This Vegan Banana Pudding Pie takes a bit of preparation, but it sure is worthwhile. Silky, creamy pudding is nestled in between layers of fresh bananas, a chewy, easy-to-make crust, and a dreamy blanket of dairy-free whipped topping. It's the perfect dessert to enjoy on a hot summer day, or any time of year, really.
I've tested this crust recipe with sunflower seed butter and peanut butter, both resulting in delicious results. Most nut or seed butters should work, but you'll want to mindful that some nutbutters have more oil in them than others. If your nutbutter seems to be on the oily side, you may not need the plant milk. I always give it a test pinch or two to check the stickiness before adding the milk. The crust should stick together when pinched between your fingers. If it's still crumbly, go ahead and add the milk until it sticks.
To break up the time needed to make this pie, I like to make my pudding the night before. You can let it sit overnight in your refrigerator, and it'll be ready to go the next day. If you do this, you can skip the refrigeration after adding the pudding to the pie crust. A good quality, pure vanilla extract is important for the flavor of your pudding. I was once gifted with this bottle of vanilla from Neilsen-Massey , and although the flavor is fantastic I almost fell off my chair when I went online to order more and glimpsed the price tag. Although quite expensive, you really can taste the difference. If that price isn't for you, this one from Watkins works nicely as well. For an alcohol-free option, try this one from Heilala.
For the topping of this pie I like to use a tub of CoCo Whip from So Delicious. You could easily substitute this with your favorite dairy-free whipped topping. My homemade coconut whipped cream works great in this if you're up for the additional work, or can't find the coco whip. If you can't have coconut, some alternative options would be this vegan whipped cream replacement, or a tub of Truwhip. An aquafaba based whipped cream may work, but I haven't yet tested it. If you're not familiar with aquafaba, it's the liquid from a can of chickpeas, and it's become quite the power ingredient for vegan recipes. I haven't got around to trying an aquafaba whipped cream recipe yet because, well, it just sounds weird to me. But with seeing so many recipes out there and hearing so many positive things about it, my curiosity will get me there eventually. I'll be sure to report back when I finally give it a try.
Vegan Banana Pudding Pie
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups oats
- ½ cup dates
- ⅓ cup sunflower seed butter
- 2 - 4 tablespoon coconut milk beverage I used So Delicious
For the pudding
- 2 cups plant based milk I used So Delicious vanilla coconut milk
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To assemble
- 2 bananas thinly sliced (3 if you’d like to decorate the top of the pie with banana slices)
- 9 oz container of CocoWhip any dairy free whip will work
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a food processor, puree all of your crust ingredients, except for the milk. Pulse in your coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time. You want the crust to stick together when pinched with your fingers. Once you’ve got a good, sticky texture, press your crust firmly into the bottom and up the sides of an 8 inch pie pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for ten minutes.
Make the pudding
- While your crust is baking, prepare your pudding. In a saucepan, whisk together the corn starch, sugar, and salt. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk over medium-low heat, and continue to stir until the mixture starts to thicken (about 10 minutes). Stir for another 2 to 3 minutes until it reaches a good thickness, and then add in your vanilla. Let the pudding cool for ten minutes.
Fill the pie and chill
- After your crust and pudding have cooled for ten minutes, it’s time to start assembling your pie. Top your crust with a thin layer of banana slices, and then pour in your pudding. Gently spread the pudding evenly over your pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap tightly, making sure that the wrap doesn’t touch the top of the pudding. Refrigerate until firm, about three hours or until you’re ready to serve.
Assemble the pie
- You’ll want to refrigerate your CocoWhip for 3-4 hours to soften, before you add it to your pie. Once your pudding is set and your Cocowhip is softened, it’s time to add the final layers. Remove the wrap from your pie, and add another thin layer of bananas on top of your pudding. Spread the entire container of CocoWhip gently and evenly on top of that layer, then decorate with sliced bananas if you’d like. Serve immediately, and try not to eat the whole thing!
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this Vegan Banana Pudding Pie recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @milkfreemom on Instagram and hashtag it #milkfreemom. Don't forget to pin it for later!
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