January 10, 2024
Review RecipeBanana Pudding Pie
Table of Contents
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
Banana pudding pie is a heavenly dessert that satisfies every sweet tooth craving.
The moment you take a bite, you’ll experience a burst of flavor that tastes like a blend of creamy bananas and vanilla wafers.
The filling of the pie is a perfect balance of sweetness and richness, and the crumbly crust adds a crunchy texture that complements the softness of the pudding.
You’ll need:
- 1 (9-inch) pie crust dough (unbaked)
- 1 large box of instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1½ cups of milk
- ½ cup of half-and-half cream
- 2-3 large bananas
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Nilla vanilla wafer cookies
PRO TIP:
You could opt to use Cool Whip whipped topping instead of making your own whipped cream for this recipe. If you do, you would leave out the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla from the ingredients list.
Substitutions And Additions
CRUST: If you like a little more crunch in this classic dessert, you can opt for a Nilla wafer crust or a graham cracker crust.
PIE CRUST: You can use a store-bought pie crust or make your own.
BANANA EXTRACT: Swap out the one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the banana extract to give your pie an even more fruity banana flavor.
VANILLA WAFERS: If you don’t have vanilla wafers on hand, consider using graham crackers, shortbread cookies, or even digestive biscuits as a substitute.
Each of these alternatives will bring a unique flavor and texture to your banana pudding pie.
INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING MIX: Instead of instant vanilla pudding mix, you can use homemade vanilla pudding.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: For a chocolatey twist, sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the banana layer before adding the whipped topping.
How To Make This Banana Pudding Pie Recipe
Before making the filling, you’ll want to roll out and bake the pie crust. Once that is ready, line the crust with banana slices and pudding before topping it with the whipped cream and cookie garnish. Dig in and enjoy!
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 450°F. While the pie dough is still chilled, roll it out and place it into a 9-inch baking dish. Crimp the edges of the pie crust.
STEP TWO: Gently place a piece of foil down into the pie crust and fill it with dried beans or pie weights.
Let the crust sit for several minutes on the counter so that it comes to room temperature.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Pie weights help keep the pastry from puffing up or losing its shape in the oven. If you don’t have pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice work just as well.
STEP THREE: Once the oven has preheated, bake the pie crust for ten minutes.
Briefly remove it from the oven, take out the foil and beans or pie weights, and then place it back into the oven for two to three more minutes.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely before proceeding.
STEP FOUR: To make the pudding filling, whisk together the instant pudding mix, milk, and half and half. Place in the refrigerator and chill until ready to use.
STEP FIVE: Once the pie crust has cooled completely, place one to two layers of sliced bananas on top of the crust.
STEP SIX: Spread the chilled pudding filling over the top of the bananas.
STEP SEVEN: To make the whipped cream, pour the whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on low until the powdered sugar is mixed in, then turn to high and whip for one minute or until stiff peaks form.
STEP EIGHT: Place the whipped cream in a piping bag and pipe around the edges of the pie.
Alternate the top of the whipped cream with Nilla wafers and banana slices.
PRO TIP:
If you’re serving right away, you can fully assemble the pie at once. However, if you’re making it ahead of time, I would suggest waiting to add the whipped cream, bananas, and wafers until you’re going to serve your guests so nothing gets soggy or discolored.
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.
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.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you prefer to use homemade vanilla pudding for this recipe, it would taste just as delicious as the store-bought pudding.
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.
If you want to save some time making this pie, you can use a store-bought pie crust instead of homemade.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Lemon Lush
- Butter Pecan Crunch
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna
- Banana Pudding
- Chessman Banana Pudding
- Chocolate Pudding Pie
- camping banana boats
- Heaven on Earth Cake
Banana Pudding Pie
Ingredients
- 1 (9-inch) pie crust dough, unbaked
- 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup half and half cream
- 2 to 3 large bananas
- 1 cup whipped heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Nilla Wafers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- While the pie dough is still chilled, roll it out and place it into a 9-inch baking dish. Crimp the edges of the pie crust.
- Gently place a piece of foil down into the pie crust and fill it with dried beans or pie weights.
- Let the crust sit for several minutes on the counter so that it comes to room temperature.
- Once the oven has preheated, bake the pie crust for 10 minutes. Briefly remove it from the oven, take out the foil and beans or pie weights and then place it back into the oven for 2 to 3 more minutes.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven and let it cool completely before proceeding.
- To make the pudding filling, whisk together the pudding mix, milk, and half and half. Place it in the refrigerator and chill until ready to use.
- Once the pie crust has cooled completely, place 1 to 2 layers of sliced bananas on the bottom of the pie crust.
- Spread the chilled pudding filling over the top of the bananas.
- To make the whipped cream, pour the whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on low until the powdered sugar is mixed in, then turn to high and whip for 1 minute or until stiff peaks form.
- Place the whipped cream in a piping bag and pipe around the edges of the pie. Alternate the top of the whipped cream with Nilla Wafers and banana slices.
Video
Notes
- You could opt to use Cool Whip whipped topping instead of making your own whipped cream for this recipe. If you do, you would leave out the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla from the ingredient list.
- Pie weights help keep the pastry from puffing up or losing its shape in the oven. If you don’t have pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice, work just as well.
- If you’re serving right away, you can fully assemble the pie at once. However, if you’re making it ahead of time, I would suggest waiting to add the whipped cream, bananas, and wafers until you’re going to serve your guests, so nothing gets soggy or discolored.
Comments
Toni Thomason says
Banana pudding is probably my favorite dessert of all time and this pie exceeds those expectations. So mouth-wateringly delicious!! Can’t get enough.
Mark says
Very quick & easy recipe
Gloria says
So delicious!
Sewqueen says
This was so good and easy to make, thank you!
Frannie in The True North says
Can’t wait to try this! Ingredients state ‘1 large box’ pudding. Here in Canada, the instant pudding comes in a box holding 102 grams (4 servings). Should I use 1 or 2 boxes? Thanks very much…
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Frannie – the box of pudding mix we used was 153 grams! Enjoy!!