Description
No-Bake Mini Banana Cream Pies – Easy & Delicious Recipe — perfect for a quick breakfast treat or weekend brunch entertaining. Makes 12 individual pies in 15 minutes of active prep with 11 simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant banana cream pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced
- Whipped cream, for topping
- Honey, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Mix until well combined.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a muffin tin to form mini crusts. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.
- In a large bowl, whisk banana pudding mix with cold milk until thickened. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Fold half of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture to create a mousse-like texture.
- Add banana slices to the crusts, then spoon the pudding mixture on top.
- Top each mini pie with a dollop of the remaining whipped cream.
- Garnish with banana slices and a drizzle of honey if desired.
- Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Fridge (assembled): Place fully assembled mini pies in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent the whipped topping from sticking. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep them on a flat shelf rather than the door to avoid jostling. The crusts will soften slightly over time, but the flavor actually deepens as the pudding melds with the graham cracker base.
- Freezer: Freeze the pies without the whipped cream topping and fresh banana slices. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. They hold beautifully for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving, then add fresh banana slices and whipped cream just before eating for the best texture. Follow food storage guidelines for safe freezer practices.
- Oven Reheat (crust refresh): If your thawed crusts feel a bit soft after freezing, remove the filling gently, place the empty crusts on a baking sheet, and warm them in a preheated oven at 300°F for 5 minutes. Let them cool completely for about 10 minutes before reassembling. This brief warming restores the buttery crunch without overbaking. Note: never heat the pudding filling in the oven — it will break.
- Microwave Reheat (not recommended): Microwaving is generally not ideal for these chilled treats because the heat causes the pudding filling to thin out and the cream to deflate. If you must soften a frozen pie quickly, microwave on 30% power for 20 seconds only, then let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. The texture won’t match the original, but it’s serviceable in a pinch for a quick breakfast.
- Air Fryer Reheat (crust only): For the crispiest crust revival, place empty frozen crusts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Heat at 280°F for 3 minutes, checking halfway to ensure they don’t over-brown. Allow them to cool to room temperature for about 8 minutes before spooning the chilled pudding filling back in and topping with fresh banana and cream. This method gives you bakery-fresh crunch every time.
- Prep Time: 15
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini
- Calories: 264 calories
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 198mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 42mg