Vegan Banana Cream Pie
I am in love with this recipe. I know. What kind of person loves a pie? I must be terribly shallow. But all I know is this pie makes me feel happy. And I if there’s anything I know about myself…I LOVE being happy! So bring on the Vegan Banana Cream Pie and the happiness! What’s next? Unicorns and rainbows? I can always hope!
This recipe happened because I asked the question on the Namely Marly Facebook Page, “What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Day dish that you’d like to see veganized?”
There were several responses, but the one I really picked up on was Banana Cream Pie.
My mind immediately raced back to the days of my mom’s dessert table. My mom still makes a mean dessert and she even makes vegan versions for us, but for some reason banana cream slipped off the menu over the last few years. Maybe, just maybe, she always made that pie for ME and because I was vegan she decided it would be too hard to make a vegan version of this recipe.
I’m going to surprise her this year with this recipe. I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she tries it. Because it’s good. Dang good!
I started with a Golden Oreo Pie Crust. I could have gone completely traditional and done a baked pie crust, but I loved the idea of these Golden Oreos creating a delicious foundation for the pie.
I paired that up with a delicious, creamy banana cream pudding. Because, well, you know, that’s what you do!
I included some sliced bananas to fill up the middle of the pie and covered it with more banana cream pie filling. It’s too much. Stop!
Do you see that pie? It’s done and ready for some Coconut Cream Whipped Topping. I added more sliced bananas to give it some more banana pop!
What I Love About This Vegan Banana Cream Pie Recipe
I have to confess, I have a thing for creamy foods. It’s another reason I’m so into peanut butter. And this recipe has “creamy” covered! I also love the layered flavors of the crust, the pudding, the bananas, and the coconut cream topping.
This vegan banana cream pie recipe wasn’t too hard to make either. It was a matter of putting together the pie crust and then making the pudding. The rest was merely about assembly. You could probably serve it without the whipped topping, but then again, why would you want to do that! 🙂
I also love the fact that this recipe uses real bananas. To get that nice yellow color to the pudding without adding food coloring, I added a little bit of nutritional yeast flakes. That did the trick!
I have a couple of fun updates for you. After the clocks fell back on Sunday, something amazing happened with the light in this house. I’ve struggled with finding the right light for photography here, but now between the new daylight hours and the leaves falling off the trees near our windows, I’m getting some gorgeous light in the afternoons.
That can be both good news and bad news. Because now I have so many photos I love to share with you! I’ll try to use self control so I don’t slow down the upload speeds. It’s not easy!
Also, we bought a new coffee table this weekend. It’s not new, new. It’s from my friend Karen who decided this coffee table didn’t go with their new home. I, of course, jumped on the opportunity to buy this table because Karen is one of the coolest people I know and I loved this table from the moment I laid eyes on it in her downtown KC loft. The table has this cool industrial, edgy feel to it. You will be seeing it a lot in food photos coming up. Here’s your first glimpse:
Don’t you just love it?
And now, one more photo of this beautiful Vegan Banana Cream Pie – it’s vegan people!! – and then the recipe.
The only thing that would make me happier than this vegan banana cream pie, is if you liked it too! If you make it, take a photo and share it with me on my favorite new social media site, Instagram with #NamelyMarly I’d love to see it!
- Golden Cookie Crust
- 24 golden Oreos or vanilla cream cookie of your choice
- 4 tablespoons Earth Balance dairy free margarine, sliced
- Cream Pie Filling
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk
- 1 cup plant milk soy, almond, coconut, etc, vanilla flavored
- 12 oz container of firm silken tofu drained
- 2 tablespoons Earth Balance dairy free margarine
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 2-3 bananas peeled and sliced
- Coconut Whipped Topping
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For the Golden Crumb Crust
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Place the Golden Oreos in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the cookies are broken up into smaller pieces.
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Add the Earth Balance margarine. Pulse again until the cookie crumbs until a still course, but even consistency develops. I like a consistency about the size of large grains of sand.
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Press the crust into an 8 or 9" pie pan, pushing firmly against the side. It helps if you use a measuring cup to press the crust against the pan. Refrigerate for about an hour to set.
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For the Banana Cream Pie Filling
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Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the bottom of medium-sized saucepan. Add the milks and stir until combined.
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Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until the mixture thickens. Do no worry about lumps. We'll take care of that in a minute.
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Place the silken tofu, 2 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine, and nutritional yeast flakes in a food processor. Pulse for several seconds until the mixture becomes very smooth. It may be necessary to remove the lid and push some of the contents down to the bottom and then pulse again. Add the pudding mixture to the food processor and pulse again until all the ingredients are combined and any lumps that may have formed while cooking are gone. Set this aside and allow it to cool a little.
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Once the Pie Filling is mostly cooled, remove the pie crust from the fridge and pour about half of the pie filling into the pie crust. Top this with a layer of sliced bananas. Pour the remaining pie filling over the sliced bananas. (Depending on what size of pan you used, you might have a little of the pudding leftover. Lucky You!). Place in the fridge to set for at least an hour, preferably two before serving.
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Follow the instructions in the link to make the Vegan Coconut Cream Whipped Topping.
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Once your Banana Cream Pie is set, remove it from the fridge, cover it with large dollops of the Coconut Cream Whipped Topping and add additional slices of banana on the top as well
Use gluten-free cookies to make this pie gluten-free
I clearly have a thing for pies. If you’re like me, why not check out my Vegan Pumpkin Pie or my Chocolate Brownie Pie. Whichever pie you choose…Enjoy!
Nichole Kraft
Is it shallow to say, “I love you” when someone veganizes your favorite pie recipe? (Even if it is, I don’t care.) Thank you so much for this, Marly! I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving. One question, though…I can’t get the culinary coconut milk here. Can I sub a can?
You’re my banana cream pie hero. That is all. 🙂
Marly
Ahh, you’re so sweet Nichole! So glad you both inspired me on this…and that you love it too!
Nichole Kraft
I think I might just make it this next week. Although I don’t think I can get the culinary coconut milk here. Can I sub a can of full-fat coconut milk?
Marly
You can definitely substitute a can of coconut milk, but I highly recommend putting it in the fridge first and separate out the thinner milk. For this recipe you’d want to only use the full fat milk that solidifies in the can after refrigerating for a few hours. Don’t throw out the thinner milk though. That’s good stuff and you can use it in other recipes that call for milk or water. Let me know how it goes!
Joan
Oh my, it looks so creamy and delicious. And I bet the coconut milk really add a nice flavor.
Marly
Sometimes coconut milk can be overpowering, but it doesn’t seem to do that with this recipe. I think maybe the bananas win that war! 😉
Kristen
So I have a non vegan banana pie cooling in the fridge as I type. I LOVE your photos and this very happy inducing pie!
Marly
Ahh, I hope this is an example of “great minds think alike” because I like being on the same page with you! 🙂
Betsy @ Desserts Required
Great job taking a classic nonvegan recipe and making it work! The lighting is terrific which makes your pictures pop!
Marly
Thanks Betsy – I always love your kind comments…and your dessert recipes too!
Judith
Wooh, I just made this! It’s in the fridge so I haven’t tasted the finished product yet, but I tried everything separately ofcourse and it was wonderful 😀 Since golden oreo’s are not sold here I substituted Lotus Speculoos cookies, and I blended 2 bananas with the cream to make it more banana-y, because I frigging love bananas. I also added some grated dark chocolate in the middle and on top! I’m confident it’s going to be awesome 😀
Judith
IT IS AWESOME OMG
Marly
Yay! I can’t stay out of this pie either. And we had some non-vegetarian friends over last night which meant I HAD to try it on them. They loved it too. Yippee!
Marly
Judith – you just rocked my world with these adaptations! Great ideas. I think we might be soul sisters because I friggin’ love bananas too! OK. You know what I would love? For you to take a picture and send it to me!! #NamelyMarly
dana
This is gorgeous, Marly! I will definitely be giving this a try. Love how inventive it is! And that nutritional yeast – gorgeous color 😀 Bravo!
Marly
Thanks, Dana. You made my day! 🙂
cheryl
Hi all! lol! im trying to change my eating habits and want to make vegan desserts! anybody know of a good vegan site? besides this site! i stopped eating McDonalds and all fast foods! As I said I want to try vegan!
Marly
Stopping fast food is a great start, Cheryl! There are so many great vegan blogs. Here are some of my favorites: Minimalist Baker, Lunchbox Bunch, Finding Vegan, Allyson Kramer’s Site, and Plant-Powered Kitchen (just to name a few). Hope that’s helpful!
kathy
wow that looks delicious, I am going to make that for sure, I have never seen golden Oreos over here so I will look for them, they may be on the shelves I am not much of a biscuit eater so I probably haven’t noticed but they look wonderful for the base.
Marly
If you can’t find golden Oreos nearby then feel free to substitute vanilla sandwich cookies or even graham crackers. Let me know how it goes!
Mike
this looks delicious, but wouldn’t the “oreo’s” be non vegan since their a GMO Food Product?
Lisa B.
I will be making this for Thanksgiving. It’s just my husband and me so we will have lots of pie!! I’ll take a picture for you.
Marly
I can’t wait to see it Lisa! Happy early Thanksgiving to you!!
Michelle
It looks so good. However, isn’t there milk product in the oreos? And I’m sorry to say but all the soy in our country is gmo. Sometimes it’s better to with the organic choices. But it looks really good.!
Marly
Hi Michelle! There’s no milk products in Oreos in the states but I’ve heard that’s not the case in Europe. Feel free to substitute plain yellow cream cookies or graham crackers. That pie is gonna taste good if were served on a piece of toast! OK. Maybe not really, but almost!
Angie
Tofu isn’t always available here in Egypt, what can I use instead?
Ellie
Sounds super delicious! I have a suggestion though..definitely go with the other vanilla cookie of your choice option for the crust. Because Oreos – really? There is a distinct lack of food ingredients in Oreos. Just because it’s vegan DOES NOT mean healthy. We can have our health and eat the pie too! Can’t wait to make this for the holidays, thank you!
Marly
You can use whatever cookies you’d like, but for me I wouldn’t change a thing with this crust! I love how it works with this pie! 🙂
Chiara
I made this and it was sooo good! Everybody who tried it loved it, even people who are very skeptical of vegan dishes were impressed by it. Taking second pieces or even asking for a piece after trying a little bit. So thank you so much for sharing and I’ll definitely be making this again.
Lisa
Nom, nom, nom,nom…made it…and it is D-Lish!!! I’ll put a picture on Instagram for you, Marly. Hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!!
Stephanie Marsh
My husband made this pie for Thanksgiving and it is the BEST banana cream pie I’ve ever had. It is better than Village Inn’s BCP and that was my favorite before I became vegan. Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve added it to our favorite recipe collection. The only changes we made to the ingredients were So Delicious coconut coffee creamer instead of culinary cream and we used guar gum instead of xanthan gum. The golden Oreo crust was perfect!
Kelly
I have a question, I made this recipe, and I did exactly as you described, I only put 3 mashed bananas in the pudding recipe extra. Is it possible that the pudding won’t stiffen because of the mashed bananas? It has been in the refrigerator for about 3.5 hours now and it is still too runny to cut in to pieces. Do you have any tips for me maybe on this short notice. Sorry for the bad English I’m from the Netherlands so forgive me.
Greetings Kelly
Marly
Hi Kelly. So I’m not sure I understand. You added three mashed bananas to the pudding? If so, I can imagine that would cause the pudding not to set firmly. I love your creativity though and I could see myself doing the same thing. If that were the case and I had done that, I probably would put the pie in the freezer and serve it as a frozen pie. I bet it would be good like that!
Kelly Meijer
Hi, I indeed did, but still te pie was liquid when I served It so instead of a pie we had en bowl of pudding at easter brunch, anyway itwas heavenly delicious! I will keep trying and succeed.. eventually haha
Alima
could i use turmeric instead of nooch?? i fear that i would taste the cheesy flavor.
Marly
Hi Alima. Sure, you can use turmeric. And you’d only need a little bit because it adds a lot of color. Sometimes I like a bit of the nooch because a lot of traditional recipes call for eggs which have a rich flavor and I think the nooch brings that richness. But either way, that banana cream pie is so good! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Pam
I made this banana cream pie a few months ago and it was delicious. My granddaughter loves chocolate so the next time I alter just a bit and used the chocolate Oreo for the crust and chocolate almond milk and 2 tbsp of cocoa powder for the filling and made a delicious chocolate cream pie with this recipe. We have made both pie several times and always come out delicious. Thank you for the recipe. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Marly
PAM! I LOVE that you did that! Thanks for sharing it with me too…I may be planning another pie extravaganza and chocolate cream sounds so good!