This no bake banana pudding pie is made with a quick and easy graham cracker crust and a creamy, velvety filling made with 2 kinds of instant pudding mix! It’s an easy dessert recipe that puts a shortcut twist on a classic banana pudding recipe that everyone will love!
If you love easy dessert recipes like this, you will love this strawberry poke cake or this amazing classic blueberry pie.
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Easy Banana Pie Recipe
As warmer weather approaches we start to think about all the refreshing, no-bake desserts we can make and enjoy throughout the spring and summer.
A delicious banana pudding pie is the perfect dessert for potlucks, BBQs, and any holiday gathering. Everyone loves the flavor of banana and even if they don’t, who doesn’t love pudding?!
It’s a crowd pleaser and no one will ever know how easy it is to make with simple ingredients!
This recipe is a twist on the classic banana cream pie perfect for when you’re craving that creamy luscious filling but don’t have the time to make a custard from scratch.
It’s got loads of banana flavor and tastes just like an old fashioned banana cream pie, but it’s ready in a total of 25 minutes!
The hardest part is waiting for it to chill. Just one slice of banana pudding pie is worth it, believe me!
Ingredients/shopping list
The Pie Crust
- Graham crackers: Pulse the cookies yourself or buy a package of graham cracker crumbs.
- White sugar: Needed to sweeten the crust.
- Cinnamon: Adds a delicious warm flavor.
- Salt: For taste.
- Butter, melted: We use melted butter to turn the dry crumbs into a wet sand. It helps the crust bind together.
For the Filling
- Instant banana pudding: This is the powdered mix that requires a liquid to form the pudding. Not the ready made pudding cups!
- Instant Vanilla pudding: I like using a combination of vanilla and banana as I find using 2 packages of the banana is a bit too much.
- Half-and-half: This is what turns the pudding powder into the pudding, instantly! Half and half keeps it rich and creamy.
- Cool whip topping, thawed: Folding this whipped topping into the pudding gives it a lighter, fluffy texture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds even more flavor.
- Optional garnish: Store bought or homemade whipped cream, banana slices, and vanilla wafers.
Variations/ Substitutions
1: For a fun variation on the filling, you can fold in some sliced banana to the filling just before you pour it into the pie crust. Or add a layer of fresh banana slices on top of the crust.
2. You can also pulse some Nilla wafers in with the graham crackers for the crust.
3. Drizzle some caramel sauce on top just before serving for an extra bit of presentation.
4. Chocolate banana cream pie you say? Swap the vanilla pudding mix with the chocolate pudding mix for a chocolaty twist!
Prepare the Crust Ahead of Time
If you’re not using a pre-made crust, quickly combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and combine until the crumbs are wet.
Transfer crumbs to a prepared 9” pie pan and press to an even ¼” layer on the bottom and up the sides. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes and allow it to cool completely.
How to Make Banana Pudding Pie
This recipe will come together in a few steps, and once your crust is ready, it’s smooth sailing! Take it one step further and make it ahead the day before for a fuss-free dessert the next day!
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the banana pudding mix and vanilla pudding mix with half and half for 2 minutes. Use an electric hand mixer, or the whisk attachment if using the stand mixer.
Step 2: Gently fold in the cool whip topping and stir in vanilla extract until fully mixed in.
Step 3: Pour the filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until it’s firm and fully set.
Step 4: Decorate your banana pudding pie with some piped fresh whipped cream, sliced bananas, and Nilla wafers, if desired.
Tips
- I love a graham cracker crust, but if you have a ready made pie crust on hand, go ahead and use that. Save yourself some time!
- Squirt your sliced bananas with lemon juice to keep them from browning.
- With that being said, it’s a good idea to wait to decorate your pie, until just before serving.
- If you don’t have half and half, you can use either 2% or whole milk instead.
- Follow directions in recipe, not on the box of the instant pudding!
- Make sure he pie crust is completely cool before adding the filling so the residual heat doesn’t affect the texture of the finished pie.
FAQ’s
Keep any leftover pie covered with plastic wrap or foil and keep it refrigerated for up to 4 days.
You can replace the vanilla pudding with more banana flavor if preferred. Some people find it overwhelmingly banana, but if you like it that way, go for it.
You can either buy a box of graham cracker crumbs already done for you, or you can do it yourself using a different method.
Place the crackers in a zip-top bag. Release as much air from the bag as possible before sealing it. Crush the crackers with a rolling pin. Voila!
If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram!
Banana Pudding Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham crackers crumbled
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
For the Pie
- 1 box 3.4 ounces instant banana pudding
- 1 box 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 8 ounces cool whip topping thawed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional garnishes: Whipped Cream Bananas, and Nilla Wafers
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9” pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.1 ½ cups graham crackers, ¼ cup white sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Then, add in the melted butter and stir combined well and all crumbs are wet.6 tablespoons butter
- Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pie dish and press evenly into an ¼” thick layer on the bottom and up the sides of the dish.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
For the Pie
- In a large mixing bowl, add the banana pudding, vanilla pudding, and half-and-half and beat with an electric mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) for 2 minutes. (you can also use a hand whisk)1 box, 1 box, 2 cups half-and-half
- Then add in the cool whip topping and vanilla extract and gently stir until fully mixed in.8 ounces cool whip topping, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the filling onto the cooled crust.
- Place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or until firm and fully set.
- Garnish with fresh whipped cream, sliced banana and Nilla wafers if desired.Optional garnishes: Whipped Cream
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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Katherine
Can you use cooked pudding if you let it cool it first .
Sherri
I have never tried it. Let me know if you happen to try it!
Linda Mendez
Can we use store bought pie Graham cracker crust?
Sherri
You absolutely can! Enjoy!
Tami
Made before but with milk the half & half makes it better so creamy