Get ready for a banana flavor explosion! The delectable banana custard filling is adapted from my popular vegan pastry cream recipe.
All topped off with mounds of fluffy vegan whipped cream, this is NOT your average banana cream pie!
🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make a cream pie vegan. Find the complete list of ingredient quantities and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredient Notes
Biscoff cookies: These crunchy, deeply spiced biscuit-style cookies are among my favorites. Feel free to swap in any other vegan cookies, like digestives or vegan graham crackers.
Biscoff spread: Biscoff and banana are a match made in heaven, and this creamy layer takes this banana pie to the next level. You can also use creamy peanut butter at room temperature if you prefer.
Yellow Bananas: Unlike banana bread or banana muffins, you don't want to use overly spotty or ripe bananas. Look for bright yellow rinds with very few brown freckles for the best results.
Vegan vanilla yogurt: Adds extra creaminess and a subtle tang that enhances the banana vanilla custard flavor. You can also use plain vegan yogurt for a less sweet option.
Cornstarch: Also known as cornflour in some parts of the world, this is essential to thickening your custard. If corn is a no-no, potato starch or arrowroot powder are good substitutes.
Whipped coconut cream: To make a completely from-scratch banana cream pie, make sure to use freshly whipped vegan cream.
📷 Step-By-Step Images
Here's a visual overview of this dairy-free banana cream pie. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
Start by greasing and lining your pie pan with parchment so the crust doesn't stick. When you're pressing in the crust, pack it down firmly, especially around the edges. It makes all the difference when slicing later.
To keep the bananas looking fresh, toss both the sliced and mashed ones in a little lemon juice. It helps slow browning and adds a subtle tang that works beautifully with the creamy filling.
Before you pour in the custard, spread a generous layer of Biscoff over the crust and top it with the sliced bananas. It adds a lovely spiced sweetness and a bit of texture under all that creaminess.
The custard needs a bit of patience - low heat and constant stirring are key. Switch between whisking and using a spatula to keep it smooth and prevent it from catching at the bottom. It should be super thick and glossy by the time it's ready.
Once off the heat, stir in the mashed banana, vanilla, vegan butter, and a pinch of salt. You can strain it here for a smoother finish, but it's not essential.
Pour it over the banana layer, smooth it out, and let the pie chill until set (usually 4 to 6 hours). Then just before serving, add the whipped cream, banana slices, and cookie crumbs. This keeps everything looking and tasting fresh.
💬 FAQs
This pie is best enjoyed within 1-2 days. You can make it a day ahead, but wait to add the toppings until just before serving. Simply cover and refrigerate until you're ready to decorate.
Freezing isn't ideal if the pie includes fresh bananas, as they can turn mushy once defrosted. However, if you skip the banana layer inside and add fresh slices just before serving, the pie can be frozen for up to one month in an airtight container.
Absolutely! Just swap the cookies in the crust for a GF alternative, such as gluten-free graham crackers or gluten-free Biscoff-style cookies. Make sure all other ingredients, like vegan milk and yogurt, are certified gluten-free as well.
🥧 More Vegan Pies
📖 Recipe
Vegan Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 g (8.8 oz) Biscoff cookies or other vegan cookies
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 80 g (⅓ cup) vegan butter (block-style)
Filling
- 150 g (⅔ cup) biscoff spread or peanut butter, room temperature
- 400 g yellow bananas about 4 medium bananas - not overly spotty/ripe
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 100 g (¾ cup) cornstarch (cornflour)
- 90 g (½ cup) granulated sugar *use organic if based in the US
- 500 ml (2 cups + 2tbsp) oat milk or other non-dairy milk
- 40 g (2 tbsp) vegan vanilla yogurt or plain vegan yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 100 g (½ cup) vegan butter (block-style), cubed
- 1 batch vegan whipped cream chilled until ready to use
Instructions
- Prepare: Lightly grease the base and sides of a 9.5" pie dish with a removable base with some oil or vegan butter, then line the base with a circle of parchment paper.
- Make the crust: Add the cookies and salt to a food processor and blitz for a minute or so until it reaches a fine crumb consistency. Add the butter and blend again until the ingredients stick together to form a soft dough consistency.
- Press the mixture into the base and sides of the pan, using a spatula or flat-bottomed glass to smooth it out. Take your time to make sure it is even and well-compacted. Set aside in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- Coat the bananas: Slice 300g (about 3) of the bananas into coins and toss them in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until evenly coated.
- Layer: Add the biscoff spread on top of the crust and smooth it out with the back of a spoon or spatula. Then arrange the banana slices on top in an even layer.
- Make the filling: Mash together the remaining banana and lemon juice using a fork and set aside. Add the cornstarch, sugar, oat milk, and yogurt to a saucepan and whisk well until smooth without lumps.
- Cook the custard: Whisk well while bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and slowly cook for about 5-8 minutes while stirring continuously - alternate between whisking and stirring with a spatula to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pan. The mixture will become very thick - this is what you want!
- Once the mixture has thickened (see image 7 for reference), remove it from the heat and stir in the mashed banana, sea salt, vanilla, and cubed vegan butter. Whisk until smooth and all of the butter has melted and incorporated into the mixture.Optionally, you can pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve at this stage for a smoother finish.
- Set: Pour or spoon the filling over the banana slices and use a spoon or spatula to smooth out the surface. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours until set.
- Garnish: Just before serving, top the pie with whipped vegan cream and some additional banana slices, and crushed cookies if desired.
- Storage: Banana cream pie is best served within 1-2 days, so I recommend preparing the pie (without cream and banana slice topping) no more than a day ahead of when you plan to serve it. Just cover, chill, and decorate before serving.
Notes
- Biscoff Cookies: Feel free to swap in any other vegan cookies or vegan graham crackers you prefer.
- Biscoff Spread: Use creamy peanut butter at room temp if you prefer.
- Oat Milk: Use any variety of plain or vanilla unsweetened plant milk.
- Grease & line your pie pan to make sure the crust doesn't stick! Also, take your time to really compact the crust.
- Cook the custard slowly on low heat until thick to give the cornstarch enough time to do its job.
- Don't add the whipped cream, crumbled cookies, or banana slices to the top of the pie until just before serving.
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