This is the easiest banana cream pie recipe you’ll ever make! By using pudding mix, you can skip cooking the filling on the stovetop and still get that rich, creamy texture and banana flavor you love!
Banana cream pie is one of those classic pie recipes you’ll find at almost any diner or bakery, right alongside Lemon Meringue Pie, Classic French Silk Pie, and Apple Pie. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s sure to please, you really can’t do better than banana cream pie!
While the traditional recipe is made with a rich pastry cream filling and topped with whipped cream and sliced bananas, I have a shortcut that makes banana cream pie much easier.
Easy No-Bake Banana Cream Pie Recipe
Banana cream pie is creamy, dreamy, and pretty darn easy to make when you use some basic store-bought ingredients. Let’s face it, that classic pastry cream filling is good, but if you’ve ever tried to make it, you know it’s a ton of work.
If you’re looking for an extra-simple recipe, you can’t go wrong with using a boxed pudding mix. Just add milk, condensed milk, and some whipped topping, and you’ll have a delicious pie in no time. Plus, using a mix means you don’t have to worry about any complicated steps or buying a bunch of ingredients at the grocery store.
No eggs, no egg yolks, no vanilla extract, no butter, no cornstarch, and no baking homemade pie crust in the oven!
One of the things that makes banana cream pie so good is the contrast of textures. The smooth filling layer is offset by the crust, and the rich custard flavor is balanced by the sweet, fruity taste of banana. You’ll get all that in this easy banana cream pie, minus all the hard work!
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Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Graham cracker crust – Instead of making your own crust with graham cracker crumbs, just use store-bought! (Then you don’t even need a pie pan!)
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Whole milk – Whole milk will give you the creamiest filling, so I don’t recommend using one that’s lower in fat.
- Instant banana pudding – Be sure to buy instant pudding mixes, not the kind that needs to be cooked!
- Cool Whip – You could use homemade whipped cream› made with heavy whipping cream, but the pie won’t last as long in the fridge.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
- Make the filling – Combine the condensed milk, whole milk, and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well (or beat on low with an electric mixer), then stir in 1 ½ cups of Cool Whip whipped topping.
- Assemble – Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and smooth it with a spatula.
- Chill – Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill it for at least 2 hours.
- Serve – Top the pie with the remaining Cool Whip before serving, and garnish with sliced bananas, if desired. (Toasted coconut is delicious as a garnish, too!)
How to Store Banana Cream Pie
Banana cream pie needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Wrap it loosely and store for 3 to 4 days; because this recipe isn’t made with fresh bananas, it will last a bit longer than a typical banana cream pie.
If you are not planning on serving the pie right away, you can store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just be sure to wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to enjoy the pie, simply thaw it overnight in the fridge.
FAQ
One challenge that home cooks often face is keeping the bananas in banana cream pie from turning brown before the pie is served. One way to prevent browning is to toss the sliced bananas with lemon juice. The acidity in the lemon juice will help to slow down the browning process.
This banana cream pie recipe gets its flavor from banana pudding, not fresh bananas, which means it’s perfect when you need your pie to last a few days! If you want fresh banana, you can add it just before serving as a garnish.
There are a few reasons why your banana cream pie might be runny. The most likely culprit is that the filling hasn’t set long enough, which can cause it to be thin and runny. Another possibility is that you’ve either added too much milk, or that you used something other than whole milk. Skim milk, for example, will result in a thinner, runnier filling.
No, cream pies can’t be stored at room temperature—they need to be refrigerated. This banana cream pie recipe would spoil quickly without being in the refrigerator!
Because the banana flavor in this recipe comes from the banana pudding mix, if you used vanilla pudding instead, the pie wouldn’t taste like bananas at all! If you do want to use vanilla pudding, you’ll need to add bananas to the pie.
More Banana Recipes to Try
- Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Layered Banana Pudding
- Sour Cream Banana Bread
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9” graham cracker pie crust
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 3.4 oz boxes of instant banana pudding
- 2 cups Cool Whip
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the condensed milk, whole milk, and pudding mix. Whisk to combine. Fold in 1 ½ cups of Cool Whip.
- Pour mixture into the prepared pie crust and smooth with a spatula.
- Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Top with remaining Cool Whip before serving.
