This banana cream pie is easy as, well, pie. Can I share a secret with you guys? Just because something is labor-intensive or 100% homemade doesn’t mean it’s the best. Making great food doesn’t have to be hard, and sometimes shortcuts are delicious. This easy banana cream pie is a prime example of exactly that. It utilizes Jell-o pudding and a pre-made graham cracker crust and I guarantee you’ll find it disappears very quickly once served!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – NOT cook and serve. If you want to play around with flavors, that’s totally fine–I always use vanilla because I hate artificial banana flavor and the vanilla pudding will take on the banana flavors from the bananas, but you can get wild and crazy and use butterscotch, cheesecake, chocolate–wherever your pretty little brain takes you.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Graham cracker or cookie pie crusts – Grab a couple- this recipe makes enough for two pies. You can always make your own Graham Cracker Pie Crust if you’d like as well!
- Bananas – Try to use bananas that are nice and yellow so they are sweet, but not yet browning, so they hold up in your pie and don’t get too soft.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
How to Make an Easy Banana Cream Pie
- First, mix up some pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk. Set in the fridge to chill.
- In another bowl, whip some heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Line your pie crusts with sliced bananas.
- Retrieve your pudding mix from the fridge and fold in the whipped cream. Divide the pudding mixture between the two pies.
- Whip up some sweetened whipped cream and spread it on top of the two pies. Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and allow to chill for several hours. This is actually really important–I tried eating it right away once and the pie wasn’t banana-y at all and the moisture hadn’t absorbed into the crust, so the crust just fell apart.
And there you have it–the best AND the easiest banana cream pie you’ll ever have or need!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftover pie, tightly covered, in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Because the bananas can start to break down, this pie is definitely at it’s best the same day it’s made!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make banana cream pie ahead of time?
If you’d like to make your pie ahead of time, I recommend omitting the bananas during the assembly process, since they will brown and soften while they sit. Prepare the pudding filling as directed and fill the pie crust, then refrigerate. Immediately before serving, prepare your sweetened whipped cream. Top your pie with the whipped cream and freshly sliced bananas and serve.
Can I use a traditional baked pie crust for this recipe?
If you prefer a traditional pie crust you can absolutely use that in this recipe. You will just need to pre-bake the crust.
Banana Cream Pie
This is the best AND the easiest banana cream pie you’ll ever make.
Servings servings (2 pies)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3.4- ounce package instant vanilla pudding do not use "cook and serve"
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 8-serving graham cracker or cookie crusts
- bananas 4-5 small bananas, or 2-3 large ones
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes.
- In another bowl, whip 1 cup of whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Slice the bananas (probably 4-5 small bananas or 2-3 large bananas) and layer them on the bottom of the crusts. Set aside. Be sure and save the plastic domes that come with the pie crusts–you'll need them later!
- Remove pudding from the fridge and gently dollop the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well-combined.
- Now divide the mixture between the two pies. Rinse the pudding bowl and beaters and set aside for later.
- Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and allow to chill for several hours. This step is very important, as without it the crust will fall apart, and it will lack flavor.
- If possible, immediately before serving, combine the remaining heavy cream and ⅓ cup powdered sugar in the bowl you mixed the pudding in and beat with an electric mixer on high until soft peaks form. Spread over the pies. (If you can't do this immediately before serving, it's okay to do the whipped cream step after you put the pudding mixture in the shells.)
Notes
- Store leftover pie, tightly covered, in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Because the bananas can start to break down, this pie is definitely at it’s best the same day it’s made!
- If you’d like to make your pie ahead of time, I recommend omitting the bananas during the assembly process, since they will brown and soften while they sit. Prepare the pudding filling as directed and fill the pie crust, then refrigerate. Immediately before serving, prepare your sweetened whipped cream. Top your pie with the whipped cream and freshly sliced bananas and serve.
- Chunky Monkey Variation: Blend 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter into the pudding/water/sweetened condensed milk mixture (before you fold in the whipped cream). Continue as directed but place in a chocolate cookie crust. Sprinkle with honey roasted peanuts just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 58mg, Potassium: 30mg, Fiber: 0.05g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 435IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 0.04mg
Calories: 140kcal
Cost: $5
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
Questions & Reviews
Made this yesterday and everyone loved it! I gave one pie to my parents and the other to a neighbor. My dad loved it so much, he was mad that I didn’t give him both pies lol
It was delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the great recipe!
I like to use golden Oreos to make the crust.
Your blue batter bowl is beautiful! Where did you get it?
Isn’t it fab? I love it so much! Here’s a link! 🙂 https://amzn.to/2JpATT4
It looks so good! Looks like a great pie for upcoming hot days, thank you for sharing!
I haven’t made banana cream pie in ages! Totally making this over spring break with the kids this week!
I make banana cream pie using the instant pudding (same size) and 1/3 cup milk and the rest sour cream. Bananas on the bottom also. It is delicious too!! A favorite in our family. I have never used sweetened condensed milk. Seems like it will be really rich with that and whip cream, but delicious sounding. I will have to try it.
We make super easy individual banana cream pies by crushing a graham cracker in the bottom of a bowl, slicing banana on it, then a single serving of vànilla pudding cup, finish with a squirt of whipped cream.
I made this pie yesterday for Easter. Thank you for a yummy and easy recipe! I loved the cream filling and the banana taste was great. I think I’ll try it with a fresh graham cracker crust next time. I also found that there were some hollow spots in the pie because the filling didn’t reach between the bananas. I may pipe the filling in next time. Or I’ll just forget about it next time and have hollow spots again… 🙂
Do you know if this pie can be frozen and then thawed?
I wouldn’t…I don’t think the bananas would survive. But I’ve never tried it. 🙂
FYI your link to “Sweetened Whipped Cream” is broken. It should link here – https://ourbestbites.com/2008/03/sweetened-whipped-cream/
Try it with Betty Croker chocolate chip cookie as the crust, prepare as directed, divide in half, press into pie dish, bake 375 for 17-20 min, or until edges are brown. Best freaking pie ever! Someone made it for us this way, but used coconut in with the pudding instead of bananas. Didn’t know I liked coconut cream pie until then!