When I was in college my classmates and I were asked to bring one of our favorite things to school. Our professors wanted to take a picture of us to hang on bulletin board. I took a box of cream cheese. I don’t think any of my classmates brought anything. There I hung on the picture board for two semesters. Me and my cream cheese. What can I say? I love the stuff.
You already know I’m not a banana fan. I’m also not an instant pudding fan. Since Justin loves banana cream pie, I had to reinvent it into something that we would both enjoy. I made this for him for Fathers Day. He enjoyed it, I enjoyed it and so did all of his family. Make it soon. You will enjoy it too!!
Crush graham crackers. I used my food processor. If you don’t have one, you can put the graham crackers in a sealable plastic bag and roll them into crumbs using a rolling pin. Better yet, have the kiddos do that job.
Add sugar and chopped walnuts.
Add melted butter.
Press into either a pie pan of a 9 x 13. I usually make this in a 9″ pie pan. But this time I was making it for a crowd. So I double the batch and put it in a 9 x 13. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Beat softened cream cheese.
Add sweetened condensed milk. Beat together to combine. (Sometime I will share a story that proves my love for sweetened condensed milk!)
Mix pudding mix and milk together.
Add pudding to cream cheese. Stir to combine.
Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
Slice bananas and layer over cooled graham cracker crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over bananas.
Warm hot fudge sauce just until you can spread it. Use a good quality sauce, or homemade. I really need to get the recipe I used posted. It’s the best!! Carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until hot fudge is set.
Top with more whipped cream. Then top with grated chocolate, or chocolate curls or both.
Banana Cream Cheese Pie is a delicious marriage between a cheesecake and a banana cream pie.
- CRUST:
- 24 vanilla wafers, crushed
- ½ c. walnuts, chopped
- ¼ c. butter, melted
- 2 T. sugar
- FILLING:
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ c. milk
- 1 4 oz. package vanilla pudding, instant
- 1 8 oz. whipped topping, divided
- 2 bananas
- Hot fudge sauce, good quality
- Chocolate for garnish, optional
- CRUST:
- Crush wafer.
- Combine wafers, melted butter, sugar and chopped walnuts. Spread in a 9" pie pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.
- FILLING:
- Whip softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk.
- Whisk milk and pudding together. Add to cream cheese mixture.
- Fold half of whipped topping into cream cheese mixture.
- Slice bananas and spread over cooled crust.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over bananas.
- Warm hot fudge sauce just until spreadable. Spread over cream cheese layer.
- Spread remaining whipped topping over hot fudge layer.
- Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- NOTE: I double this and put it in a 9" x 13" pan. It's a crowd pleaser!
lisa g. says
June 2, 2015 at 10:48 pmI got hunger pangs looking at that pie-yummy!
Could I use a prepared graham cracker pie crust and would it need baked before filling it?
If you say I can do this then I would make two pies by doubling the recipe. I confess Im lazy at making an easy graham crust! Keebler has a larger size crust that I would use. Its bigger than their original size. Thank you so much for posting this!
Amy Engberson says
June 12, 2015 at 7:00 amIf you are want a quick and yummy dessert you are in the right place! I think all of us busy girls use store bought graham cracker crusts! Doubling the recipe will make two pies, even with the bigger crusts. Baking homemade graham cracker crusts for a few minutes helps set them up a little so they aren’t so crumbly. Store bought graham cracker crusts are already nice and firm so skip the baking! Enjoy!
Carolyn Boser says
September 29, 2017 at 6:33 pmHi, Just wondering if you can freeze this for a month or so after making it? I am making things for a grooms dinner and I am trying to get a head of the game with desserts and this sounds and looks amazing. Thanks for any info.
Amy Engberson says
October 3, 2017 at 2:42 pmHi Carolyn! I wouldn’t recommend freezing this particular dessert. I’m pretty sure freezing it would alter the consisteny and texture of the pudding as well as the bananas. It is easy to make though so maybe it would still work. Good luck with your dinner!
Judy says
February 13, 2018 at 5:06 pmWas there a mistake in your recipe for banana cream pie as it did not call for instant pudding and it was really runny when I poured it into the shell. Will it firm up after a few hours.
Amy Engberson says
February 14, 2018 at 4:07 pmHmmm! I wonder why it is runny? The recipe does actually list pudding as one of the ingredients and it should be instant since it doesn’t get cooked. Did you use sweetened condensed milk and not regualar milk? That would make it more runny?
Ann says
February 20, 2018 at 5:34 pmI am actually in the middle of making this now. I had the fudge sauce, but before I had a chance to make the pie, my husband broke into the fudge. I was wanting to make my own at another time and was wondering if you ever posted the recipe you used for the fudge sauce? ATTACHED WAS YOUR COMMENT: Warm hot fudge sauce just until you can spread it. Use a good quality sauce, or homemade. I really need to get the recipe I used posted. It’s the best!! Carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until hot fudge is set.
This really looks like a good one…oh, and what I will do in the mean time, is put carob raisins slightly over instead of the fudge sense that’s all I have now. But would much rather use the fudge sauce. .Thanks~~
Amy Engberson says
February 21, 2018 at 11:35 amYou have to hide all the yummy things like hot fudge sauce from those husbands! I still haven’t shared my hot fudge sauce recipe yet. I still make it all the time but completely forgot that I haven’t added it to my site yet! Thanks for the reminder! Can’t wait for you to try this pie!
Ann says
February 20, 2018 at 9:32 pmI am now eating a piece of the Banana Cream Cheese pit……..OH MY GOD!! I am not much for Banana Cream pies, but the Choc. fudge sold me on this, and I was making it for my husbands birthday request……he said it was the BEST he has ever had. I also would not skip out on making the crust from scratch. It was like eating candy…..an added bonus!! I mentioned earlier that my husband got into the fudge sauce, so I had to forfeit that, but will definitely make it with it next time. Remember, requesting your recipe with the home made fudge sauce………..2 thumbs up on this great pie!!
trish says
May 5, 2018 at 4:54 pmYour recipe said to crush Graham crackers, but your ingredients call for 24 vanilla wafers not Graham crackers. ” ? “
Amy Engberson says
May 8, 2018 at 9:59 amOops! Vanilla wafer crumbs and graham cracker crumbs are interchangeable so either will work just fine! I prefer vanilla wafers and my boys prefer graham crackers. I’ve tried both and it’s tasty regardless! Have a great day!