Ultimate Vegan Banana Cream Pie Recipe (Gluten-Free)
This easy banana cream pie recipe captures the nostalgic flavor of a classic banana cream pie while being much simpler to prepare. It's egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan friendly! With a graham cracker crust, layers of fresh bananas and dark chocolate, a creamy vanilla custard filling, and a whipped cream topping (you can use regular whipped cream or coconut whipped cream), it's a show-stopping dessert for any occasion.
Servings: 1 9-inch Pie
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- Cooking spray or oil for pie pan
- 1 ½ cups (6oz/165g) graham cracker crumbs (gluten-free or regular), *see the Tips below
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons melted butter or dairy-free butter
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (heaping ⅓ cup chopped)
Vanilla Coconut Custard
- ⅓ cup (46g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (42g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
- 2 (13.5-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
- 2 ½ medium ripe yellow bananas (they should be fully yellow but not browned), cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Topping
- Regular Whipped Cream (get the recipe below) or Coconut Whipped Cream (get the recipe here)
- Chocolate shavings
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
Make the graham cracker crust
- Preheat the oven 350˚F (175˚C). Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray (or rub it with oil).
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, salt and melted butter. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined and damp. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan and spread them evenly over the bottom. Using the back of a spoon, press the crumbs firmly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly over the bottom of the crust. Return the pan to the oven for 1 minute (this will melt the chocolate).
- Remove the pan, then use the back of a spoon to gently but evenly spread the chocolate over the bottom of the crust. Let the crust cool—it’s okay if it’s slightly warm, but it should be mostly cooled before assembling the pie (you can pop it in the fridge for a few minutes to cool faster).
Make the vanilla coconut custard
- In a medium pot (off-heat) whisk together the powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt and turmeric. Add the coconut milk, and whisk until everything is dissolved (make sure to get into the corners where the dry mixture likes to stick). Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, then use the back of a small knife to scrape out the seeds. Scrape the seeds into the pot and plop in the vanilla pods as well.
- Arrange the sliced bananas evenly over the bottom of the pie crust in a single layer (that way they'll be ready once the custard is done).
- Put the pot over medium heat and cook, whisking often, until the custard is thickened and reaches a boil, about 5-7 minutes—you should see bubbles in the middle. Remove the pot from the heat and remove the vanilla bean pods.
- Pour the custard over top of the bananas in the pie pan (you most likely won’t need it all unless you have a really deep pie pan—save any leftovers in a small bowl for a treat!). Cover the pie with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface (this will prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Add the topping, chill again, and serve
- Make the whipped cream topping (see below). Scrape the whipped cream over the pie and swoosh it into swirls. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Refrigerate the pie for 30-60 minutes (or longer) to allow the whipped cream to set up a bit.
- Cut the pie into slices, using a damp paper towel to clean your knife between each slice. If you're a sweet-and-salty fan like me, sprinkle your slice with a bit of flaky sea salt (oh yes). Enjoy!
Notes
Do Ahead:
- The graham cracker crust can be made 1 day in advance. Let it cool completely then cover it lightly with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature.
- The pie can be refrigerated for 1 day before serving.
- To make regular whipped cream, combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract in a large bowl. Using electric hand beaters, beat the cream to medium peaks.
- For Coconut Whipped Cream, get the recipe here.
Loved this recipe? Check out @nickisizemore for more!