Vegan Banana Cream Pie

4.50 from 4 votes

Vegan Banana Cream Pie features layers of a crunchy crust, fresh sliced bananas and extra creamy vanilla pudding. Top with a layer of fluffy coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Prep Time35

Cook Time10

Chill time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: banana, cream pie, dairy free, gluten free, vegan dessert

Servings: slices

Author: Molly Thompson

Equipment

9 inch springform pan or deep dish pie dish

Ingredients

Cookie pie crust

30-40 (about 2 bags/boxes) vegan crunchy cookies like Siete Mexican shortbread or Simple Mills Honey Sweet Thins cookies (Note 1 non-gluten-free)
1/4 cup vegan butter or melted coconut oil (we used Myokos)

Vegan vanilla pudding

1 ½ cups full-fat canned coconut cream (Note 2)
1 ¼ cups unsweetened plant-based milk like almond milk
½ cup cornstarch
⅓ cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Pinch turmeric for color (optional)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 bananas sliced

Coconut Whipped Topping (sub store bought)

2 cups coconut cream chilled
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Dark chocolate bar for shaving

Standard - Metric

Instructions

Cookie Crust

Grease a 9-inch springform pan or a deep dish pie pan with non-stick spray then preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender and pulse a few times to create a crumb. Pour in the melted butter or coconut oil and pulse again a few times until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Press the crust into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan. I recommend using a small measuring cup to press firmly down on the bottom and into the sides.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes then remove it to a wire rack to cool.

Vegan Vanilla Pudding

While the crust is baking and cooling, make the vanilla pudding. Add all of the ingredients to a medium saucepan without heating. Whisk them together until the clumps are gone and the cornstarch is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture for 5-7 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the pudding thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should leave small ribbons of custard on the surface when you lift the whisk out of the saucepan.
Remove the saucepan from the stove and cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Layer and Chill

Arrange banana slices in an even layer over the cookie crust so they’re touching, then pour the slightly cooled pudding on top and spread it out into an even layer.
Cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the pudding and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until cold. This prevents any sort of film to form on the custard. You could also freeze it for an hour or so if you’re in a rush.

Coconut whipped topping (optional if using store bought)

Add the chilled coconut cream to a medium glass bowl with a hand mixer or the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat the cream on medium high speed until slightly fluffy and smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar or maple syrup and vanilla and beat again until combined.

Serve

Remove the chilled vegan banana cream pie from the fridge or freezer and spread the coconut whipped cream on top. Use a hand peeler to shave the chocolate bar over the coconut whipped cream.
Serve right away or cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days until you’re ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Note 1. Non gluten-free crust. Use golden Oreos instead of crunchy cookies. You should only need 1 package, or about 20 cookies.

Note 2. Coconut Cream. This is the thick layer on top of full-fat coconut milk. You can purchase full-fat coconut milk and use the thick cream that separates on top. They also make cans of coconut cream now. We used Thai Kitchen for this recipe.

Make-ahead: prep the crust up to 5 days in advance and make the crust and pudding up to 3 days in advance. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap so that it's touching the surface. No one wants a weird film on the top of the pudding! Top with cream and serve when you're ready.

To freeze: cover the pudding with plastic wrap then wrap the entire vegan banana cream pie in foil and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge or at room temp then top with coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.

The vegan pudding is adapted from Rainbow Nourishments vegan custard.

Nutrition