This allergy-friendly banana cream pie is an absolute delight and while perfect for summer, can be enjoyed any time of year!

I’ve been working on this recipe for a couple of months and I think I’ve got it pretty solid for y’all! I also learned something slightly disturbing (to me) from doing research on banana cream pie recipes, and that is there is no banana in the actual filling/custard???? Just vanilla pudding on top of banana. How boring?! So, for this recipe I included one banana in the filling and it is SO DANG GOOD.

Aiming to make this easy for many people to try out, it’s gluten-free, nut-free, (and because it’s vegan) egg-free, and dairy-free! There is soy from the silken tofu, but there’s gotta be something to use in the body of it or else you get starch pudding. And who want’s a starch pudding?

Tips + Substitutions:

• Gluten-free graham cracker crumbs – I use the Kinnikinnick brand and find it at Sprouts Market or Whole Foods. You can use crumbs that aren’t gluten-free, but if they seem chunky, pulse them in a blender or food processor to get them more fine in texture.
• Vegan butter – if you’d rather use refined coconut oil you can do that too, just add a bigger pinch of salt.
• Bananas – you want the bananas to be ripe, but not mushy. So a yellow peel with some spotting. Any greener and it won’t have the same flavor.
• Silken tofu – I used the shelf-stable silken tofu from Mori-Nu.
• Full-fat coconut milk – this is for flavor, texture, and for adding a little firmness once the pie is chilled.
• Cane sugar – I wouldn’t suggest substituting this with any other type of sugar.
• Corn starch – as to try and make this recipe very accessible I relied on cornstarch as the main thickening agent. I’ve used this plus flour before in my Lemon Bars, and you could always add in 1/2 teaspoon of ground agar agar if you want a fairly firm custard (not my preference though).
• Lemon juice – this is more so to combat the browning of the banana in the custard filling, as it can become more grey over time from the bananas oxidizing (nothing wrong with it, just what happens when no coloring is used).
• Vanilla extract – because there is a full tablespoon (15 ml) used in this recipe, it also discolors the custard filling slightly. If you’d like it lighter in color you can use artificial vanilla extract that’s clear.
• Vegan whipped cream – I get a Sprout’s brand oatmilk whipped topping, but redi whip and a few other brands have non-dairy options at this point.
• If you make this once and are like, “dang I want this as just a banana pudding,” make the filling with only 1/4 cup (37 g) cornstarch, assemble as directed but cut the cooking time in half, then refrigerate. It’s great for trifles and the like!

More dessert recipes you may love!

• Gluten-free Black Sesame Snickerdoodles
• Gluten-free Pistachio Cheesecake
• Fluffy Gluten-free Blackberry Banana Cake with Vegan Whip

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Yield: 8 to 10 slices

Gluten-free Banana Cream Pie

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This allergy-friendly banana cream pie is an absolute delight and while perfect for summer, can be enjoyed any time of year!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 8 ounces (227 g) graham cracker crumbs, I used gluten-free
• 1/4 cup (44 g) vegan butter, melted
• Pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 12-ounce (340 g) package firm silken tofu
• 1 cup (240 g) sugar
• 2 1/2 ripe medium-sized bananas, divided
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk
• 5 tablespoons (48 g) cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the topping:

• Vegan whipped cream
• 1/2 banana, sliced

Instructions

1. For the crust, in a mixing bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and salt, stir together with a fork until combined. Then, press the mixture gently into an 8-inch ( cm) pie pan, until roughly 1/4-inch thick. I used the back of a silicone spatula to help with this. Place pie crust in the freezer while you work on the filling.
2. In a blender, place tofu, sugar, 1 banana broken into chunks, coconut milk, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Puree until completely smooth, then transfer to a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking every 2 minutes. There will be many bubbles at the beginning, from the tofu and blending.
3. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, whisking consistently, until the cornstarch is activated, the mixture thickens significantly, and it coats the whisk easily. Remove pan from heat. Take crust out of the freezer and slice 1 1/2 bananas into 1/4-inch-thick coins. Line the bottom of the crust with the slices, then pour the filling over them.
4. Smooth out the top and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before topping with whipped cream and the remaining half of the banana, sliced. (I placed the whipped cream around the edge of the pie.) If making the pie the day before enjoying, wait until it’s time to serve it before adding toppings. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 197mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g

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