Vegan Banana Cream Pie
The ultimate Vegan Banana Cream Pie! Features thick vanilla custard, fresh bananas, coconut whipped cream, & a golden cookie crust. Easy, dairy-free, & eggless.
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This Vegan Banana Cream Pie features thick, velvety vanilla custard layered with fresh banana slices, piled high with fluffy coconut whipped cream, and nestled inside a buttery golden sandwich cookie crust. It has all the nostalgic, luscious comfort of a traditional diner pie—without a single drop of dairy or eggs.
Whether you need a showstopping dessert for a holiday gathering or a simple no-fuss treat for warm summer days, this recipe delivers perfect sliceable results every time.
Want to see exactly how it comes together step-by-step? Watch our full video tutorial below to follow along in the kitchen!
Reader Reviews
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
Stephanie M
My husband made this pie for Thanksgiving and it is the BEST banana cream pie I’ve ever had.
In this Post
Ingredients & Substitutions
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Golden Oreos: These create a delicious, buttery Oreo pie crust with zero effort. Classic chocolate Oreos or gluten-free vanilla sandwich cookies work great, too!
- Vegan Butter: Adds rich flavor and structure to the crust and pudding. Earth Balance, Miyoko’s, or a quality homemade vegan butter all perform well.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the vanilla custard base to perfection.
- Cornstarch: The primary thickener that gives the pudding its signature, sliceable texture. Arrowroot starch can be used as a 1:1 substitute if preferred.
- Plant-Based Milk: Choose a creamy, neutral-tasting milk such as oat, cashew, or soy milk for the richest custard texture.
- Silken Tofu: Blends seamlessly into the cooked pudding base, creating an ultra-silky, stable texture that holds its shape when sliced without taste-testing like tofu! Check out our guide on how to buy tofu products if you’re new to cooking with silken tofu.
- Nutritional Yeast Flakes: Just a pinch of nutritional yeast flakes adds subtle color and a rich, rounded depth of flavor to dairy-free puddings. Alternatively, use a tiny pinch of ground turmeric or a drop of yellow food coloring for hue.
- Fresh Bananas: Look for bananas that are bright yellow with just a few small spots. Overly ripe bananas get mushy quickly and can release excess moisture into the pie.
- Vegan Whipped Cream: Piled on top for that classic diner look! Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream delivers the best flavor, but store-bought tub or tubed vegan whipped topping works in a pinch.
How to Choose the Best Bananas
Avoid Overripe Bananas: Bananas with heavy brown spots or soft flesh release excess moisture (weeping) into the pie, which breaks down the custard and makes the crust soggy.
Avoid Firm Green Bananas: Unripe bananas lack sweet natural flavor and remain too starch-heavy for a soft cream pie layer.
Kitchen Secrets for the Best Cream Pie
- Seal the Bananas: Layering banana slices directly between hot or warm pudding coats them entirely, blocking oxygen exposure and preventing them from turning brown too quickly.
- Avoid Watery Custard: Make sure your cornstarch mixture comes to a full, rolling boil for at least 1 minute on the stovetop. Cornstarch needs heat to activate its full thickening power so your pie slices cleanly.
- Garnish Right Before Serving: If you plan to add extra fresh banana slices on top of the whipped cream, place them on the pie immediately before serving to keep them looking fresh and bright.
How to Make Vegan Banana Cream Pie
Making this dairy-free banana cream pie is straightforward and split into three simple phases:
- Make the Cookie Crust: Pulse the Golden Oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour in melted vegan butter and process until combined. Press the mixture firmly into an 8-inch or 9-inch pie dish and chill in the refrigerator to set.
- Cook & Blend the Vanilla Custard: Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and plant milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thick. Transfer the cooked pudding to a food processor with the silken tofu, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast, then blend until silky smooth.
- Assemble & Chill: Pour half of the warm vanilla custard into the prepared crust. Top with an even layer of fresh banana slices, then pour the remaining custard over top to seal the fruit. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until fully set.
- Top & Serve: Finish with generous swirls of coconut whipped cream and extra fresh banana slices right before serving.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Why is my vegan banana cream pie runny?
The cornstarch mixture must come to a full, rolling boil for at least 1 full minute on the stovetop. If it doesn’t get hot enough, the starch molecules won’t fully hydrate and set, leaving the pudding soft or runny after chilling.
How long does vegan banana cream pie last in the fridge?
Covered tightly, this pie will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For the best presentation, add fresh banana slice garnishes on top right before serving so they don’t oxidize or turn brown.
Can you freeze banana cream pie?
Freezing a whole banana cream pie is not recommended because the fresh banana slices break down and turn watery upon thawing. However, you can freeze individual slice portions for up to 1 month and enjoy them partially frozen as a ice-cream-like dessert treat!
Decorative Piping & Topping Tips
For a bakery-style look, pipe the coconut whipped cream instead of spreading it:
- Fit a piping bag with an open star tip (such as a Wilton 1M).
- Pipe fluted swirls around the outer edge of the pie, leaving small gaps to tuck in fresh banana slices right before serving.
- Chill the piped pie in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before slicing to help the whipped cream firm up.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve individual slices with drizzles of any of the following:
Storage Tips
Bananas are produce and therefore you’ll want to devour this banana cream pie. This pie will last about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. I would not recommend freezing this pie since the quality of the bananas will deteriorate with freezing. However, you can serve it as a frozen pie. Simply cut it into slices and place those slices on a tray. After they’re frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
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Vegan Banana Cream Pie
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Ingredients
Golden Cookie Crust
- 24 golden Oreos (or any vanilla cream cookie)
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
Cream Pie Filling
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups plant-based milk
- 12 oz silken tofu drained
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 to 3 bananas peeled and sliced
- Coconut Whipped Topping
Instructions
For the Golden Crumb Crust
- Place the Golden Oreos in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the cookies are broken up into smaller pieces.
- Add the vegan butter. Pulse again until the cookie crumbs until an even consistency develops, similar to large grains of sand.
- 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.
For the Banana Cream Pie Filling
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the bottom of a medium-sized saucepan. Add the milks and stir until combined.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until the mixture thickens. Do not worry about lumps. We'll take care of that in a minute.
- Place the silken tofu, 2 tablespoons vegan butter, and nutritional yeast flakes in a food processor. Pulse for several seconds until the mixture becomes very smooth. 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.
- 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 left over. Lucky You!).
- Place the pie in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably two, before serving.
- Follow the instructions in the link to make the Vegan Coconut Cream Whipped Topping.
- Once your Banana Cream Pie is set, remove it from the fridge, cover it with large dollops of the vegan whipped cream and add additional slices of banana on top.
- Store the pie in the fridge. It will keep for up to 5 days.
Recommended Equipment
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
More Vegan Banana Desserts
If you love this vegan banana cream pie, here are even more banana recipes you’ll want to try:
This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›
55 Responses to Vegan Banana Cream Pie
Rate / Comment
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I was voted best dessert at Thanksgiving with this receipe.
I did add a touch of vanilla flavoring to the pudding. Looking forward to making again. Thanks for sharing!
Gayle, that’s wonderful to hear! Adding a touch of vanilla sounds like a perfect enhancement to the pudding. Thank you for sharing your success and for the kind words! Can’t wait for you to make it again.
In my 33 years, I have never a) made anything outside of a family recipe repeatedly and b) written a review on a recipe that I found online. Honest truth on the latter. If you are browsing banana pie recipes and are on the fence, choose this one. Vegan or not. Don’t be turned off by the tofu. Don’t be turned off by the smell of the tofu and yeast in the blender. Don’t taste the pie before it is set. Trust the whole process and you will find yourself eating an entire pie on your own the next day. I have made this pie for work parties, boyfriend’s work parties, Thanksgiving, and just for my partner and I to indulge in solo. Everyone always asks for “that pie that your girlfriend makes.” We are vegan but no one even asks or knows that it’s vegan (unless they are also plant-based so we can let them know they can have it.) This is literally my favorite dessert and a brilliant recipe. Perfectly sweet, creamy, and genuinely banana in flavor. My only advice is to not make it before an event and hope that the 1-2 hours will be enough time for it to set. I always leave it overnight and am dissatisfied if I take a bite too soon. 12 out of 5 stars.
Oh, also, for those who are inquiring about the evap milk or cream, I usually make this with 1 cup of Chobani Oat Milk and 1.5 cups of an unsweetened vegan coffee creamer (it’s like coconut milk and MCT oil, mostly) BUT twice, in a pinch, I have used Chobani’s “Extra Creamy” Oat milk for the whole 2.5 cups of milk that it calls for and it still turned out perfectly.
Umm. While some obviously prefer to eat an non-GMO diet, GMOs and veganism have nothing to do with each other. And most vegans (like myself) will happily consume something like this as a treat.
What can I use instead of ripple? I live in a small town, we don’t have a target or a lot of vegan options. The nearest target is 45 mins away and they don’t even sell the ripple half and half.
Hi Gretchen. Thanks for your comment. I grew up in a super small town (fewer than 1000 people in rural Missouri) and my sister still lives nearby that town today so I understand small town stores and limited selection. In fact, your comment is very helpful and I will add a note to the recipe to help others with this same question. If you have a can of coconut milk, that should work. If not, you could use 2 cups of plant-based milk and simmer it for awhile until it’s at 1 1/2 cups. That will create a thicker milk, which is what we’re after here. Let me know if this is helpful or if you need additional information. I’m happy to help.
It was so good! We used monkfruit instead of sugar, almond crust instead of cookies, and so Delicious topping instead of making our own. I got a little too much agar- I didn’t measure- and it was a bit too stiff, but I would definitely make it again using arrowroot perhaps! I would also blend the bananas in instead of having chunks in the pie. Thanks for another winner!
I have made this a few times and it was great! but don’t remember it having the Ripple half and half….if I can’t find it what’s a substitute
Hi Candice. So glad you like this recipe! I originally called for So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk in this recipe but I was finding it more difficult to find it. However, I’ve noticed I can find Ripple in places like Target, Walmart, my local grocery store, Sprouts, and more. If you can still find that culinary coconut milk, that’s great. Or any thick non-dairy creamer like Ripple, etc. There are so many of them on the market these days!
So delicious!!!!!!!!!!!! I add a layer of melted chocolat on the crust. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Is Oreo vegan ?
Hi Fayol, Oreos are vegan in the US are considered vegan. Check out this tweet about Oreos by Peta for confirmation. I should clarify, however, that some people get hung up on the sugar used in products. Some refined sugars are processed with bone chard. I am a secular vegan, which means I’m passionate, but not so rigid as to care about sugar. It creates some “holier than thou” litmus test, if you ask me. As if only those who jump thru all these hurdles can you use the title vegan. That’s my two cents (and more) on the topic. Hope it helps!
Very excited to try out this recipe! If I can’t find the culinary coconut milk you mentioned, would coconut cream be a better substitute that the creamy part of regular coconut milk? Not sure how many cans I would need to make 1 1/2 cups of just the creamy part. 🙂
Hi Auni! Yes, I believe the cream part from a can of coconut milk would work. Thanks for this, I will add a note to the recipe.
Hi, I accidentally used coconut milk from a can and not just the cream, do you think I need to add more cornstarch or will it still thicken? It looks just a bit runny now, but still voluptuous
Hi Wren, Oh coconut milk. I can be so problematic. Because even from can to can things can be so different! I think you should be fine, between the tofu and the cornstarch for thickeners. I might cookie the coconut milk a little longer to let some of the more liquid part of the can to evaporate. You could also add a little bit of chia seeds (like 1 or 2 tablespoons), if you don’t mind the little black flecks that will be added. Let me know how it goes!