easy on yourself?

  How do you keep bananas from turning brown in a banana cream pie?

  * Treat the bananas with citrus juice: Lemon, orange or pineapple juice will prevent browning. To avoid changing the flavor of the pie, you want to use as little as possible. Brush it lightly on the slices, or place the juice in a spray bottle and spritz them.

  What causes a banana cream pie to be runny?

  Why is my banana cream pie filling runny? It's either your filling has too much liquid or is undercooked. If it's too much liquid, just add more cornstarch and let it cook to thicken the mixture. Or add some whipped cream to the custard mixture and whisk until you get the desired consistency.

  How do you keep banana cream pie from getting watery?

  How do you keep the crust of a banana cream pie from getting soggy? Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven. This will prevent the filling from turning the crust soggy. Use less water.