Banana Pudding Pie

This homemade banana pudding pie is packed with delicious banana flavor. First, you make a flaky pie crust and then top it with creamy pudding, fluffy whipped cream, and fresh banana slices before adding vanilla wafers for a cookie crunch.

Banana Pudding Pie Ingredients

For the Crust

50 vanilla wafer cookies (Nabisco brand Nilla Wafers used, yields approximately 1¾ cups finely ground crumbs)
¼ cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

For the Banana Pudding Layer

2 medium-sized ripe bananas, peeled and cut into ⅛-¼ inch thick rounds
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5.1-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
1½ cups whole milk, very cold
8-ounce container Cool Whip, thawed, divided (¾ cup in the pudding mixture and the remaining to top the pie)

Optional Garnish

Fresh banana slices
Crushed vanilla wafers

How To Make This Banana Pudding Pie Recipe

For The Crust

Lightly spray a 9-inch pie dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
To the bowl of a food processor add the vanilla wafer cookies and granulated sugar. Pulse for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until fine crumbs form.
Remove the cap to the pour spout, with the food processor running, slowly pour the melted butter into the cookie crumbs. Process just until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crust mixture into the prepared pie dish, firmly pressing onto the bottom and up the sides in an even layer.
Place the crust into the freezer for 30 minutes to set before adding the banana pudding layer.

For the Banana Pudding Layer

Add the thinly sliced banana rounds to the bottom of the chilled pie crust. The bananas should be slightly overlapping but still in a single layer. This will help keep the layers level and will make slicing easier.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream together the cream cheese and granulated sugar until completely smooth. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and whole milk for 2-3 minutes or until soft set. Let stand 4-5 minutes until thickened but still spreadable.
Once the pudding has thickened, transfer to the bowl with the cream cheese mixture and mix on low speed just until fully combined and no lumps of cream cheese remain.
Fold in ¾ cup of the thawed whipped topping until no white streaks remain.
Transfer the pudding mixture to the pie dish and gently spread into an even layer, being careful not to disturb the banana layer too much.
Top the pudding layer with the remaining whipped topping, being sure to cover the entire pudding layer.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, add a garnish of crushed vanilla wafers and thinly sliced bananas if desired. Do not add banana slices until ready to serve as they will brown as they sit exposed to air.

How To Serve This Easy Banana Pudding Pie

Make sure to serve your pie cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

This fluffy and creamy banana pie would be a delightful dessert to serve for company or at a summer potluck.

Add a refreshing, cold glass of iced tea or a warm mug of homemade hot chocolate to drink, depending on the time of year.

If you love banana flavor, then you’re missing out if you haven’t tried these similar fan favorites: banana pudding cake and banana bread pudding.

Storing Banana Pudding Pie With Instant Pudding

It’s a great idea to have one of these easy pies in the freezer for when company drops by. Thaw it on the counter and enjoy!

Here’s how to keep your pie fresh and delightful:

MAKE AHEAD: Simply prepare the pie as directed in the recipe, but hold off on adding the whipped topping until you’re ready to serve.

Once you’ve assembled the pie with the filling and sliced bananas, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent any air from reaching the bananas.

Store the prepared pie in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Just before serving, add the whipped topping and any desired garnishes for that fresh, final touch.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store this banana pie in the fridge covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap for three to four days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze instant banana pudding pie for up to a month.

If you plan to freeze your pie, leave off the toppings (whipped cream, bananas, and Nilla Wafers) until you’re ready to serve it.

This will keep the topping fresh and prevent the cookies from getting soggy.

Why We Love This Recipe

CREAMY BANANA BLISS: This pie is a delightful fusion of two beloved desserts—banana pudding and pie. The creamy, velvety banana pudding filling is perfectly complemented by the flaky pie crust.

QUICK AND EASY: This recipe offers all the deliciousness of a homemade dessert with minimal effort. With easy-to-follow steps and readily available ingredients, you can whip up a delightful banana pudding pie in no time, making it perfect for busy schedules.

MAKE AHEAD CONVENIENCE: This banana pudding pie can be made ahead of time, allowing you to plan your dessert for special events or holidays without last-minute stress.

close up shot of a slice of banana pudding pie topped with whipped cream and vanilla wafers on a plate

If you love banana pudding, this banana pudding pie version is sure to be a new favorite. It’s a classic banana pudding in a flaky crust and topped with fresh bananas, whipped cream, and sweet Nilla wafers.

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Banana Pudding Pie

5 from 5 votes

Cool, creamy, and delicious this classic sweet banana pudding pie dessert will be a favorite!

Prep Time 15

Total Time 6 15

Servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Ingredients

Crust

50 vanilla wafer cookies, yields approximately 1 ¾ cups finely ground crumbs (Nabisco brand Nilla Wafers used)
¼ cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Banana Pudding Layer

2 medium-sized ripe bananas, peeled and cut into ⅛ to ¼ inch thick rounds
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5.1 ounces box instant vanilla pudding mix
1½ cups whole milk, very cold
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed and divided (¾ cup in the pudding mixture and the remaining to top the pie)

Optional Garnish

Fresh banana slices
Crushed vanilla wafers

Instructions

Crust

Lightly spray a 9-inch pie dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
To the bowl of a food processor add the vanilla wafer cookies and granulated sugar. Pulse for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until fine crumbs form.
Remove the cap to the pour spout, with the food processor running, slowly pour the melted butter into the cookie crumbs. Process just until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crust mixture into the prepared pie dish, firmly pressing onto the bottom and up the sides in an even layer.
Place the crust into the freezer for 30 minutes to set before adding the banana pudding layer.

Banana Pudding Layer

Add the thinly sliced banana rounds to the bottom of the chilled pie crust. The bananas should be slightly overlapping but still in a single layer. This will help keep the layers level and will make slicing easier.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream together the cream cheese and granulated sugar until completely smooth. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and whole milk for 2-3 minutes or until soft set. Let stand 4-5 minutes until thickened but still spreadable.
Once the pudding has thickened, transfer to the bowl with the cream cheese mixture and mix on low speed just until fully combined and no lumps of cream cheese remain.
Fold in ¾ cup of the thawed whipped topping until no white streaks remain.
Transfer the pudding mixture to the pie dish and gently spread into an even layer, being careful not to disturb the banana layer too much.
Top the pudding layer with the remaining whipped topping, being sure to cover the entire pudding layer.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, add a garnish of crushed vanilla wafers and thinly sliced bananas if desired. Do not add banana slices until ready to serve as they will brown as they sit exposed to air.

Video

Notes

For this recipe, I suggest using bananas that are fully ripe and firm but haven’t started browning. They should be a deep yellow color with no more green to the peel.
Be sure to use block-style cream cheese for the best results for your pudding pie filling.
This is not enough cream cheese to give the pie filling a cheesecake flavor. It does, however, give the pudding pie filling more structure when chilled for nice thick slices.
You can use a store-bought 9-inch graham cracker crust in place of the homemade vanilla wafer crust if desired for an even easier to prepare banana pudding pie.
An overnight chill will yield a slightly firmer pudding layer making slicing and serving the pie easier.
For cleaner slices, dip a sharp knife into hot water then wipe dry between each slice.

Nutrition

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use homemade pudding in this recipe?

If you prefer to use homemade vanilla pudding for this recipe, it would taste just as delicious as the store-bought pudding.

Can I freeze this pie?

This simple recipe can be frozen for up to a month. We’d recommend waiting to add the whipped topping and banana and cookie garnish until you are ready to thaw and serve.

Can I use a store-bought pie crust?

If you want to save some time making this pie, you can use a store-bought pie crust instead of homemade.

Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Banana Pudding Pie