Banana Pudding Pie

There are a lot of banana pudding pie recipes out there, and most of them have the same problem: the filling is too soft to slice cleanly.

This version fixes that with a small amount of cream cheese worked into the pudding layer. It’s not enough to taste like cheesecake, just enough to give the filling structure so it holds its shape when you cut into it. It tastes like the banana pudding you grew up with, a buttery Nilla wafer crust, fresh bananas, and a creamy vanilla filling.

A Banana Pudding Pie with a graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream, banana slices, and crumbled cookies. A slice has been removed, revealing creamy filling and bananas inside. Bananas and cookies sit in the background.

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients that give this pie its structure, from the pudding that sets to the cream cheese that holds it together.

Bananas: Deep yellow with no green and no brown spots. They should be firm enough to hold a clean slice. If it mashes easily with your finger, it’s too far gone.

Cream cheese: Block style only, fully softened or you’ll get lumps. Whipped or spreadable has too much water content. If you use them, the filling will stay soft no matter how long you chill it.

Instant vanilla pudding mix: Use vanilla, not banana cream. Vanilla lets the fresh banana flavor come through instead of turning artificial.

Cool Whip, thawed: One 8-ounce container is used in total. Measure out ¾ cup to add to the filling, NOT ¾ of the container. The rest goes on top.

For the full ingredients list, with amounts, as well as instructions, go to the recipe card.

Don’t Miss This Step

Every time someone tells me their no-bake pie didn’t set, it comes back to the same thing: the Cool Whip was overmixed instead of gently folded in.

Once you start stirring it too aggressively, it breaks down and loses the structure it’s supposed to add. That’s what leaves the filling soft or even slightly liquid (“like soup”), no matter how long you chill it.

A glass bowl filled with creamy, whipped Banana Pudding Pie batter sits on a marble countertop, with a spatula resting inside the bowl. — Stop once it’s just combined and smooth. Overmixing past this point will break it down and affect how the filling sets.

I fold it in gently, just until it’s combined and no streaks remain. That’s what keeps the filling light but still firm enough to slice cleanly after chilling.

A Banana Pudding Pie with a graham cracker crust, layered with sliced bananas and topped with a large mound of creamy, pale yellow filling, sits on a marble surface. — The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape as you spread it into the crust, not pour in like a liquid.

Recipe Testing Notes – Last Updated April 2026

This post was originally published in March 2020. In April 2026, Angela, an independent recipe tester, put this recipe through four rounds of testing.

Her focus was three things: switching to a Nilla wafer crust, adding cream cheese for body, and adjusting the pudding ratio so it is able to set like a pie.

She tested a softer filling that wouldn’t hold and a firmer one that tasted too much like cheesecake. This version sits right in the middle. It’s creamy, it slices cleanly, and it still has the classic banana pudding flavor.

A close-up of a Banana Pudding Pie slice on a pie server, showing layers of crust, banana, creamy filling, and whipped topping, garnished with banana slices and crumbled cookies. Whole bananas and pie appear in the background.

If you’d rather skip the homemade crust entirely, our Chessmen banana pudding uses a no-press shortbread cookie version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use homemade pudding in this recipe?

The instant pudding is part of what gives this filling its specific structure. I don’t recommend swapping it out for this recipe.

Can I use a store-bought pie crust?

Yes, a store-bought graham cracker crust works as a swap, but it will taste different. The Nilla wafer crust is part of what makes this taste like banana pudding from the bottom up.

If you’d rather skip the homemade crust entirely, you could also try my Chessmen banana pudding. It uses a no-press shortbread cookie version.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, but make two separate pies rather than one deep dish. Doubling it in one dish affects how the filling sets and makes it harder to slice cleanly.

Banana Pudding Pie

5 from 5 votes

A no-bake banana pudding pie with a press-in Nilla wafer crust and a cream cheese pudding filling that sets firm enough to slice cleanly. Requires a minimum 6-hour chill, overnight preferred.

Prep Time 15

Total Time 6 15

Servings

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Ingredients

Crust:

50 Nabisco Nilla Wafers used, yields approximately 1¾ cups finely ground crumbs
¼ cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, cooled slightly

Banana Pudding Layer

2 medium-sized ripe bananas peeled and cut into ⅛–¼ inch thick rounds
4 ounces cream cheese block style, 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 (measure ¾ cup for the pudding mixture — this is not ¾ of the container. The remaining Cool Whip tops the pie. The full container is used.)

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 but overnight is best.
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.

Notes

No food processor? Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir in the butter by hand.
Cover the pie with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface before refrigerating, not tented over the pie. This helps prevent condensation, which can make the Cool Whip watery.
For best texture, serve within 24 hours of assembling.
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.